Rutgers OTA student, Angela Verdi, left, with Matheny COTA Debbie Goodhart.

Matheny works with several colleges and universities to provide occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant internships. Rutgers University began an OTA program in 2012, and its students have been coming to Matheny for seven- or eight-week sessions, shadowing our certified occupational assistants (COTAs) in a real working environment. The OTA interns receive practical experience interacting with patients and students and practicing techniques and theories related to occupational therapy in both a hospital and school setting.

The Rutgers Associate of Science – Occupational Therapy Assistant program was begun in the School of Health Related Professions (SHRP) in response to a national, state and local demand for OTA practitioners and is supported by a grant from Genesis Rehab. Occupational therapy is a health and rehabilitation therapy that helps people develop and build skills that are important for independent functioning health and well-being. At Matheny, OTs are part of a collaborative team that helps develop adaptive skills and assists in improving performance capacity in individuals whose ability to perform life skills is impaired.

Matheny student Michael Taurozzi uses a switch to access a computer, assisted by OT Wendell Lumapas.

Occupational therapy helps people regain, develop and build skills that are important for independent living and well-being. OTs often use assistive technology to help people with disabilities with life skills they couldn’t normally perform.

At Matheny, many students and patients are able to access a computer by using a switch. OTs train our children and adults to use any functional part of their body to activate a computer program. This use of assistive technology enables them to participate more fully in school activities, leisure activities and activities of daily living.