The Occupational Therapist performs professional work in the field of occupational therapy by functionally evaluating the client/patient and planning and utilizing a program of purposeful activities to develop or maintain adaptive skills designed to achieve maximum physical and mental functioning of the patient in his or her daily life tasks. The incumbent in this class assists in the rehabilitation of mentally, physically or emotionally handicapped patients by providing self-help activities designed to aid the patient's physical function and/or mental response. This position is the entry level of the professional occupational therapist series and differs from the Staff Occupational Therapist in that the latter works independently and deals with more complex and acute cases.