Job Overview:
To develop implement and monitor programs that provide occupational and selfhelp assessments. Occupational therapy includes improving developing and restoring functioning which is or has become impaired as well as preventing further impairment or loss of functioning. The areas addressed are known globally as fine motor skills.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- When requested by the team provide appropriate assessments including selfhelp skills and feeding evaluations.
- Provides reassessments of students focusing on areas of need at intervals determined to be educationally relevant.
- Attends Individual Education Plan meetings and participate in Six Month Reviews.
- Evaluates students for necessary adaptive equipment interventions and/or other appropriate activities of daily living services.
- Responsible for determining equipment needs and assists in the acquisition of such.
- Splints/Orthotics/Supportsevaluate and identify need for such and provide recommendations.
- For new students fabricate order or arrange for procurement of identified equipment.
- Works as a team member with Physical Therapist Speech Pathologist Nutritionist Nursing classroom teacher and other appropriate resources regarding all appropriate areas including feeding issues.
- Facilitates inservice education and reports of occupational therapy services to the educational staff parents and other professionals concerned with the student.
- Conducts home visits and provides family instruction for home carryover when recommended by the team.
- Provides ongoing classroom consultation to provide suggestion for incorporating therapeutic activities as part of daily classroom program.
- Provide direct occupational therapy as specified in individual education plans.
- Professionally supervises and monitors the job performance of the occupational therapist assistant.
- All other duties as assigned.
Peripheral Duties and Responsibilities:
- Responsible for keeping accurate records of the therapy supplies inventory and equipment.
- Constructs modifies purchases and maintains adaptive equipment for positioning ADL vocational and classroom use.
- Maintains inventory of equipment and supplies.
- Maintains orderliness cleanliness and repair of equipment and supplies in OT area.
- Establishes a system of documentation that is professional efficient and accountable and that conforms to state and agency policy.
- Assist in the transfer and personal care of students if needed.
- Be actively involved in related professional training.
Necessary Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to communicate with Occupational Therapist Assistant other clinicians and classroom staff regarding student needs.
- Knowledge of methods of observation recording and data collection that apply to the monitoring of therapy objectives.
- Ability to supervise routine occupational therapy practices.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff students their families LEAs doctors and other agencies.
- Ability to develop rapport with and empathy for staff and students.
- A commitment to the concept that each person is an individual with rights and deserving of respect.
- Respect for confidentiality of information verbal or written.
- Demonstrate personal initiative
- Demonstrate a high ethical and moral standard
- The ability to work with students in different treatment settings including within the classroom.
- Communicate the needs of the Occupational Therapy program to the appropriate supervising administration.