ot practice june 4 issue

AOTA T H E A M E R I C A N O C C U P A T I O N A L T H E R A P Y A S S O C I A T I O N

®

Sports

JUNE 4, 2012

PLUS

Money Mangement InterventionsInternational CollaborationNews, Capital Briefing, & More

Special Focus on Sensory Processing

ALSO

Sensory Processing Challenges in Schools

for Children With Sensory Processing

Disorders

SENSORY PROCESSING MEASURESENSORY PROCESSING MEASURE–PRESCHOOL

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Because it’s easy to explain what you’re measuring, it’s also easy to explain results.

Easy Scoring, Interpretation, and Report WritingThe SPM and SPM-P give you a quick visual summary of results—with scores that are easy to understand and genuinely useful in report writing and treatment planning. Home and School Forms are standardized on the same group of children, so you can directly compare teacher and parent ratings.

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AOTA • THE AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATIONV O L U M E 1 7 • I S S U E 1 0 • J U N E 4 , 2 0 1 2

FEATURES

Sports for Children 8 With Sensory Processing DisordersA Guide for Occupational Therapy PractitionersJackie Kirkpatrick provides suggestions on working with children, families, and coaches to choose and participate in the sports—team or individual, competitive or leisure—that best match children’s sensory processing skills.

Sensory Processing 14 Challenges in the SchoolsLearning “High,” “Low,” and “Just Right” SpeedsSerena Zeidler reports on results and lessons learned from implementing a 6-week evidence-based self-regulation program to treat sensory modulation disorders at a suburban New York public elementary school.

CO

VER PHOTOGRAPH © STEVEN WIDOFF / ISTOCKPHOTO*

DEPARTMENTSNews 2

Capital Briefing 5CMS Proposes List of “Off-the-Shelf” Orthotics

In the Clinic 6Bringing Money Management Interventions Into the 21st Century

Perspectives 20Chai and Biscuits: Strategies to Create a Collaborative International Occupational Therapy Experience

Calendar 23Continuing Education Opportunities

Employment Opportunities 28

Questions and Answers 33Susan Shutrump

OT PRACTICE • JUNE 4, 2012

• Discuss OT Practice articles at www.OTConnections.org in the OT Practice Magazine Public Forum.• Send e-mail regarding editorial content to [email protected]. • Go to www.otpractice.org/currentissue to read OT Practice online. • Visit our Web site at www.aota.org for contributor guidelines, and additional news and information.

OT Practice serves as a comprehensive source for practical information to help occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to succeed professionally. OT Practice encourages a dialogue among members on professional concerns and views. The opinions and positions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily those of OT Practice’s editors or AOTA.

Advertising is accepted on the basis of conformity with AOTA standards. AOTA is not responsible for statements made by advertisers, nor does acceptance of advertising imply endorsement, official attitude, or position of OT Practice’s editors, Advisory Board, or The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. For inquiries, contact the advertising department at 800-877-1383, ext. 2715.

Changes of address need to be reported to AOTA at least 6 weeks in advance. Members and subscribers should notify the Membership department. Copies not delivered because of address changes will not be replaced. Replacements for copies that were damaged in the mail must be requested within 2 months of the date of issue for domestic subscribers and within 4 months of the date of issue for foreign subscribers. Send notice of address change to AOTA, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220, e-mail to [email protected], or make the change at our Web site at www.aota.org.

Back issues are available prepaid from AOTA’s Membership department for $16 each for AOTA members and $24.75 each for nonmembers (U.S. and Canada) while supplies last.

Chief Operating Officer: Christopher Bluhm

Director of Communications: Laura Collins

Director of Marketing: Beth Ledford

Editor: Ted McKenna

Associate Editor: Andrew Waite

CE Articles Editor: Maria Elena E. Louch

Art Director: Carol Strauch

Production Manager: Sarah Ely

Director of Sales & Corporate Relations: Jeffrey A. Casper

Sales Manager: Tracy Hammond

Advertising Assistant: Clark Collins

Ad inquiries: 800-877-1383, ext. 2715, or e-mail [email protected]

OT Practice External Advisory Board

Tina Champagne, Chairperson, Mental Health Special Interest Section

Donna Costa, Chairperson, Education Special Interest Section

Michael J. Gerg: Chairperson, Work & Industry Special Interest Section

Tara Glennon, Chairperson, Administration & Management Special Interest Section

Kim Hartmann, Chairperson, Special Interest Sections Council

Leslie Jackson, Chairperson, Early Intervention & School Special Interest Section

Gavin Jenkins, Chairperson, Technology Special Interest Section

Tracy Lynn Jirikowic: Chairperson, Developmen-tal Disabilities Special Interest Section

Teresa A. May-Benson: Chairperson, Sensory Integration Special Interest Section

Lauro A. Munoz: Chairperson, Physical Disabilities Special Interest Section

Regula Robnett, Chairperson, Gerontology Special Interest Section

Missi Zahoransky, Chairperson, Home & Community Health Special Interest Section

AOTA President: Florence Clark

Executive Director: Frederick P. Somers

Chief Public Affairs Officer: Christina Metzler

Chief Financial Officer: Chuck Partridge

Chief Professional Affairs Officer: Maureen Peterson

© 2012 by The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

OT Practice (ISSN 1084-4902) is published 22 times a year, semimonthly except only once in January and December, by The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-3425; 301-652-2682. Periodical postage is paid at Bethesda, MD, and at additional mailing offices.

