Exceptional Children: Occupational Therapist

EC Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists lead the process in development, implementation, and coordination of the occupational therapy program. Screening, evaluation, educational program and transition planning, therapeutic intervention, and exit planning is provided for students identified with or suspected of having disabilities that interfere with their ability to perform daily life activities or participate in necessary or desired occupations. Professional judgment and clinical knowledge are used to develop individualized programming based on occupational performance deficits in the areas of personal care, student role, interaction skills, process skills, play, community integration/work, and graphic communication.

The Occupational therapist regularly collaborates with other disciplines and services at departmental and system levels. The Occupational therapist is expected to independently review outcomes and modify intervention programs. Clinical reasoning and professional judgment are essential to ensuring the safety of students and protecting liability of the school system and the therapist. Errors may result in serious harm to students. Direct supervision may be exercised over support personnel, such as occupational therapy assistants and clerical staff (if applicable).

Use purposeful, goal directed activities and task analysis to enable a student with a disability to benefit from their IEP. Federal law mandates that OT in the school system be educationally relevant. The focus of OT services in a school setting is to promote functional independence or participation within the educational environment. Occupational therapy services may be delivered directly to the student, on behalf of the student (consultation with parents and teachers) or through modifications and support for school personnel that will be provided for the student (training for staff).

Two years of experience preferred. Graduation from an accredited program of occupational therapy. Certification to practice in North Carolina as evidenced by current licensure as an occupational therapist by the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners.

Grade 78

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Identification, Evaluation, and Planning

• Collaborates with other disciplines to ensure team understanding of student occupational performance strengths and needs, through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery
• Evaluates the student's ability and formulates the student's occupational profile through a variety of functional, behavioral, and standardized assessments, skilled observations, checklists, histories and interviews
• Synthesizes evaluation results into a comprehensive written report which reflects strengths and barriers to student participation in the educational environment; directs program development; and guides evidence based intervention
• Develops occupationally based intervention plans based on student needs and evaluation results
• Participates in multidisciplinary meetings to work through the problem-solving process, review evaluation results, integrate findings with other disciplines, offer recommendations, and develop individual education plans and intervention plans to achieve IEP goals
• Participate with the school team to develop Individualized Education Programs and Section 504 Plans
• Plan for transition from school to community, preparing student to function independent from therapy service when targeted outcomes are achieved
• Regularly evaluate and report on student progress
• Assess need and recommend assistive technology necessary for function at school
• Document need and advocate for personnel and equipment
• Procure, maintain, and inventory equipment, materials and supplies
• Coordinates the development and evaluation of a school/district-wide occupational therapy program
• Serve on committees

Service Delivery

• Provides targeted, evidence-based therapeutic intervention to facilitate student participation and occupational performance within the school environment
• Consults with the school-based team to achieve student outcomes
• Adapts and modifies the environment including assistive technology and training instructional staff to meet the individual needs and to help students function as independently as possible
• Educates student, educational personnel, and family to facilitate skills in areas of occupation as well as health maintenance and safety
• Monitors and reassess the effects of occupational therapy intervention and the need to continue, modify, or discontinue intervention
• Documents occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services as appropriate
• Maintains data collection

Program Administration and Management

• Prioritizes and schedules work tasks independently
• Manages inventory of therapeutic equipment and assessments, and project needs for budget planning
• Maintains records in accordance with professional standards, state guidelines, and school system policy
• Provides legal and ethical supervision of occupational therapy assistant assuming responsibility for the students served by the assistant
• Adheres to federal and state legislation, regulation, and policies that affect occupational therapy practice
• Reviews occupational therapy services for quality improvement and makes changes as needed to ensure quality of services

Education

• Teaches, monitors, and collaborates with educational personnel, community agencies, parents, and students to increase understanding of the student's occupational performance
• Provides continuing education and in-services for educational personnel, parents, and community based service providers
• Provides fieldwork education and supervision for occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students if applicable
• Communicate and consult with school staff, parents, administrators, physicians, community and other professionals
• Serve as a resource to parent, school team, staff and administration on disabling conditions and their effects on education
• Collaborate with community based therapists and other healthcare providers for effective coordination of service
• Provide clinical educational opportunities for students of occupational therapy

Professional Growth and Ethics

• Participates in continuing education for professional development to ensure practice consistent with best practice and to meet N.C. Licensure requirements
• Uses professional literature, evidence based research, and continuing education content to make practice decisions
• Uses professional Code of Ethics and standards of practice to guide ethical decision making in practice

Minimum Qualifications or Standards Required to Perform Essential Job Functions

• Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines including computers, typewriters, calculators, printers, copiers, wheelchairs, feeders, standers mechanical toys, switches and other assistive technology used in therapy etc. Must be able to exert up to 40 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
• Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments, and/or directions from supervisors.
• Language Ability: Requires the ability to read correspondence, reports, forms, billing statements, invoices, financial statements, rosters, insurance forms, turnaround documents, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, forms, reports, billing statements, invoices, and financial statements using proper format. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control, and confidence.
• Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in oral, written, diagrammatic or schedule form.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in Standard English and government terminology.
• Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; to determine percentages and decimals; and to apply the principles of algebra/statistics.
• Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.
• Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment or tools of the position.
• Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shapes of color.
• Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
• Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of human development throughout the lifespan and integrates with student'