Occupational Therapist OTR/L - Brooklyn School-Based

Birch Family Services is a leading provider of education, employment, and community support services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and their families in New York City. Every year, the organization supports more than 2,000 people across 31 locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. From preschool to graduation, employment, housing, and beyond, Birch Family Services provides fully integrated programs and services to support individuals in achieving their goals across their lifetime.

About the Role

Registered occupational therapists in educational systems are considered related service personnel. The Occupational Therapist is responsible for implementing a student's IEP goals, which are designed to enhance the student's learning potential, to assist the student in acquiring those functional performance skills needed to participate in and benefit from the educational environment, as well as help the student function independently.

Responsibilities

• Make observations during preliminary screening of new students, and refer to evaluation if/when necessary.
• Based on clinical observations, write a full description of the child's performance and behavior referencing his/her sensory processing, perceptual skills and/or deficits, in addition to the student's fine and gross motor coordination as they impact the student's ability to participate and benefit from the educational environment.
• Make suggestions for approaches and activities that might enhance the student's ability to participate in educational settings.
• Take part in developing staff development and parent workshop opportunities around the development of gross motor, fine motor, and perceptual skills, and related underlying sensory and motor functions, leading to successful participation in the educational environment and more independent functioning.
• Demonstrate approaches and activities to be implemented by educational staff that will improve children's abilities to participate in the classroom.
• Help the staff identify children's specific sensory and motor skill levels.
• Supervise student interns as assigned.
• Develop a series of developmentally-graded activities based on evaluation, designed to improve sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills, and perceptual skills.
• Carry out medical prescriptions for occupational therapy.
• Maintain mandated documentation of treatment and progress (e.g., individual treatment session and quarterly progress notes, Related Service Attendance, etc.).
• Submit quarterly and annual reports that address the student’s progress toward meeting IEP goals.
• Make suggestions for IEP goals and participate as required in IEP conferences.
• Explain findings and program aims to parents, and recommend activities, physical positioning, and/or adaptations that might facilitate increased independence in the home.
• Maintain OT equipment and supplies, and recommend ordering them as required by IEP mandates or needed clinically.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings reporting relevant information.
• Attend departmental meetings, supervision and school meetings, as well as any additional meetings, activities, or functions of the school as designated by supervisory staff.
• Comply with regulatory requirements and school policy and procedures in all areas, and maintain appropriate learning environment, including clean and organized work and common areas.
• Maintain appropriate and effective interpersonal relationships with team and department members, parents, other staff, supervisors, administrators, and outside agencies.

Requirements

• Must have completed a master's or doctoral program and all fieldwork requirements from an ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education) accredited program.
• Minimum of six months of supervised experience; prefer 1-3 years of related work experience.
• Must be certified by the NBCOT following successful completion of the national certification exam.
• Must have a current New York State license in Occupational Therapy.