U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes to OT Practice, AOTA, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement No. 41071009. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6.

Mission statement: The American Occupational Therapy Asso-ciation advances the quality, availability, use, and support of occupational therapy through standard-setting, advocacy, edu-cation, and research on behalf of its members and the public.

Annual membership dues are $225 for OTs, $131 for OTAs, and $75 student members, of which $14 is allocated to the subscription to this publication. Subscriptions in the U.S. are $142.50 for individuals and $216.50 for institutions. Subscrip-tions in Canada are $205.25 for individuals and $262.50 for institutions. Subscriptions outside the U.S. and Canada are $310 for individuals and $365 for institutions. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery of the first issue.

Copyright of OT Practice is held by The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. Written permission must be obtained from AOTA to reproduce or photocopy material appearing in OT Practice. A fee of $15 per page, or per table or illustration, including photographs, will be charged and must be paid before written permission is granted. Direct requests to Permissions, Publications Department, AOTA, or through the Publications area of our Web site. Allow 2 weeks for a response.

* PHOTOGRAPH IS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES. CHILD IN PHOTOGRAPH IS A MODEL.

Focus on Sensory Processing

2 JUNE 4, 2012 • WWW.AOTA.ORG

N e w sAssociation updates...profession and industry news

AOTA News

Advanced Practice Specialty Conference

save the date for AOTA’s Advanced Practice in Traumatic Injuries & PTSD:

Lessons for Military, VA, & Civil-ian Practitioners conference, to be held from September 7 to 8, 2012, in San Antonio.

Topics will include upper extremity orthopedic inju-ries, pain, burns, vision loss, traumatic brain injuries, warrior transition units, amputations, posttraumatic stress disorder, spinal cord injuries, driving and community mobility, technol-ogy, and return to work. Early registration opens June 13 and ends August 20. Regular registration ends September 4. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit the AOTA Web site, at www.aota.org.

Virtual Chats

Participants in upcoming pediatric virtual chats will discuss preparing for col-

lege on June 14 at 11 a.m. EST, and sensory integration on July 17 at 1 p.m. EST. To participate in the chats and view archives of previous talks, visit www.talkshoe.com/tc/73733.

ACOTE® April 2012 Accreditation Actions

The AOTA Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education

(ACOTE®) met from April 28 to 29, 2012, and took the following accreditation actions:

Final ACOTE decisions subsequent to an initial on-site evaluation:

Bates Technical College (OTA), Tacoma, Washington— Accreditation

Brown Mackie College-Greenville (OTA), Greenville, South Carolina (additional loca-tion of Brown Mackie College-Northern Kentucky, Kentucky)—Accreditation

EHOVE Adult Career Center/Lorain County Community College (OTA), Milan, Ohio—Accreditation

Herzing University (OTA), Crystal, Minnesota—Accreditation

Indian Hills Community Col-lege (OTA), Ottumwa, Iowa—Accreditation

New England Institute of Technol-ogy (OTM), Warwick, Rhode Island—Accreditation

Saint Louis College of Health Careers, County Campus (OTA), Fenton, Missouri— Accreditation

Stanbridge College (OTA), Irvine, California—Accreditation

Final ACOTE decisions subsequent to a re-accreditation on-site evaluation:College of St. Scholas-

tica (OTM), Duluth, Minnesota—Accreditation

Colorado State University (OTM), Fort Collins, Colorado—Accreditation

Delgado Community College (OTA), New Orleans, Louisiana—Accreditation

Florida International University (OTM), Miami, Florida— Accreditation

Grossmont College (OTA), El Cajon, California— Accreditation

Houston Community College (OTA), Houston, Texas— Accreditation

Lehigh Carbon Community College (OTA), Schnecksville, Penn-sylvania—Accreditation

Manchester Community College (OTA), Manchester, Connecticut—Accreditation

Middle Georgia College (OTA), Cochran, Georgia— Accreditation

New York Institute of Technology (OTM), Old Westbury, New York—Accreditation

North Shore Community Col-lege (OTA), Danvers, Massachusetts—Accreditation

State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

(OTM), Brooklyn, New York—Accreditation

Towson University (OTM), Towson, Maryland—Accreditation

University of Puerto Rico (OTM), San Juan, Puerto Rico— Accreditation

University of Puget Sound (OTM), Tacoma, Washington— Accreditation

Virginia Commonwealth University (OTM), Richmond, Virginia— Accreditation

Wallace State Community College (OTA), Hanceville, Alabama—Accreditation

Xavier University (OTM), Cincin-nati, Ohio—Accreditation

Final ACOTE decision subsequent to a review of a Progress Report: Lincoln College of New England

