Cape May County Special Services School District

Occupational Therapy

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Occupational Therapy in School Settings (OT) is one of the related services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is provided to support the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students ages 3-21, who have a disability that interferes with their educational performance and ability to benefit from their education program.

Occupational Therapy is provided by trained specialists to students that are deemed eligible by an occupational therapy evaluation. Occupational Therapy is also:

The use of therapeutic activities to regain function or compensate for a disability in order to increase independence in daily activities of living (hygiene, dressing, eating, handwriting, pre vocational training, accessing school environments and equipment, etc.)
Evaluation of fine motor skills, visual perceptual skills, visual motor skills and sensory processing skills in order to determine children's needs within their school environment.
Consultation and recommendation for any adaptive equipment for feeding, dressing, handwriting, self-regulation, desk position etc. to allow students to participate in their school environment.
Recommendation and possible fabrication of splints that promote proper positioning of hands or to prevent contractures and skin breakdown.

SCHOOL BASED THERAPY VS. OUTPATIENT THERAPY

Private or Outpatient OT is based on a medical model of treatment and is provided in clinics, hospitals, homes and community settings. The services are paid for by medical insurance or private pay and there is a broader treatment approach focusing on a child's functioning in all settings not purely skills they need for school.

School Based OT follows and educational model. The services provided in school and the school based occupational therapist only works on skills necessary for a child to function at school.

Rather than rehabilitate a deficit the school OT collaborates with a teacher and other classroom staff to facilitate access to curricular and extra-curricular school activities through supports and proper modifications.

Discharge planning begins when a child demonstrates the ability to participate in his or her school environment successfully using supports and strategies supplied by the therapist and carried over by a teacher or other school personnel.