Occupational Therapists

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY WELCOME TO THE 2019-20 SCHOOL YEAR

 

Welcome to our new and returning occupational therapists for the upcoming school year. Each occupational therapist is assigned to specific schools and/or programs.

 

What Is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a medically based profession. The “practice of occupational therapy” means the therapeutic use of purposeful and meaningful goal-directed activities (occupations). Occupational therapist’s help an individual's body and mind in meaningful, organized, self-directed actions to maximize independence.

Occupational therapy is a related/ adjunct service.  Occupational therapy in the public school setting supports positive educational outcomes as described by the State of California State Performance Plan (California Department of Education 2009 and the Federal Education Act (IDEA)).

 What Is The Purpose Of School-Based Occupational Therapy? 

• Assist a student with a disability access their special education curriculum.
• Support the educational IEP goals.
• Work with the educational team to provide training and collaboration.
• Assessments are performed in the following areas but not limited to: fine motor, visual perceptual motor, postural stability, strength.
• Provide direct and indirect Interventions to a student in order to help a student access the student’s special educational curriculum. This may be accomplished through working/ consulting with the teacher (school professionals) and/or directly to the student within the school environment.
• Collect and analyze data related to student improvement, outcomes, and accountability to measure a student’s progress in occupational therapy, along with meeting the requirements outlined by the State and Federal guidelines / special education laws.
• Support effective individualized instruction with suggestions for classroom modifications, specialized tools and/or sensory interventions.

School-Based Occupational Therapists Work With Teachers and Students In the areas of, but not limited to the following:

• Strength                                                                      
• Grasp/prehension
• Postural stability
• Fine motor skills, precision, and dexterity
• Hand dominance                                                       
• Bilateral coordination
• Visual motor integration
• Eye-hand coordination
• Ocular motor control: Within the scope of practice of occupational therapy
• Sensory modulation and sensory perception (e.g., tactile, visual, proprioceptive, vestibular, etc.)
• Ability to motor plan sequenced steps of an activity