(OTA), Southington, Con-necticut—Probationary Accreditation

Final ACOTE decision subsequent to a request from the program to be placed on inactive status:College of Southern Nevada (OTA),

Las Vegas, Nevada— Probationary Accreditation— Inactive

(Inactive Status: The status “inactive” does not replace any other current accreditation sta-tus. The designation follows the regular accreditation status (e.g., Accreditation—Inactive or Probationary Accredita-tion—Inactive). Students grad-uating from a program with Accreditation—Inactive or Probationary Accreditation—Inactive status are considered graduates of an accredited program. A program may remain on inactive status for a maximum of 3 years depen-dent upon the accreditation term remaining.)

Final ACOTE decision subsequent to a request from the program to voluntarily withdraw from accreditation:Wayne County Community Col-

lege District (OTA), Detroit, Michigan—Accreditation Withdrawn, Voluntary

Final ACOTE decisions subsequent to a review of an initial Report of Self-Study (Step 2 of the Initial Accreditation Process):Brown Mackie College–Kansas

City (OTA), Lenexa, Kansas (accredited additional loca-

tion of Brown Mackie College, Indianapolis, IN, transitioning to independent accredita-tion)—Letter of Review Granted

Inter American University of Puerto Rico–Ponce Campus (OTA), Mercedita, Puerto Rico— Letter of Review Granted

Neosho County Community College, Ottawa Campus (OTA), Ottawa, Kansas—Letter of Review Granted

(Letter of Review Granted: The proposed programs would appear to meet the Standards if fully implemented in accor-dance with the plans of the sponsoring institution. An ini-tial on-site evaluation will be conducted before an accredita-tion decision is made.)

Final ACOTE decisions subsequent to a review of an Application for Developing Program Status (Step 1 of the Initial Accreditation Process):Central Piedmont Community

College (OTA), Charlotte, North Carolina—Developing Program Status Granted

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas (OTA), Ashdown, Arkansas—Developing Program Status Granted

East Arkansas Community College (OTA), Forrest City, Arkan-sas—Developing Program Status Granted

Eastwick College (OTA), Ramsey, New Jersey—Developing Program Status Granted

National American University– Denver Campus (OTA), Denver, Colorado—Developing Pro-gram Status Granted

Salus University (OTM), Elkins Park, Pennsylvania—Develop-ing Program Status Granted

Salus University (OTD), Elkins Park, Pennsylvania—Develop-ing Program Status Granted

South University–Tampa (OTA), Tampa, Florida—Developing Program Status Granted

Trinity Washington University (OTA), Washington, DC—Developing Program Status Granted

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (OTA), Scotch Plains, New Jersey (consor-tium includes County College of Morris, Randolph; Mercer

3OT PRACTICE • JUNE 4, 2012

A O T A B u l l e T i N B O A r d

Ready to order? Call 877-404-AOTA or go to http://store.aota.orgEnter Promo Code BB

Questions? Call 800-SAY-AOTA (members); 301-652-AOTA (nonmembers and local callers); TDD: 800-377-8555

Sensory Processing Concepts and Applications in Practice (CEonCD™) W. Dunn Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2.5 NBCOT PDUs/2 contact hours)

Participants will examine the core concepts of sensory

processing based on Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing. The course explores the similarities and differ-ences between this approach and other sensory-based approaches, examines how to implement the occupational therapy process, and reviews evidence to determine how to create best practice assessment and intervention methods. $68 for members, $97 for nonmembers. Order #4834. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4834

Staying Updated in School-Based Practice (CEonCD™)Y. Swinth & M. MuhlenhauptEarn .15 AOTA CEU (1.88 NBCOT PDUs/1.5 contact hours)

Topics include current legislation such as IDEA 2004, NCLB, and

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Ideas and approaches are pre-sented that can be implemented by an individual occupational therapy practitioner or in collaboration with other colleagues or members of a school district team. Strategies are included to help participants find, use, and apply new information in their practice to promote student participation in the curriculum and across school activities. $51 for members, $73 for nonmembers. Order #4835. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4835

Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Children and Adolescents With Challenges in Sensory Processing and Sensory IntegrationR. Watling, K. Patten Koenig, P. Davies, & R. Schaaf

Using an evidence-based per-spective and

key concepts from the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Do-main and Process, 2nd Edition, this new AOTA Practice Guideline provides an overview and insight into occupational therapy evaluation and intervention for youth experiencing sensory processing and integration chal-lenges. $69 for members, $98 for nonmembers. Order #2218. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=2218

Sensory Integration: A Compendium of Leading ScholarshipC. Royeen & A. Luebben

This book collects the

latest research on, debates about, and trends for this timely topic and is ideal for occupational therapy prac-titioners, students, researchers, and health care professionals who seek to better understand this complex and fascinating field. $55 for members, $79 for nonmembers. Order #1248. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=1248

Bulletin Board is written by Amanda Fogle, AOTA marketing specialist.

