Occupational Therapist - Birth to Three

Job Description

Job Description

Location : Greater Hartford, CT

Organization : Harc, Inc.

Work Schedule : M-F (flexible)

FLSA Status : Non-exempt

Reports to : Senior Director of Birth - Three

As an Occupational Therapist (OT) at Harc, Inc. Steppingstones, a state-contracted Birth to Three program, your role will be to support the developmental needs of children enrolled in our program. A heavy focus will be on supporting children’s adaptive, motor, and sensory development. The OT may also support infants and young toddlers with feeding / swallowing concerns, in consultation with the child’s medical team.

The OT will conduct evaluations / assessments and use the information gathered to help determine a child’s eligibility for services, as well as develop and implement Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). As a member of the IFSP team, the OT will function as families’ Primary Service Provider (PSP) or Supporting Service Provider (SSP). As a family’s PSP, the OT will serve as their main point of contact and provide the majority of their services. As a family’s SSP, the OT will support the family’s PSP to learn and carryover strategies to support the child’s development.

In both of their roles as a PSP and SSP, the OT will recommend strategies to support children’s development across developmental areas, with a focus on their gross and fine motor skills, sensory processing, and participation in self-care routines. This may include the use of assistive technology (AT) as needed. The OT will also oversee data collection to monitor child progress and inform decisions about ongoing service delivery.

All services provided occur in each child’s natural environment (e.g., their home or daycare), and within the context of their everyday routines and activities (e.g., dressing / diapering, mealtime, play). Using coaching as a style of interaction, the OT will ensure the child’s parents’ / caregivers are understanding of strategies to support their development. In addition, the OT will support their team members’ understanding of strategies to support each child’s development.

The OT will attend weekly staff meetings with their regional team and meet monthly with the Program Director for 1 : 1 supervision.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Conduct evaluations and assessments

2. Develop and implement Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs)

3. Provide direct and / or consultative services to children and families

4. Support with selecting an ongoing use of AT that match each child’s developmental profile

5. Oversee data collection

6. Use coaching as a style of interaction to ensure parent- or caregiver-implemented evidence-based practices (EBPs) to support child learning

7. Provide training for team members and children’s parents / caregivers as needed

8. Knowledge of and adherence to Connecticut Birth to Three System policies and procedures

Additional Job Functions :

1. Apply various evidence-based teaching strategies such as : environmental arrangement, reinforcement, and instructional practices

2. Administer, score, and interpret standardized-norm referenced assessments such as the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), Battelle Developmental Inventory, Third Edition (BDI-3), Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Third Edition (PDMS-3)

3. Administer, score, and interpret curriculum-based assessments such as the Carolina Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers; Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) Curriculum Checklist; Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP); Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships (MEISR)

4. Write evaluation / assessment reports regarding children’s participation, highlighting developmental strengths and areas where support is needed

5. Develop and implement in-service trainings for transdisciplinary team members as needed

Key Competencies : Leadership :

• Participate in and help to maintain a culture of respect and accountability
• Utilize strong problem-solving skills to make sound decisions under pressure
• Demonstrate excellent organization and time management to prioritize and meet deadlines
• Demonstrate exceptional communication and interpersonal skills during interactions with children, their families and / or caregivers, colleagues, and community members including local education agencies

Family-Centered Approach :

Advocacy and Collaboration :

Qualifications :

Physical Requirements :

1. Work is active; activity varies from light to moderate and may include lifting 50#

2. Ability to complete a significant amount of documentation and / or data entry on a computer / tablet with or without reasonable accommodations.

Benefits :

Harc, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.