Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

An Occupational Therapist serves a pediatric population of eligible students with disabilities ages 3 to 22 years across all public and non-public school settings in Perry Township Schools. The provision of Occupational Therapy services may include evaluation, functioning, prevention, adapting, and consultation.

Essential Functions:

• Planning and implementing a therapy program that addresses the goals/objectives/benchmarks in the IEP of students with disabilities on her/his caseload
• Providing direct or consultative support intended to improve the educational outcomes for students with disabilities
• Developing appropriate strategies and interventions utilizing evidence-based practices
• Working collaboratively and cooperatively as part of a student-centered, multi-disciplinary team including parents, teachers, and other professionals
• Completing all necessary paperwork in a timely and accurate manner
• Supporting instruction to assigned students as addressed in the students' IEP
• Acting as a consultant to promote and enhance access of education for special needs students
• Recommending or providing instructional materials appropriate for the student's IEP
• Providing input and assistance for classroom management as related to behavior plans and behavior management
• Integrating therapy services to enhance instruction within the classroom curriculum

Professional Responsibilities:

The practice of occupational therapy means the functional assessment of learning and performance skills and the analysis, selection, and adaptation of exercise or equipment for a person whose abilities to perform the requirements of daily living are threatened or impaired by physical injury or disease, mental illness, a developmental deficit, the aging process, or a learning disability. The term consistent of the following functions: (1) planning and directing exercise and programs to improve sensory processing skills at a level of performance neurologically appropriate for a person's stage of development, and (2) analyzing, selecting, and adapting functional exercise to achieve and maintain a person's optimal functioning in daily living tasks and to prevent further disability [I.C. 25-23.5-1-5].

In addition, the Occupational Therapist is expected to:

• Collaborate with building principals and other professionals in providing services to students
• Observe confidentiality requirements for identified students
• Maintain scheduled consultation and collaboration with teachers appropriate for the student's IEP
• Communicate the occupational therapy requirements of the student's IEP in a manner that all professionals and paraprofessionals involved with individual students understand their responsibilities
• Document daily service notes in respective therapy logs
• Provide input or collaborate with the Teacher of Record in a timely manner for progress monitoring in the IEPs of students on the caseload through the Indiana IEP system
• Assume responsibility for continued learning, which may include a fieldwork educator role

Accommodation Responsibilities:

• Direct, plan, and implement the following consistent with the Individualized Education Program: Therapeutic intervention related to daily living skills and sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial components
• Therapeutic adaptation including methods of accomplishing daily life tasks, environmental adjustments, orthotics, and assistive devices and equipment
• Health maintenance including energy conservation, joint protection, body mechanics, and positioning
• Prevention programs to foster age appropriate balance of self-care, education, and play or leisure
• Supervise and schedule Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants and/or any therapy assistant(s) as assigned
• Observe, contribute, and participate in the evaluation of Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants and/or any therapy assistants as assigned
• Provide input regarding any accommodations needed for on statewide and district assessments being implemented according to the student's IEP if requested by the Teacher of Record
• Advise, monitor, and train personnel on the proper use of Restraints including therapeutic supports or prompts

Diagnostic Responsibilities:

• Conduct assessments with interpretation, observations, interviews, history, standardized and non-standardized tests, and informal assessments related to referrals for an educational evaluation in accordance with Article 7 to provide information about a student's disability or suspected disability for the case conference proceeding
• Consult with teachers, school psychologists, speech pathologists, assistive technology team members, and parents

Organizational Responsibilities:

• Adhere to the policies and procedures of the assigned schools
• Attend required meetings and school related activities
• Review emergency procedures with building staff to ensure students will be safe during a disaster (tornado, fire, earthquake, etc.)
• Submit required information for local, state, and federal reports
• Notify staff of any changes in student data or enrollment
• Maintain a file for each student on the caseload
• Provide case conference committee with data to support the determination of discharge, summary of outcomes, and appropriate recommendations to maximize educational gains

Assistive Technology Responsibilities:

• Provide input in our area of expertise for use in AT evaluations in collaboration with assistive the technology team
• Refer for a corporation-based AT evaluation per documented need and/or assist in the evaluation and recommendation for assistive technology
• Provide training to teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff regarding the use of assistive technology as related to our area of expertise
• Attend training to update knowledge on new technology and best practices for teaching students

Equipment Responsibilities:

• Ensure that all equipment remains in good working order, and report damaged equipment to the individual responsible for maintaining equipment inventory
• Monitor and maintain district provided wheelchairs and other mobility equipment in working order
• Maintain an inventory of all related services equipment (serial numbers, who has it, and where it is assigned)

Travel Requirements:

• Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required

Pay Rate:

PEA certified position

Work Schedule:

Standard work schedule as set forth in contract

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge and use of occupational therapy theories, models of practice, principles, and evidence-based practice to guide intervention decisions
• Knowledge of human development throughout the life span and integrates with student's unique developmental status
• Knowledge of the influence of disabilities, socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors on student's ability to participate in occupations
• Knowledge of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Section 504, and other federal and state laws and regulations regarding education and students and physical therapy practice in schools
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Skill in selecting and providing a wide range of intervention strategies and monitoring their effectiveness
• Effective computer skills as needed for work (e.g., ability to effective use Microsoft Office suite)
• Ability to determine the need for an occupational therapy evaluation and to select and administer appropriate assessment tools to evaluate the student
• Ability to organize and coordinate work
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards:

• Seldom = Less than 25%
• Occasional = 26 to 50%
• Often = 51 to 75%
• Very Frequent = Greater than 75%
• Physical Requirement Percentage of Time:
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time. Very Frequent
• Ability to lift 25 pounds. Seldom
• Ability to carry 25 pounds. Seldom
• Ability to work at a desk, conference table or in meetings of various configurations. Very Frequent
• Ability to see for the purpose of reading laws and codes, rules and policies and other printed matter. Very Frequent
• Ability to communicate so others will be able to clearly understand a

Perry Township School District