OUTSTANDINGRESOURCES

FROM

County Community College, West Windsor; Passaic County Community College, Peter-son; and Salem Community College, Carneys Point)—Developing Program Status Granted

(Developing Program Sta-tus Granted: The proposed program may now admit its first class of students according to the approved timeline and proceed to step 2 of the initial accreditation process (the initial review), which will be followed by step 3 (the initial on-site evaluation). Develop-ing Program Status indicates that the program meets the requirements for Developing Program Status and the plans and resource allocations for the proposed program, if fully implemented, appear to dem-onstrate the ability to comply with the ACOTE Accreditation Standards.)

As of May 10, 2012, the num-ber of programs in the accredi-tation process totaled 369.

OT OT Doctoral Master’s OTA Total

Accredited Programs 4 145 157 306

Programs With Developing Program Status 4 3 26 33

Applicant Programs 3 5 22 30

Total 11 153 205 369

Additional information regarding occupational therapy accreditation may be obtained from the ACOTE Accreditation section of the AOTA Web page (www.acoteonline.org) or from AOTA accreditation staff at 301-652-6611, ext. 2914 or [email protected].

AOTA Reminders

Leaders Wanted

A pplications are being accepted until June 15 for AOTA’s updated Leader-

ship Development Program for occupational therapy manag-ers who want to cultivate their power and influence in their

practice setting and within the profession.

This program will assist in meeting the Centennial Vision strategic objective of “build-ing the profession’s capacity to influence and lead.” It is open to occupational therapy practitioners (OTs and OTAs) with more than 5 years of experience who are currently in management positions. Special consideration will be given to practitioners new to their rehabilitation/school-based occupational therapy manager/director position.

For submission require-ments and other details, please go to www.aota.org/managers.

ACOTE Seeks New Accreditation Evaluators

You have until June 15 to submit your application for the Roster of Accreditation

Evaluators (RAE).For the positions to be filled

in January 2013, the Accredita-tion Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) aims to recruit a diverse pool of accreditation volunteers. Doc-torally prepared occupational therapy practitioners are espe-cially needed and are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you or someone you know would be well suited for this exciting and important volun-teer position, download the Educator or Practitioner Appli-cation for Membership from the “Announcements & Newslet-ters” section of the ACOTE Web site at www.acoteonline.org or request an application from AOTA Accreditation staff at [email protected] or 301-652-6611, ext. 2914.

Applications should be com-pleted and returned to [email protected] or by mail to the ACOTE Accreditation Program,

continued on page 4


c/o AOTA, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

Submit Presentation Proposal for AOTA’s 2013 Conference

AOTA is accepting presenta-tion proposals for the 2013 Annual Conference & Expo,

to be held in San Diego from April 25 to 28. Please share your practice innovations, research, and experience by submitting a proposal to present at the 93rd annual Conference. Papers may be submitted until June 19. For more, log on to the AOTA Web site (www.aota.org) and click on “Call for Papers.”

Industry News

Iowa to Revise Occupational Therapy Practice Act

iowa recently passed legisla-tion to revise the state’s occupational therapy practice

act. As a result of advocacy by the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association (IOTA), the Iowa occupational therapy law includes a contemporary defini-tion of occupational therapy, and the law makes clear that occupational therapists may provide orthotics and prosthetic services within the scope of occupational therapy practice.

Last year, the state orthot-ics and prosthetics association introduced a licensure bill that raised concerns for IOTA because the legislation did not specifically mention occupa-tional therapy. A compromise was reached to include a revision to the occupational therapy law rather than to add exemption to the orthotics and prosthetics bill. Unfortunately, the bill failed to pass in 2011.

This year, IOTA sought to revise the occupational therapy

practice act in order to amend the definition of occupational therapy based in part on AOTA’s model definition of occupational therapy practice. The proposal included language stating, “Occupational therapy services are provided for habilitation, rehabilitation, and the promotion of health and wellness to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disor-der, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction” as well as a provision to specifically mention orthotics and prosthet-ics within the definition.

Practitioners in the News

n Patty Coker-Bolt, PhD, OTR/L, Courtney Jarrard, OTR/L, C/NDT, and Paige Merrill, OTR/L, recently published “The Effects of Oral Motor Stimulation on Feeding Behaviors of Infants Born With Univentricle Anat-omy” in the Journal of Pedi-atric Nursing (doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2012.03.024).

n Nancy A. Flinn, PhD, OTR/L, director of outcomes and research at Courage Center in Minnesota, recently received the CMS Innovation grant for $1.8 million to expand the facility’s medical home for persons with disabilities and complex health conditions. For more information, visit www.couragecenter.org.

n Roger Smith, PhD, OT, FAOTA, RESNA, was selected to serve a 3-year term as a member of the National Advisory Board on Medical Rehabilitation Research, which advises the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. For more on Smith, visit www4.uwm.edu/chs/faculty_staff/r_smith.cfm.

