JOB GOAL: To evaluate children with disabilities; provide treatment and consultation services for and on behalf of children that qualify for occupational therapy services; and communicate with education personnel, parents and community agencies. School-based occupational therapy is designed to enhance the student’s ability to fully access and be successful in the learning environment. The Occupational Therapist helps students restore or maintain function, foster normal development and where feasible, prevent further disabilities through the selection of purposeful activities. The Occupational Therapist facilitates improvement of the student’s physical, emotional, sensory and/or perceptual deficits.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Screening or evaluation of a student’s current performance in areas of concern, the modifications or attempts that have been made to solve the problems, and results of those attempts.
2. Collecting information regarding a child’s performance using various methods from multiple settings and sources determining a child’s current functional abilities in performance areas (activities of daily living, work/productive activities and play/leisure activities) as compared to the expected performance.
3. Determining a child’s current functional abilities within performance contexts, including temporal context and physical, social, and cultural environmental contexts, as compared to the expected performance.
4. Developing goals related to academic and nonacademic performance and recommend OT service delivery when educationally necessary (IEP).
5. With other members of the team, write objectives that reflect the student’s needs in the educational setting (IEP).
6. Developing an OT intervention plan.
7. Planning for and delivering OT services according to the frequency and duration listed on the IEP. Developing and implementing a plan of data collection to provide objective basis for decision making.
8. Provide intervention that enhances the child’s functional abilities.
9. Make recommendations for altering intervention plans as indicated by a child’s performance.
10. Lead meetings, conferences, and informal interactions as requested.
11. Document child’s performance, phone calls, meetings, and such in child’s OT record.