OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST - EARLY LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS

Description

The Occupational Therapist for Early Learning Partnerships will partner with Early Learning programs (serving children birth- age 5) in St. Joseph County to integrate therapeutic support strategies into classrooms, document support strategies modeled for teachers, provide training and education on developmental delays, disabilities and challenging behaviors to teachers and families. The Occupational Therapist for Early Learning Partnerships will administer developmental screenings and clinical assessments as needed. In addition to serving Early Learning Partnerships, this role will also provide Early Intervention Therapy as a First Steps Occupational Therapist (birth – age 3). A First Steps Occupational Therapist is responsible for implementing therapeutic support in the home and/or the child’s natural environment. The therapist will plan, implement, evaluate, and document each therapeutic plan to ensure proper programming in conjunction with the child's parent/guardian during home visits.

The Occupational Therapist will provide evaluations/therapy in a variety of settings, assessing the following areas of development: Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Oral Motor, Perceptual Motor, and Sensory Integration functioning. The Occupational Therapist will provide treatment plans, reports and outcomes reflected in accordance with each client's authorizing payor requirements, using therapeutic modalities and procedures to maintain/increase skills. The Occupational Therapist also communicates with staff and families regarding results of the evaluation, treatment and progress, provides parent training, and makes suggestions for home programming.

WHO IS LOGAN?

LOGAN Community Resources is our full name but who are we? LOGAN is a non-profit organization with community impact in Michiana.

What does LOGAN do and why do we exist? LOGAN supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they and their families may achieve their desired quality of life.

What does LOGAN aspire to be? LOGAN envisions a community in which every individual, regardless of obstacles or challenges, is able to reach their full potential.

How do LOGAN employees do their jobs every day? LOGAN employees are dedicated to performing their duties with respect, kindness, honesty, loyalty, and quality in mind for LOGAN’s clients, staff, and the agency.

LOGAN offers a robust benefits package, which includes:

Accruing Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay

Medical, Dental/Orthodontia, and Vision plans

Rx Help Prescription Cost Assistance Program

403(B) Traditional and ROTH retirement plans – Company match of up to 3% after 1 year of service

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Long-term disability and Reliance Standard Supplemental Insurance Plans (Short-term disability, critical illness, acceded, accidental death & dismemberment)

$15,000 company paid life insurance

Full time employees eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Employee-Referral incentive for qualifying positions

Requirements

Essential Functions

Evaluation

• Assist in evaluating children with a team of other therapists or on an individual basis.
• Communicate the results of the assessment/screening as directed.
• Determine each child’s assistive technology needs. This includes specially adapted chairs and wheelchair inserts for proper positioning, feeding devices, splints, adaptive toys and switches, etc.

Therapy

• Provide individual therapy when appropriate to maintain and improve gross and fine motor development; muscle strength and ranges of motion; sensory processing skills; and oral motor and self-help skills (feeding, dressing, and pre-speech skills).
• Provide and/or obtain the necessary equipment for proper positioning and play.
• Provide therapeutic support in Early Learning Partner Programs.
• Provide training for community partner programs. 

Communication

• Deal effectively with other staff, agencies, and community programs, as well as children and their parents/guardians.
• Records and Reports:
• The therapist shall keep daily progress notes, make quarterly reports on, and maintain records of evaluations, home visits, etc.
• The therapist completes an exit skills summary for all children who are transitioning to the school system when turning three.
• Participate in case conferences, staff meetings, parent group meetings when requested.
• Participate with other team members in writing annual IFSPs.
• Attend appropriate workshops and conferences to increase professional effectiveness and to meet the 15-hour minimum requirement by First Steps.
• Serve as a resource person for information on gross/fine motor, perceptual-motor, sensory motor, sensory processing skills, and oral motor development, correct positioning for feeding and speech, etc.
• Provide evaluations in a variety of settings to determine program needs of infants and toddlers.
• Participate with other First Steps team members in developing appropriate outcomes for Individual Family Service Plans.
• Provide reports and written programs to families and other professionals following First Steps guidelines.

General Responsibilities

• Responsible for the health and safety of people served.
• Expected to serve as role model for persons served. 
• Expected to serve as an advocate and to protect the rights of the people served.
• Expected to participate in training as required by their supervisor and LOGAN policies
• Expected to perform other duties as assigned by their supervisor.
• Work collaboratively and with other therapeutic disciplines.
• Meet weekly billing requirements, as outlined in the therapy services plan.
• Plan instructional activities for clients and assist families in accessing community      activities.
• Plan and provide training in the community. 
• Furnish all required monthly statistics, and reports on a timely basis.
• Respect the confidentiality of the people and families and will respect their cultural diversity, in      accordance with LOGAN policies.
• May be asked to serve on a LOGAN committee addressing the agency's internal operations.
• The Occupational Therapist should respect the confidentiality and cultural diversity of the Early Learning Programs (teachers, classrooms, children, and their families) at all times, in accordance with each individual Early Learning Program’s policies and LOGAN policies.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• A registered Occupational Therapist in the State of Indiana.

Experience

• One year of experience working with the pediatric population is preferred but not necessary.
• College practicum work in developing appropriate activities and strategies for infants and toddlers is appropriate if there is no experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Communicate with other appropriate staff, supervisor, and agency personnel.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with children and families within this format.
• Provide developmental outcomes for each child and demonstrate activities and strategies to their families and or caregivers.
• Able to be creative in exploring new and innovative ideas.
• Ability to work independently and use sound judgment
• Currently registered/licensed with the Health Professions Bureau of Indiana.
• Have a valid driver’s license and ability to drive to and from each visit, therapy session, or Individual Family Service Plan site.
• Have a reliable form of transportation.
• Enrolled in the state of Indiana as First Steps provider. Ability to lift a child three years of age and under, weighing up to 50 pounds, with adaptive equipment.

Salary : $15,000