Andrew Waite is the associate editor

of OT Practice. He can be reached at

[email protected].

Rely on the Sensory Profile family to help you assess your client’s sensory processing abilities and the effect of the sensory system on an individual’s performance at home, school, and work. Each of these research-based questionnaires contains items specific to the environment in which the client’s performance is being assessed. These age-specific tools are designed to help you gather information from parents, teachers, and clients—so that you can develop more effective treatment plans, interventions, and everyday remediation strategies.

For more information or to place an order, visit SensoryProfile.com

Confidently evaluate sensory-related difficulties

in clients of all ages

Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile®

Birth-3 yearsParent/caregiver questionnaire

Sensory Profile®

Ages 3-10Parent/caregiver questionnaire

Sensory Profile® School CompanionAges 3-11

Teacher questionnaire

Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile®

Age 11 and olderSelf-questionnaire

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Always Learning, Pearson, design for Psi, and PsychCorp are trademarks, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliate(s). 6576 06/12 A3G

800.627.7271 | | PsychCorp.com

6576-12_SensoryProfile_AD_OTPracMag_WH.indd 1 4/24/12 9:39 AM

P-6034

he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed a list of orthotics that identifies spe-cific Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes as “off-the-shelf” (OTS) orthotics. Until now, CMS has not defined OTS orthot-ics. The identification of OTS orthotics is important because it determines the rates that CMS will pay for items. (Note that splints provided by occupa-tional therapists are considered to be orthotics by CMS and other payers.)

If an item is included on the OTS orthotics list, then CMS will pay occu-pational therapists the competitive bidding rate for the item. Competitive bidding is a program to save money on durable medical equipment, prosthet-ics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). Under the program, DMEPOS sup-pliers compete to become Medicare contract suppliers by submitting bids to furnish certain items in competi-tive bidding areas, and CMS awards contracts to enough suppliers to meet beneficiary demand for the bid items. The new, lower payment amounts resulting from the competition replace the Medicare DMEPOS fee schedule amounts for the bid items in these areas.

“I THOUGHT OTS WERE EXEMPT FROM COMPETITIVE BIDDING”They are! AOTA advocated for several years to achieve occupational therapist exemption from competitive bidding. In 2007, CMS specifically exempted occupational therapists in private prac-tice (OTPPs) from participating in the competitive bidding process to allow OTPPs to continue to furnish certain types of competitively bid items (such

as orthotics) to their own patients when these items are furnished as part of their professional services under a plan of care. Although occupational therapists do not have to submit bids, occupational therapists providing these items must accept the rates established by competitive bidding. We expect that competitive bid rates will be lower than present rates. Addition-ally, CMS recently announced that OTS items will not be included in the second round of competitive bidding, although the agency did publish the draft list and requested comments and has not issued a final list of OTS items.

WHICH ITEMS SHOULD BE OTS ORTHOTICS?Based on member feedback and col-laboration with the American Physical Therapy Association and the American Society of Hand Therapists, AOTA submitted written comments to CMS. AOTA’s letter asserted that:

As we have stated in the past, AOTA has great concerns about the dispensing and adjustment of some orthotics without pro-fessional management of care. While the designation of OTS is meant only in relation to the cost of an item, it conveys a view that all of these items can be safely purchased without professional, therapeutic support. We also have stated that the term “pre-fabricated” in the definition of a HCPCS Level II orthotic should not be interpreted to mean “OTS.” That is, just because an item is prefabricated does not mean that “one size fits all,” or that adjustments do not need to be made initially or over time.

The letter expressed concerns about the perception that an item designated as OTS can be safely purchased without professional, therapeutic support. Major issues include efficacy and quality of items and possible additional injury caused by ill-fitting items purchased without occupational therapy oversight and care.

AOTA provided a list of factors that create complexities that could cause significant hardship if not comprehen-sively addressed by a professional and that should eliminate items from being considered OTS, as such items require more than “minimal self-adjustment for appropriate use.” The factors include items with hinges or metal joints and items that provide torques, including turnbuckles and other attachments that must be adjusted over time.

In the letter, AOTA recommended that CMS develop a stakeholder pro-cess to evaluate new HCPCS codes to determine whether they are appropri-ate for designation as OTS.

AOTA members may access the comment letter and full list of factors with examples of codes on our Web site at www.aota.org/News/Advocacy News/Orthotics-Rates-Provided.aspx. AOTA will continue to monitor developments related to payment for orthotics; the latest information will be available on our Web site at www.aota.org under the Advocacy Highlights section. n

Jennifer Bogenrief is the manager of AOTA’s

Reimbursement and Regulatory Policy Depart-

ment. She can be reached at [email protected].

