Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), iCA, Lancaster

Student Support - Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Reporting to the Director of Student Support, The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant is an essential part of providing our learners with social and emotional support. The COTA works closely and assists Facilitators and Student Support Team in planning and implementing learning experiences that promote intellectual, social, emotional and physical development in a safe and healthy environment.

The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant will:

• Perform screening activities and evaluate specified related possible deficits in areas such as visual-motor, fine-motor skills, range of motion, activities of daily living, and sensorimotor integration as related to the students' ability to access their educational program.
• Attend IEP meetings for students with suspected disability in related areas.
• Develop and implement occupational therapy treatment and intervention plans that support the goals and objectives in the IEP, and meet the qualifications for occupational therapy services.
• Collaborate with facilitators and support staff in the development of a variety of strategies to meet the educational needs of students, including interpretation of related goals and objectives, related medical conditions, neuromuscular dysfunction, and orthopedic impairments requiring occupational therapy intervention.
• Provide related consultation and training to parents, students, facilitators, care team, and program administrators.
• Assist with occupational therapy program development and revision.
• Provide technical assistance in the acquisition, design, repair, modification, or utilization of assistive devices and adaptive equipment used to meet the specific needs of students receiving OT as part of their total educational program.
• Maintain required documentation of student abilities and functioning levels, progress toward goals and objectives, and attendance in specified therapy activities.
• Attend designated staff and professional meetings, and participate in training and inservice that facilitates professional growth.

Other responsibilities include:

• Being self-directed by taking initiative and responsibility for your work.
• Working in a collaborative, team based and innovative environment.
• Committing to excellence by seeking ways to improve and exceed expectations.
• Prioritizing the growth and needs of the team, leading by example, and fostering a supportive work environment.
• Demonstrating a high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
• Approaching problems and challenges with a human-centered creative mindset, seeking to understand, developing multiple solutions to find the best answer.
• Helping create a positive culture by being committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion promoting ethical behavior and social responsibility within the workplace.
• Being authentic, owning your strengths and weaknesses, asking for help when needed, being honest and transparent in your communications, working towards common goals that are meaningful to you and the team.
• Representing iLEAD and the school in which you work in a positive and professional manner in all interactions and communications.
• Pursuing continuous improvement and maintaining professional competence through seeking out opportunities to develop new knowledge skills and perspectives. This includes participation in professional development activities offered and self-selected professional growth activities.
• Performing other responsibilities as defined by the designated supervisor.

Essential functions include:

• Communicating with others to exchange information (In Person/Telephone/Computer).
• Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing.
• Adjusting or moving objects up to 50 pounds in all directions.
• When needed to support a school or education program, must have the ability to travel by public transit as well as operate a vehicle for self-transportation purposes between worksites.
• Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.
• May encounter outdoor elements: high (>90)/low (<60) temperatures, precipitation and/or wind.
• Ability to work in situations involving the need to make informed and quick decisions.
• Ability to supervise/manage workers and delegate as needed in project management situations.
• Reading detailed documentation and analyzing data sets.
• Writing professionally, both by hand and utilizing computer software.
• Speaking in public settings including making public presentations to large and small groups.
• Dealing and navigating professionally through high-stress situations.

What you will bring (qualifications):

• Graduation from an accredited college or university in a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification through a course approved by the American Red Cross and/or American Heart Association is desired.
• Experience with an education setting and/or real world experience in being non-traditional, flexible, open-minded, and collaborative.
• Ability to problem solve and multi-task.
• Ability to cooperate successfully as a member of a team.
• Demonstrated capability to maintain effective relationships in a team-oriented environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written.
• Very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
• Thrive in a collaborative, team-based and fast-paced environment.

iLEAD California is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering diversity within its staff.