OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, SCHOOL-BASED

Length of Position: Permanent

Type of Benefits: Full

Months per year: 10

Number of hours per week: 37.5

Number of days per week: 5

State Salary Schedule: Yes

General Statement of Job Duties: Under general or occasional supervision, leads the process in the development, implementation, and coordination of the occupational therapy program for their assigned schools. Their work involves screening, evaluations, educational program and transition planning, therapeutic intervention, and exit planning for their students identified with or suspected of having disabilities, that interfere with their ability to perform daily life activities or participate in necessary or desired occupations. Professional judgment and clinical knowledge are used to develop individualized programming based on occupational performance deficits in the areas of personal care, student role, interaction skills, process skills, play, community integration/work, and graphic communication. The employee is also responsible for documenting treatment planning and treatment activities, preparing evaluation reports, documenting student progress, documentation for Medicaid/ Fee for Service billing for all eligible students, and consulting with parents, classroom teachers, and agency representatives. The employee is also responsible for modifications of equipment and or environment and site-based in-service training as necessary. Reports to Executive Director- Exceptional Children Services and/or assigned EC Coordinator or Central Office Supervisor.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identification, Evaluation, and Planning
• Assesses students using appropriate evaluation tools including standardized tests, clinical observations, and review of medical and educational reports to determine the need for a therapy intervention plan.
• Develops and implements individualized therapy programs for qualifying students.
• Documents screenings, evaluations, Individual Education Plans, progress reports, classroom/home programs, and other data, as required.
• Provides consultation with classroom teachers and other school staff regarding students' optional functions in the school environment.
• Provides classroom programs, instruction in management techniques, adapted equipment, and environmental modifications including the identification of architectural barriers.
• Consult with parents and/or guardians regarding students’ therapy programs.
• Adapts, fabricates, and maintains specialized equipment required for therapy services or student needs.
• Investigate and recommend types of equipment available to meet student needs, funding sources, and vendor options, including insurance forms and letters of justification.
• Provides in-service training to teachers and other school personnel, as needed, and assists with education, orientation, and preparation of receiving school staff and students regarding issues, concerns, and information about the “inclusion” of exceptional children in regular school and classroom programs.
• Supervises occupational therapist assistants.
• Provides clinical education for therapy student interns from colleges and universities.
• Plans, orders, and maintains departmental supplies and equipment; maintains records as required.
• Travels between locations where students require services.
• Maintains clinical and administrative records following State Guidelines and school board policy.
• Completes random moment-in-time studies as required by MAC program guidelines.
• Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Training

• Hold a four-year degree in occupational therapy from an accredited occupational therapy professional program recognized by NCBOT and have completed all fieldwork requirements. Two years of experience as an occupational therapist, preferably in a school system or pediatric practice setting or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the State of North Carolina.

Special Requirements 

• Initial certification by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy.
• Current license by the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the state of North Carolina. Must maintain a safe driving record. An employee assigned to this position is designated as Category “A.” Category “A” employees are governed by Guilford County Schools Policy GA and Administrative Procedure GA-P, “Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace,” which spells out specific drug testing requirements, procedures and consequences of positive alcohol or drug tests or arrest for alleged violation of any alcohol or drug-related offense.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Essential Job Functions

• Identification, Evaluation, and Planning
• Collaborates with other disciplines to ensure team understanding of student occupational performance strengths and needs, through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery
• Assess student’s ability using appropriate evaluation tools including standardized tests, observations, functional and behavioral assessments, and review of medical and educational reports.
• Conducts interviews with parents and staff to determine the need for a therapy intervention plan. Must have the ability to research and determine evidence-based practice supporting therapy interventions.
• Synthesizes evaluation results into a comprehensive written report, which reflects strengths and barriers to student participation in the educational environment directly related to referral concerns.
• Develops occupationally based intervention plans based on student needs and evaluation results.
• Participates in interdisciplinary meetings to review evaluation results, integrate findings with other disciplines, offer recommendations, and develop individualized education plans and intervention plans to achieve IEP goals
• Must be able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, power tools, sewing machines, wheelchairs, electronic feeders, standers, hand tools, mechanical toys, craft tools, etc. Must be able to exert up to 40 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. 
• Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondences, medical records, educational records, test results, directives, requests, etc.
• Requires the ability to record and deliver information and to understand procedures.

Service Delivery

• Consults with school-based teams to achieve student outcomes.
• Provides classroom programs, instruction in management techniques, adapted equipment, and environmental modifications including the identification of architectural barriers.
• Educates students, educational personnel, and family to facilitate skills in areas of occupation as well as health maintenance and safety.
• Monitors and reassesses the effects of occupational therapy intervention and the need to continue, modify, or discontinue intervention.
• Documents occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services as appropriate.

Program Administration and Management

• Prioritizes and schedules work tasks independently.
• Manages inventory of therapeutic equipment and assessments checked out to the therapist and /or assigned school(s).
• Maintains clinical and administrative records following professional standards, state guidelines, and school system policy.
• When assigned, provides legal and ethical supervision of occupational therapy assistant assuming responsibility for the students served by the assistant.
• Submits accurate and timely caseload information to supervisor based on monthly, quarterly, or semester reporting periods.
• Log therapy services in an electronic data management system for each session provided.

Education

• Teachers, monitor, and collaborate with educational personnel, community agencies, parents, and students to increase understanding of the student’s occupational performance.
• Provides fieldwork education and supervision for occupational therapy interns.
• Participates in continuing education for professional development to ensure practice consistent with established best practices and NC licensure requirements.
• Uses professional Code of Ethics and standards of practice to guide ethical decision-making in practice.

Additional Job Functions

• Advises administration and staff regarding bus travel safety; lifting and transfer techniques; architectural barriers and adapted equipment; oral motor techniques and precautions; medical precautions and feeding issues.

• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of human development throughout life span, integrated with student’s unique developmental status.
• Thorough knowledge of the theory, principles, and methods of occupational therapy.
• Knowledge of the federal, state, and local legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures that mandate and guide occupational therapy practice in schools.
• Have considerable knowledge of appropriate evaluation tools.
• Ability to collaborate with school personnel, families, and agencies to address student needs.
• Ability to interpret evaluation evaluation data and write a comprehensive report that reflects strengths and barriers (if any) to student participation and occupational performance.
• Skill in effective oral and written communication.
• Maintain a consistent schedule and travel between locations where students require services.

Minimum Qualifications or Standards Required to perform essential job functions

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines including computers, typewriters, calculators, printers, copiers, wheelchairs, feeders, standers mechanical toys, switches, and other assistive technology used in therapy, etc. Must be able to exert up to 40 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things.

Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments, and/or directions from supervisors.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read correspondence, reports, forms, billing statements, invoices, financial statements, rosters, insurance forms, turnaround documents, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, forms, reports, billing statements, invoices, and financial statements using proper format. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control, and confidence.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in oral, written, diagrammatic, or schedule form.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in Standard English and government terminology.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; add and subtract totals; multiply and divide; determine percentages and decimals; and apply the principles of algebra/statistics.

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment or tools of the position.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shapes of color.

Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.

Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas using spoken words. Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees in this job.