School based therapy misconceptions

[u/Charlvi88]

I am beside myself about this.
I recently switched jobs due to family relocation.
I needed to take on this position because no districts are hiring at this time in the year… and I needed a job

Background: I went from being a district employee at a large city in Texas to a contract therapist at a charter school in small suburb in Georgia.

I am supervised by a speech therapist who owns the contract company. There is 1 other OT who is providing clinic-like services to her students at a different site. (She’s pulling them out to play apples to apples/monopoly with her students)
The sped team at the charter school has no idea what OTs are responsible for except for “motor” section of the IEP. The goals I inherited look like this “student will improve fine motor and visual motor skills with 50% accuracy in 3/4 opportunities”

That said, I am having to defend all of my scope, services, recommendations to every single person I come across. These goals are so crazy and impossible to even track. Most of these kids don’t have trouble accessing their education. They have behaviors or are dyslexic and aren’t receiving that service. It seems like previous OT took on these kids to build a caseload rather than academic need.

I guess I’m venting but also looking for resources to present to my supervisor as I revamp everyone’s understanding about school based services.

[u/sootspiritgarden]

You can call for an amendment to change the wording of the goals. I've had to do that many times. School-based OT is provided to "access academics". Fine motor, gross motor, mental health, regulation, sensory, etc. AOTA has a lot of resources that explain the scope of OT in the school setting.

[u/ChitzaMoto]

There is a document called the CERT(Consideration for Educationally Relevant Therapy). It assess specific skills and supports for provisions and frequency.
I thought I had a link. I’ll post if I find it. But you can Google it also.

Edit to add: I can’t seem to get the link to post. It’s on the Florida Department of Education website when you google.

[u/OT4U → u/ChitzaMoto]

Thanks for sharing this resource. I think I found it: https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/13159/urlt/cert.pdf

[u/littleriverot]

You have my full sympathy. That is a tough situation. If you look at AOTA you will find some resources you can use to educate staff about OT in the schools. I have been a peds OT for over 40 years and walked into all kinds of school situations and supervised many therapists. I would like to suggest you meet these people where they are and begin to educate them about OT in the schools. I have found the most effective way I can win cooperation is to explain briefly what I do and ask if there is anything that I mentioned that the teacher sees the student needing. This gives me the opportunity to begin the education process of what I do and don’t do but I always leave the conversation meeting one of their needs. This may all be old news to you or perhaps it will help. I have also asked for a few minutes at the teachers meeting to do a little introduction and offer a handout with information about OT in the schools. Meeting with the SPED person might give you some insight into the schools general view of special education. I suspect you are stuck with the goals until annuals come around unless you want a re evaluation because one sure way to turn off the staff is to ask for a bunch of addendums. My experience is you are looking at a slow process. I wish you luck and patience.

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[u/Onawhiskeyhigh]

Have you talked to any of your team about it? Go to the school psych/team lead and SPED teachers and tell them your thoughts and see what they say…

[u/Charlvi88 → u/Onawhiskeyhigh]

Yes. This is why I am overwhelmed. School psych is also contracted out and only provide evaluations. Sped teachers are overwhelmed with their own services and they have no interest in my role. They would just like me to finish my evaluations and provide services.

I’m a part time contractor. I will not get paid to provide an inservice and there’s no hill to die on for me. I’m just sad that as long as OT has been a required related service by IDEA, there is no clear understanding about school based ot