TCMS Proposes List of

“Off-the-Shelf” OrthoticsJennifer Bogenrief


c A P i T A l B r i e f i N g


i N T h e c l i N i c

Bringing Money Management Interventions Into the 21st Century

Beth Cardell Amy Gneiting Brett Christensen

echnology is becoming the norm in everything we do, from daily com-munication and getting directions to managing our money. Statistics show that in the past 9 years, monthly online bill pay has increased from 8% to 45%, and check use has actually decreased.1 The instrumental activity of daily liv-ing of financial management is highly associated with components of execu-tive function such as working memory, attention to detail, sustained attention, novel problem solving, structuring ideas, developing action plans, mental flexibility, and inhibition.2–4 It is com-monplace to see occupational therapy sessions that include writing out checks, balancing checkbooks, and looking up items in the phonebook.5–6 But to meet the emerging needs of our clients and to address the performance demands

of money management and technology, we created a Web site mimicking a real world executive function task, online bill pay.

ONLINE BILL PAY TASKWith this Web site, created as part of a student project at the University of Utah’s Division of Occupational Ther-apy, the client completes a complex task requiring several cognitive skills, including problem solving, attention to detail, planning, and judgment. The client is asked to review four bills and decide what actions need to take place. Only one bill requires payment, but this information has to be deciphered by reviewing the information provided on each bill. Problem solving and judg-ment are required to determine specific due dates, amounts due, and the

method of payment for each bill. The first bill states a positive balance, and the second is set up as an automatic withdrawal; therefore, no payment is required. At first glance, the third and fourth bills look identical. Upon further review, the client must determine that the older of the two bills is last month’s and has already been paid, leaving the fourth bill as the only one that requires payment. Bill number four requires payment through our simulated online bill pay Web site, located at www.health.utah.edu/ot/otiadl.

The client must then navigate the Web site, refer to the bill for infor-mation, enter information (account number, amount due, and credit card details) into the appropriate fields, and select the correct payment method, deciding between two credit cards. Opportunities for error recognition are provided while using the Web site. If the information entered is incorrect, the cli-ent will receive an error message much like what a real Web site would create.

HOW TO BEGIN USING THIS INTERVENTION This intervention is currently free for therapists to access and use. The documents needed for the task can be printed off by visiting the University of Utah’s Division of Occupational Therapy Web site, at www.health.utah.edu/ot/colleagues. The documents available include a brief background on the task, therapist instructions, documentation sheets, two credit cards, and four bills. To increase the “real life” appearance of the task, we recommend printing the credit cards in color and using card stock or lamination to give them a sturdy feel. The Web site, www.health.utah.edu/ot/otiadl, can only be used with these specific documents.

TSome materials available on the University of Utah’s Division of Occupational Therapy Web site, www.health.utah.edu/ot/colleagues

Using the Site

Score Sheet

PHO

TOG

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PH C

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SY O

F TH

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The original intent of this project was to create a new item for the Performance Assessment of Self Care Skills (PASS)6 using the authors’ protocol. The online bill pay task cannot be used as an assess-ment at this point because the detailed research process of testing reliability and validity is still incomplete. A research team at the University of Utah is continuing this process, but in the meantime we wanted to make the Web site accessible as an inter-vention tool. The documentation sheets provided on the site resemble the score sheets used by the PASS, but at this time they are meant only to offer a way of docu-menting performance, not to assess cogni-tion. The research team hopes that further testing and development of this item will lead to future use as an assessment.

We presented this new online bill pay task to a group of community occupational therapists last year at Utah’s state occupa-tional therapy conference and at AOTA’s Annual Conference & Expo in Philadelphia. The audiences provided positive feedback and were clearly excited to use the task as an intervention in practice. Suggestions were made for additional tasks that are

currently under development, including a bill pay task involving multiple bills and an online shopping task.

Although this item was developed with executive function deficits in mind, it can also meet the needs of other populations. This tool can be used to educate indi-viduals who may not have online experi-ence—for example, older adults who are unfamiliar with technology, newly arriving refugees who have never used the Internet, and young adults transitioning to indepen-dent living. n

References1. Fiserv. (2010). Merging payment and remittance

information from all sources. Retrieved from http://www.fiserv.com/trends.htm

2. Jefferson, A. L., Paul, R. H., Ozonoff, A., & Cohen, R. A. (2006). Evaluating elements of executive functioning as predictors of instrumental activi-ties of daily living (IADLs). Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 21, 311–320.

3. Knox, L., & Douglas, J. (2009). Long-term ability to interpret facial expression after traumatic brain injury and its relation to social integration. Brain and Cognition, 69, 442–449.

4. Possin, K. L., Brambati, S. M., Rosen, H. J., Johnson, J. K., Pa, J., Weiner, M. W.,...Kramer, J. H. (2009). Rule violation errors are associated with right lateral prefrontal cortex atrophy in neuro-degenerative disease. Journal of International

Neuropsychological Society, 15, 354–364.5. Burton, C., Strauss, E., Bunce, D., Hunter, M. A.,

& Hultsch, D. (2009). Functional abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Gerontol-ogy, 55(5), 1–12.

