California Children's Services Pediatric Occupational/Physical Therapist

About the role

The Medical Therapy Program involves the long-term treatment of children with physical disabilities under 21 years of age. This requires the therapist to continually adapt and change the therapeutic regimen to the maturational development of the client, as well as his progress. Therapists work under medical direction and receive supervision from a supervising therapist.

Responsibilities

• Participates in clinics for children with physical disabilities; administers range of motion, motor skill, functional activity and manual tests of muscle strength and grades and reports on child's physical capacities; discusses case with physicians and plans individual physical therapy regimens, including goals and objectives to carry out physician’s prescriptions and recommendations.
• Administers range of motion exercises to improve the function and flexibility of the joints; instructs and supervises children with physical disabilities and administers passive, assistive, active and resistive exercises to re-educate or strengthen specific muscles or muscle groups; uses such equipment as mats, weights and pulleys or devices such as stretcher boards for stretching tight muscles or tendons; trains children in muscle relaxation and coordination and sees that children use the appropriate muscles in the exercises.
• Instructs and supervises children in gait training involving walking, balancing and stair climbing with and without aides such as crutches, braces, canes and walkers; does pre-gait training using such equipment as parallel bars to develop coordination and strength and walking skis to develop reciprocation; teaches use of wheelchair and other appropriate activities of daily living such as stair climbing and opening and closing doors.
• Checks leg braces and other apparatus used by clients; makes minor adjustments and refers patients needing major changes or repairs for their braces to vendors or to the clinic.
• Periodically tests and evaluates children's physical capacity according to CCS guidelines, determining progress due to therapy and what may be attributed to growth and development; confers with supervisor and physician and adapts therapeutic regimen accordingly; coordinates activity with that of the occupational therapists, teachers and others in the Medical Therapy Program.
• Keeps clinical records of cases, including history, evaluations, treatments and progress and prepares regular reports relating to patients and workloads; attends and participates in staff conferences with occupational therapists, physicians, nurse case managers and others in the program for training purposes as in the introduction of new techniques and the improvement of service to discuss problems and progress of clients in the program; may be assigned to train and supervise interns or physical therapy students.
• Discusses children's problems with parents/caregivers; instructs them in a home treatment program and the equipment involved; instructs parents or other persons caring for children in appropriate techniques.

Requirements

• Certification: Eligibility for or possession of a valid certificate to practice as a licensed Physical/Occupational Therapists from the California Board of Occupational Therapy.
• Education: Completion of an accredited curriculum in Physical/Occupational Therapy.

Qualifications

Join our dynamic, motivated and compassionate team. An Alameda County Job Application is required to be considered for ALL County recruitments. An excellent benefits package is included.

Skills

Knowledge of child development and growth, especially in children with physical disabilities, is required to plan an appropriate program and properly evaluate what progress in the child was due to growth and development and what was due to therapy.

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, employees also enjoy an attractive benefits package with the following elements:

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program
• For your Health & Well-Being
• For your Financial Future
• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)
• For your Work/Life Balance
• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1st United Services Credit Union