SY 25-26 Occupational Therapist

DISCLOSURE: This position requires both a written and an oral exam for consideration. For internal candidates, please apply through the Employee Portal for consideration.

Job Summary

Provides occupational therapy services to students in an effort to enhance the student's ability to participate in their educational program. Therapeutic services are provided in a variety of settings including schools for the orthopedically impaired, schools with special classes for the physically challenged, licensed private facilities, and the residences of homebound students. Frequently provides services in an itinerant fashion. Services are provided using a multidisciplinary model in consultation with parents, staff, personal care providers, community and medical agencies as appropriate to affect a comprehensive treatment program aimed at enhancing the student's access to their educational program and consistent with the educational philosophy and goals of the District.

Essential Functions

• Proactively implements school-based therapy to enhance the student's ability to access and make progress in his/her educational program, including provision of adaptions to materials and methods required to facilitate the student's ability to write, perform self-care tasks, and participate in leisure activities.
• Participates in the 504/Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, including collaboratively determining the need for physical therapy as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or as a reasonable accommodation under section 504 of the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Provides direct and indirect service, without the referral of a licensed physician or nurse practitioner, including consultation, and evaluation of students with perceptual, cognitive, sensory integration, and like conditions, as well as services for students with medical conditions, when services are aimed at allowing students to access their educational program.
• Provides consultation, assessment, and evaluation, direct and indirect occupational therapy services to students with and without medical conditions aimed at allowing the student to access their education program.
• Treats and instructs students in perceptual and motor activities, manipulative and ambulation skills, proper posturing, and activities of daily living to enhance their ability to access their educational program.
• Utilizes creative and manual arts, recreational, educational and social activities, and various therapeutic tests, games and equipment to inform and effect treatment.
• Instructs students in the use of common and specialized materials employed in daily activities including eating utensils, dressing aids and educational tools.
• Plans, adapts and designs special equipment for classroom use such as weighted cuffs, clipboards and adjustable furniture.
• Demonstrates special dressing, feeding and bathing skills, equipment and techniques for use in the home.
• Evaluates, tests, and treats students with orthopedic conditions and students with multiple physical challenges who have been referred by various sources including clinics, orthopedic consultants, and private physicians.
• Plans appropriate treatment programs, coordinates therapeutic services with activities in the classroom and in the home.
• Trains and retrains students through standard therapeutic procedures observing and recording their mental and physical responses.
• Adjusts length, frequency, and intensity of treatments to the needs of the individual pupil.
• Ensures that each student receiving services or being evaluated to receive services has the necessary evaluation records in his/her paper and electronic school record as appropriate.
• Completes progress reports, including the development of therapeutic goals and the student's progress toward goals in compliance with administrative guidance.
• Consults with teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, community agencies, and others as appropriate.
• Alerts school staff to necessary procedures, special precautions, and safety measures applicable to individual pupils and the student population as a whole.
• Encourages parents to have pupils utilize skills acquired in therapy.
• Demonstrates exercises, positioning and other procedures to be used in the home as an itinerant therapist; visits students who are homebound or residing in licensed private facilities for the purposes of providing therapy.
• Develops and conducts in service programs to inform staff of the goals and objectives of the occupational therapy program and methods for accomplishing these goals in the school setting.
• Compiles and maintains reports indicating status of individual pupils undergoing treatment, kinds of therapy administered and results obtained, including documentation of short-term and long-term goals and progress toward goal attainment.
• Timely completes and submits all required ACCESS billing reimbursement information.
• Performs related work as required.

Minimum Requirements

Certificates/Licenses

• Possession of a valid license to practice as an Occupational Therapist as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in occupational therapy.

OR

• Any combination of training which includes the completion of a bachelor's degree program and which meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of:
  • The principles, practices, methods, materials, and techniques used in occupational therapy.
  • The possible hazard to patients during treatment and of the necessary precautionary and remedial measures and techniques.
  • Community organizations and facilities, especially those involved in services for individuals with disabilities.
  • The psychological and educational processes involved in the treatment of the severely and profoundly mentally challenged and the physically and orthopedically challenged.
  
  

• Demonstrated ability to:

• Understand, interpret, and implement the oral and written instructions of a physician.
• Select, apply, and adapt materials and methods appropriate for the therapeutic treatment of physically challenged children and young adults.
• Gain the confidence and cooperation of pupils while rendering therapeutic services and instruct them, their parents, teachers, and staff in understanding and dealing with disabilities and health problems.
• Prepare and maintain thorough and comprehensive records and reports.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.