Occupational Therapist/COTA

CAPS Collaborative is looking for an Occupational Therapist or COTA to join our dynamic team! Bring your skills, creativity, and passion for helping students thrive to a supportive, collaborative environment where your work makes a difference.

About us:

CAPS Collaborative will work in partnership with districts to provide programs and services of the highest quality. To provide these services, we adhere to the following values:

• To commit every aspect of the organization to providing exceptional educational opportunities for students.
• To demonstrate quality and responsiveness by becoming the first choice of districts for programs and services.
• To be a customer-focused organization that constantly evaluates district needs.
• To integrate quality, integrity, respect, and teamwork into every aspect of the organization.
• To demonstrate accountability through constantly evaluating results and progress toward goals.
• To implement programs and services in the most cost-effective manner and to exercise due diligence in financial decision making.
• We will work in partnership with districts to ensure that students transition to the least restrictive environment in their home school district.

About the role:

Provide quality occupational therapy services, including assessment, intervention, program planning and implementation, discharge planning, and communication. Service provision includes both direct and consultative approaches in accordance with each student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Responsibilities:

• Plan, implement, and monitor interventions in accordance with each student's IEP. The focus of these services includes but is not limited to: academic performance, fine and gross motor functioning, positioning, daily living skills, play/leisure skills, and vocational skills.
• Collaborate with other disciplines to ensure team understanding of student performance, strengths and needs through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery.
• Perform screenings and evaluations through a variety of functional, behavioral, and standardized assessments, checklists, skilled observation, review of records, and interviews.
• Synthesize evaluations into a comprehensive written report which reflects strengths and barriers to student participation in the educational environment and uses this report to direct program development and guide evidence-based intervention.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings to review evaluation results, integrate findings with other disciplines, offer recommendations, and develop IEPs.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans to achieve IEP goals.
• Assess and make environmental or other adaptations to allow students to access and benefit from the educational environment.
• Coordinate and participate in equipment and orthotic clinics and provide necessary documentation to third-party payers.
• Provide training to special education teachers and paraprofessional staff, and others as appropriate, to promote carryover of activities, positioning, and adaptations designed to enhance the student's access to and participation in the classroom and school environment.
• Monitor and reassess the effects of occupational therapy intervention and the need to continue, modify, or discontinue intervention.
• Document occupational therapy services to ensure accountability of service provision and to meet standards for reimbursement of services as appropriate.
• Maintain clinical and administrative records in accordance with professional standards, state guidelines, and agency requirements.
• Provide supervision of certified occupational therapy assistants in accordance with state guidelines.
• Adhere to federal and state legislation, regulation, and policies that impact occupational therapy practice.
• Provide fieldwork education and supervision for occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students.
• Utilize professional literature, evidence-based research and continuing education content to make practice decisions.
• Use the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Code of Ethics to guide ethical decision making in practice.
• Prioritize and schedule work tasks independently.
• Maintain professional boundaries and ensure student/staff confidentiality as appropriate within the educational Team
• Contribute to professional growth and collaboration by staying informed on current literature/resources in the field and actively participating in staff meetings and professional development opportunities.

Candidate requirements:

• Licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Allied Health Professionals
• Function according to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
• Understand the special education process and the role of the occupational therapist in the educational environment.
• Ability to work independently and seek appropriate resources and support.
• Strong management, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds multiple times during the work day.
• Ability to frequently carry items weighing up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time.
• Ability to squat, bend, kneel, reach, jump, and run as needed throughout the work day.