6. Rogers, J. C., Holm, M. B., Goldstein, G., McCue, M., & Nussbaum, P. D. (1994). Stability and change in functional assessment of patients with geropsychiatric disorders. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 48, 914–918. doi:10.5014/ajot.48.10.914

7. Rogers, J. C., & Holm, M. B. (1997, April). Perfor-mance assessment of self-care skills, version 3.1 (PASS). Paper presented at the AOTA’s Annual Conference & Expo, Orlando.

Beth Cardell, MS, OTR/L, is an assistant professor

(clinical) at the University of Utah, Division of

Occupational Therapy. Her research interests include

occupation-based interventions for people with

cognitive disabilities.

Amy Gneiting, MOTR/L, is a recent graduate of the Uni-

versity of Utah, Division of Occupational Therapy, and

is currently employed at Aspen Ridge West, a skilled

nursing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Brett Christensen, MOTR/L, is a recent graduate of the

University of Utah, Division of Occupational Therapy,

and is currently employed in early intervention at

Jordan School District in Salt Lake City.

P-6046

bWill you be my OT for Life?

Or better yet, my Wife?

Dear Sarah Marie,Will you marry Me?

B


W hich sport do you recommend for her?” asked Anna’s mother during an interven-tion session. Anna

already participated competitively in soccer and swimming, and her mother was interested in which sports—those or something else—best matched her sensory processing challenges. Prac-titioners who are employed in clinics, hospitals, and schools with clients who have sensory processing disorders (SPDs) are often asked what sports clients can or should play, and provid-ing answers can be tricky.

Activity and sport involvement for children with SPDs is a topic that combines knowledge from the fields of sensory integration, sport, exercise science, and coaching. Knowledge of how our clients are affected by their sensory sensitivities is just one piece of the puzzle; it is also necessary to understand more about sport science and how sport is seen in our society. To improve the quality of our sport and activity recommendations, we need to understand benefits and challenges of involvement in sport, why people par-ticipate in sports, and family expecta-tions about sport involvement.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE Children across the United States are experiencing a decrease in fitness, and the highest level of childhood obesity has been recorded over the last few years.1 With this rise in obesity, occupa-tional therapists have been encouraged to develop programs for children that increase activity levels and reinforce healthy living strategies throughout their community.2 Researchers and physicians recommend that preschool and school-aged children should par-ticipate in at least 1 hour of moderate exercise a day.2–3

Along with the cognitive benefits of exercise,3 participation in sport, as outlined in a National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) position paper, can promote fitness, social skills, motor skills, enjoyment of activities, sportsmanship, and self-con-fidence.4 Benefits of such activity for children with attention deficit hyper-

activity disorder (ADHD), for example, include improved strength, motor skills development, friendships, self-esteem, and confidence.5–7 Children with ADHD who played on three or more sport teams were reported to have sig-nificantly fewer anxiety or depression levels than those who participated on fewer teams.8

Of course, other benefits of sport and exercise exist beyond just health. Whereas adults reported participating in sports to maintain a sense of achieve-ment, develop skills, relieve stress, and form support groups, children are reported to be motivated mainly by enjoyment and social interaction, and an interest in trying new sports.9 Indeed, children find participation in sports more enjoyable when they are not forced to compete to win.8–9 For teens, body shape, weight management, social opportunities, and family support are motivating reasons for participating in

Working with children, families, and coaches to choose and

participate in the sports—team or individual, competitive or

leisure—that best match children’s sensory processing skills.

“

A GUIDE FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS

Sports for Children With Sensory Processing Disorders

JACKIE KIRKPATRICK

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exercise.9 Many of our negative and pos-itive self-perceptions and stereotypes can be reinforced during youth sport experiences.3,9 Therefore, it is important to try to select a sport or an activity that can meet the child’s physical, emotional, and social, as well as therapeutic, needs.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONSFamily reasons for having a child participate in a particular sport are important to acknowledge. Parents may have unrealistic expectations about what sport a child should participate in and how the child needs to perform in that sport. Children with SPDs, for example, may benefit from a less for-malized team sport that creates fewer stressors for social interaction and/or performance.7,10 Activities like bowling or marital arts, which still provide exer-

cise and leisure benefits, may be better suited to some children than more tra-ditional sports like football, basketball, or cheerleading.11 It is important to be sensitive to how the parents feel about sport as it may influence how readily they accept some suggestions; they may need to be reminded that children want sports to be fun.4 The NASPE has a comprehensive self-assessment tool to advise parents on their role in develop-ing safe boundaries with sports and their child.12

EXERCISE SCIENCE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPDSOccupational therapists recommend-ing sports for children with SPDs must consider a client’s muscle strength, including the relative prevalence of slow twitch (ST) muscle fibers, which are

fatigue resistant and found in prolonged endurance athletes who participate in marathons, swimming, speed skating, and cross country skiing; and fast twitch (FT) muscle fibers, which generate quick actions that are important for stop-and-change sports like basketball, soccer, and lacrosse. Genetically deter-mined, the ratio of FT to ST fibers is dif-ferent for each person.13–15 Typically, the muscle fibers of both genders are 45% ST and 55% FT. Some children with SPDs, like anyone else, may be geneti-cally predisposed for endurance motor tasks while others may be better suited to explosive, short duration sports.

