What are the responsibilities and job description for the Occupational Therapist position at WASHINGTON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES INC?
Children facing emotional, behavioral, and sensory challenges deserve more than accommodation — they deserve a therapeutic environment where they can truly thrive. As an Occupational Therapist embedded within the School Based Services programs at Emerge and STARS Elementary, you will provide trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate OT services to children ages 3–12 in an alternative educational and behavioral health setting. Your work will directly shape students' ability to regulate, connect, and participate meaningfully in school, relationships, and daily life.
This is a role for an OT who is energized by complexity and driven by relationship. You will carry a caseload that spans evaluation, direct treatment, staff coaching, and family partnership — all within a collaborative multidisciplinary team of educators, clinicians, and behavioral health staff. If you bring creativity, calm, and a commitment to strengths-based care, you will find this work as rewarding as it is impactful.
Summary of Duties
- Conduct comprehensive OT evaluations and ongoing assessments across sensory processing, fine motor skills, self-care, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and classroom participation
- Develop individualized treatment plans with measurable goals aligned to each student's educational, behavioral, and clinical needs, and deliver services in individual, small group, and classroom-based formats
- Design and support implementation of sensory strategies, regulation plans, and environmental modifications that improve student success across settings
- Collaborate with teachers and behavioral health staff to embed therapeutic supports into daily routines and classroom programming
- Consult and coach staff on sensory regulation, co-regulation strategies, trauma-informed interventions, adaptive equipment, and functional skill development
- Partner with families and caregivers to ensure therapeutic strategies carry over into home and community environments
- Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation in compliance with agency, Medicaid, licensing, and educational requirements, and actively participate in crisis prevention and multidisciplinary team planning
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program.
- Current state licensure as an Occupational Therapist.
- NBCOT certification preferred.
- Experience working with children with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- ADHD
- Developmental disabilities
- Trauma histories
- Emotional and behavioral challenges
- Sensory processing differences
- Experience in school-based, pediatric behavioral health, or therapeutic educational settings preferred.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care, sensory integration principles, and positive behavioral supports.
- Strong collaboration, communication, and organizational skills.
- Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary treatment team.
Preferred Skills and Attributes
- Understanding of child development and attachment.
- Ability to remain calm and therapeutically engaged during periods of dysregulation.
- Creativity and flexibility in adapting interventions to meet diverse needs.
- Commitment to strengths-based, relationship-focused care.
- Experience supporting children in alternative or non-traditional educational settings.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to actively engage with young children in classroom, community, and therapeutic environments.
- Ability to bend, kneel, lift, and move throughout the school day.
- Ability to safely implement approved crisis intervention techniques if needed.
Work Environment
This position operates within a therapeutic educational and behavioral health treatment program serving children with significant social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs. The environment is collaborative, fast-paced, and relationship-centered, requiring flexibility, teamwork, and strong therapeutic presence.
Salary : $93,600 - $98,280