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Occupational Therapy
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Jean Zimmerman Lead Therapist OT / PT The School District of Palm Beach County 3378 Forest Hill Blvd, A-203 Fax 561-434-8384 Email: jean.zimmerman@palmbeachschools.org
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Educationally Relevant Occupational Therapy
Educationally relevant Occupational and Physical Therapy offers support to students with disabilities to increase their independence, success and safety within the school setting. Occupational and Physical Therapy are related services and are provided to special education students when additional support and interventions from the licensed therapy staff are needed to assist the student to function in their educational environment. A referral for Occupational or Physical Therapy will be made at an IEP meeting. The appropriate therapist needs to be present at the meeting and the needs of the student will be discussed. Should the IEP team determine that an evaluation for OT and/or PT is necessary the appropriate paper work will be completed. The therapist will then complete the Evaluation of Functional Skills in the Educational Environment (an evaluation designed by therapists throughout the state of Florida). The evaluating therapist will then discuss the evaluation results with the entire IEP team who in turn determines the need for educationally based therapy.
The goals are written by the entire IEP team which includes collaboration between the therapist, teachers and parents. Depending on the age, the student may also be included. All members of the team are responsible for carrying out the goals on the IEP. Therefore, the therapists do not have separate goal pages on the IEP. Research has shown that interventions embedded in class routines using functional life skills increase the achievement of IEP goals and motivation needed for participation in the general education curriculum. The knowledge and expertise of an OT and/or PT can be utilized to determine and design intervention strategies that can be integrated into a student’s daily routine and implemented by school-based personnel. The students’ needs may vary from year to year and are dependent on multiple factors, including the student’s present level of performance, overall development and education program.
The team is guided by the CERT (Considerations for Educationally Relevant Therapy) to assist in decision making. The CERT was developed by a statewide committee of Occupational and Physical Therapists, administrators and educators. Throughout the development of the CERT there has been collaboration with parents and advocacy groups. Over the years the CERT has been modified through the Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Student Education to better match the changing role of therapy in the school setting. The CERT is a systematic approach designed by therapists, educators and parents to assist the IEP team in determining treatment time and frequency of therapy services.
Both the Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist collaborate with the classroom staff to assist with carryover of the strategies throughout the entire school day.
The following are some examples of what Occupational Therapists do in the schools:
• Provide strategies and training to students in the use of their classroom tools, such as
pencils, scissors, etc.
• Provide strategies and instructions on producing written school work, including
recommendations for adaptive equipment, i.e. pencils grips.
• Provide training on management of clothing ( for toileting)
• Opening containers, carrying a lunch tray and use of eating utensils.
• Provide recommendations in the area of multi sensory techniques embedded throughout the
entire school day of the student, including assessing of equipment such as weighted vest,
pressure vest and seat cushions.
Considerations for Educationally Relevant Therapy Manual (.pdf)