Occupational Therapist

About the Role

Provide quality occupational therapy services, including assessment, intervention, program planning and implementation, discharge planning, and communication. Service provision includes both direct and consultative approaches.

Pay

$63,000.00 base salary. Additional $1,000.00 for each year of experience up to 8 years; $700.00 for each additional year beyond 8 years.

Qualifications

• Degree in occupational therapy
• NBCOT certification and Illinois State Occupational Therapy license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
• Strong management, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and seek appropriate resources and support
• Knowledge and understanding of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework
• Adherence to the AOTA Code of Ethics (AOTA, 2020) and Standards of Practice (AOTA, 2015)
• Knowledge of basic theory-based treatments and modalities appropriate in the educational setting, including current evidence-based research
• Understanding of the special education process and the role of the occupational therapist to provide a continuum of services

Responsibilities

• Determine the need for assessment and/or provide educational team with strategies and recommendations to support a student prior to special education referral
• Identify and utilize appropriate tools and methods for assessment/evaluation
• Collaborate/consult with the educational team to determine student need areas/priorities and goals/outcomes for IEP development
• Develop intervention plans including present level of performance, measurable goals, therapeutic priorities, and methods to achieve stated goals
• Implement the intervention plan directly or in collaboration with other team members
• Adapt environment, tools, materials, and activities according to student needs, providing clear directions to the team
• Embed appropriate interventions and strategies into naturally occurring routines and activities of the student’s school day
• Reassess the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and strategies, modifying plans as needed
• Use progress reports and/or data collection methods to communicate student progress and therapeutic effectiveness
• Write reports effectively, communicating critical information succinctly and thoroughly
• Use appropriate data collection instruments and methods to gather information on student progress
• Terminate services as appropriate using exit guidelines in collaboration with the educational team
• Follow policies and procedures required in the setting
• Manage resources (time, space, equipment) to meet student and team needs
• Demonstrate timely and consistent follow-through with paperwork, referrals, reports, logs, and other team requests
• Organize and manage schedule to meet the needs of students and building/program teams
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships with professionals and paraprofessionals
• Demonstrate leadership qualities (mentoring, in-service training, serving on committees, participating in professional organizations, supervision of assistants and students)
• Provide modeling and training to teams as appropriate
• Maintain high standards of professional competence and pursue ongoing professional growth
• Stay abreast of current evidence-based practice in occupational therapy
• Examine ethical dilemmas using ethical reasoning to guide decisions and reflect on outcomes

Working Conditions

• Maintain emotional control under stress
• Regular districtwide travel to multiple work locations as assigned
• Physical demands include frequent standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, pushing, pulling, lifting, and transferring students to and from wheelchairs
• Assist with positioning students with physical disabilities
• Exposure to biological hazards