Occupational Therapist

Chicago Public Schools•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) serves more than 325,000 students across 500+ schools and employs more than 45,000 people. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) supports networks, schools, and families with special education instruction, interventions, and legal and compliance support, helping ensure students with disabilities receive a high-quality public education. Reporting to the RSP Manager, OT/PT, the Occupational Therapist provides services to students in their least restrictive environment so they can benefit from their special education programs. Services address educational performance in areas such as classroom activities, self-help, pre-vocational and vocational activities, play and leisure, and social skills. Outcomes focus on participation in the general education curriculum, access to the school environment, and extracurricular participation. The OT evaluates students using professional observation, therapeutic handling, record review, and interviews with parents, students, and teachers. The OT interprets and communicates assessment findings to families and school teams, and collaborates with school teams to develop Individualized Education Programs and Section 504 Plans. The position also develops and implements individualized interventions, coordinates services and transitions, documents services and progress, supports staff, and supervises occupational therapy assistants in accordance with applicable standards and laws. CPS requires employees to establish and maintain Chicago residency within six months of hire and throughout employment. This requirement does not apply to temporary or part-time positions; all CPS employees must reside in Illinois.

Requirements

Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in occupational therapy from an accredited program approved by the AOTA.
Pass the National Board Certification for Occupational Therapy.
Hold a current, active Illinois license to practice occupational therapy issued by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation.
Renew the Illinois license every two years by the applicable December 31 renewal deadline and complete 24 hours of continuing education per license renewal cycle.
Adhere to professional, ethical, and legal standards of practice defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Meet CPS residency requirements: establish and maintain Chicago residency within six months of hire and throughout employment; all CPS employees must be Illinois residents.

Responsibilities

Improve manipulative skills for self-care and paper-and-pencil tasks through reach, grasp, and dexterity.
Provide environmental accommodations to improve school transitions and participation in educational activities.
Maintain functional postures to improve comfort, participation, and attention.
Provide stable positions to increase functional use of hands and visual regard.
Promote independence in feeding for safety and nourishment.
Reduce the possibility of injury to students or others as students move or perform skills and tasks in the school environment.
Improve success with small-muscle school tasks by increasing eye-hand coordination.
Assess and modify the environment to facilitate access to and mobility within school.
Use adapted equipment to increase functional use of extremities.
Use sensorimotor activities addressing motor planning, attention, and behavioral issues to enhance students’ ability to learn.
Promote educational staff competency and safety in body mechanics, handling techniques, motor skills, and classroom adaptations.
Facilitate student independence through access to assistive technology.
Evaluate students through observation, therapeutic handling, record review, and interviews with parents, students, and teachers.
Interpret assessment findings and communicate information to parents and school teams in writing and orally.
Collaborate with school teams to develop IEPs and Section 504 Plans using evidence-based practices.
Develop and implement individualized OT intervention strategies.
Coordinate services with students, school team members, parents, community agencies, administrators, and physicians.
Collaborate on transitions from school to the community to help students function independently when outlined outcomes are achieved.
Document OT services in a timely manner and evaluate and document student progress in accordance with ILOTA and school district, state, and federal policies.
Address personal care, student roles, interaction and process skills, play, community integration and work, graphic communication, assistive technology, accessibility, and environmental accommodations in collaboration with school staff.
Seek regular opportunities for professional growth.
Participate in clinical educational opportunities for occupational therapy students.
Adhere to professional, ethical, and legal standards defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Directly supervise occupational therapy assistants in accordance with the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act.