Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Position Purpose

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
Educational Responsibilities;

• 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; and
• 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; and
• 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; and
• If applicable to the assignment and training; 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 educati