Texas Occupational Therapy Degrees

By Susan Maphis, allied health world contributing writer
Published: March, 14 2010

Using occupations, otherwise known as things that people do in everyday life, an Occupational Therapist helps people who are disabled in some way return to more normal functioning. In the state of Texas, approximately 6200 licensed Occupational Therapists and 2300 licensed Occupational Therapist Assistants practice. San Antonio, TX is one of the cities in the United States with the most Occupational Therapist positions available now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects in the occupational therapy field are expected to grow faster than those of most other occupations through the year 2016. Occupational therapists work in nursing homes, home health care services, school districts, travel agencies, physicians' offices, and hospitals. Cities in Texas that have the highest concentration of Occupational Therapist positions include Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

Continuing Education Requirements for Texas Occupational Therapists

At the time of license renewal, every two years, occupational therapists in the state of Texas must show proof of completion of 30 contact hours of Continuing Education courses from a Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) Approved Provider.  These are most often the same institutions that provide Texas occupational therapy courses.  A minimum of 15 of these hours must be in Type II courses, which are specific to the practice of Occupational Therapy with a patient or a client. Any continuing education course that is offered by TOTA Approved Providers is pre-approved to fulfill license renewal requirements by the Texas Board of OT Examiners.  Some Continuing Education courses that fall under Type I category include a videotape presentation on aggression in adolescents, an in service on ADD, and a seminar on Alzheimer's disease. Type II courses include classes such as Neurodevelopmental Treatment Techniques and Management of the Shoulder.

Major Employers of Occupational Therapists in Texas

• Nurses Etc. Staffing, Universal City
• MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
• Alight Pediatric Therapy Clinic, Inc, San Antonio
• Active Development Therapies, LLC, Porter
• St. David's HealthCare, Austin
• West Texas Rehab Center, San Angelo
• Pathfinder Pediatric Home Care, The Woodlands
• Capital Metro Transportation Authority, Austin
• Next Medical Staffing, Brownsville
• Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas
• Good Samaritan Society, El Paso
• Solara Healthcare, Harlingen
• Kidz Therapeze, Kileen