Muscle tone is another area to consider, as the SPD population typi-cally presents with lower-than-average muscle tone, regardless of their percent-age of ST-to-FT fibers. Low muscle tone means more work for bodies to recruit muscle fibers for a specific task. Tennis, a sport that requires constant quick muscle responses, would be challenging for children with SPDs who have low tone because of the extra energy the sport requires to stabilize one’s trunk and arm muscles to hold a racquet and hit a ball. Some sports allow the body more time to recruit muscle fibers for movement, such as the warm-up swing in golf or the bouncing of the ball in tennis—an important consideration for many of our SPD clients. In discus, the athlete swings his or her arm back two to three times to increase the force of the throw; this swinging/recoil action allows the child with sensory issues to give the muscle fibers more time to respond to messages for muscle stabi-lization. In children with lower muscle tone, there may also be a predisposi-tion for joint laxity and, therefore, an increase in some types of injuries, indi-cating the need for lower impact types of sports such as bowling, canoeing, and swimming.

SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPDSMany of our clients with SPDs have co-morbid challenges with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral and/or emotional issues.10 Any or all of these difficulties affect people’s abilities to function and complete their daily living skills efficiently at home, in

for Children With Sensory Processing Disorders

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school, and within the community. In one study, children with SPDs preferred less structured play and were found to participate less in team sports (50%) than their peers (92%).10 But children who tended to be sensation seeking showed higher preference for partici-pating in sports.16 Children who had sensitivities to smell, auditory input, and vision, and/or low energy, had low pref-erence for social activities. Individual sports are recommended for children with ADHD because these activities allow the child to maximize focus.11 An individual sport like swimming uses repetitive movements that facilitate the child’s concentration level and encour-age calmness.11 Some individual sports, such as bowling, swimming, track and field, and martial arts, allow the athlete to be part of a larger team, giving the child the benefit of a group experience without the stresses of being a player on a team.11 Sports that provide immediate feedback, as when striking a golf ball, can help children with ADHD to focus their attention.11 Research by Vickers suggested that children with ADHD work on activities like swimming or golf that develop sustained visual attention skills.17

DOCUMENTING STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES In helping select sports for children with SPDs, occupational therapists

Strengths of the Child Challenges for the Child

Sensory Needs( vestibular, visual, tactile, proprioception, and auditory)

• Proprioceptive seeker• Manages auditory input• Mild tactile sensitivities,

managed well

• Vestibular sensitivity to rotation

• Decreased visual tracking and processing

Motor Coordination Skills( ease of learning new skills, muscle tone, strength, tendency for injury)

• Core stabilization good• Low muscle tone—

hands/shoulders• Overall strength good• Body awareness good

• Weak bilateral coordination• Weak praxis-motor

planning, projected action sequences, and feedback

• Weak hand–eye coordination

Organizational and Social Skills ( attention, energy level, impulsivity, social abilities, regulation level, motivation, interest in sport)

• Good social skills• Previous team experiences—

soccer, swimming• Good attention to task• Energy level good• Interested in sport

• Regulation level varies widely throughout day

Characteristics/Environment:• Played outside primarily• Unpredictable environment• Speed of game is not controllable. Mostly

fast paced • Team sport—competitiveness varies• Can be played at all ages• Can be recreational or competitive• Need to be able to follow directions of

coach in practice and games

Tactile:• Equipment to wear: shin guards, cleats,

and socks• Uniform shirts• Body contact with other players—pushing

and shoving to get to ball• Feel of the ball, can get dirty/muddy• Feel of ground/grass if player falls• Goalie—wears extra shirt and gloves• Weather variability—could be hot, cold,

windy, rainy, etc.

Vestibular-Proprioceptive/Motor Coordination:• Requires fair–good coordination• Change motor plan in middle of action• Skills—kick and dribble ball with feet• Need to determine light vs. hard pushing

of other players• Ball hitting kids while playing• Force to kick ball when ball is moving• Lots of linear movement and jumping

Olfactory/Gustatory:• Outdoor smells, grass• Sunscreen and bug spray• Cold water kids drink while playing• Chewing on clothes

Visual:• Tracking ball on field• Constant activity/unpredictable movement

of people and ball • Many kids on field at same time• Need to know where to be on field• Safety awareness while running and

kicking

Auditory:• Whistle blowing• Parents/kids/coach/referee yelling• Sound of running on field• Environmental noise—insects and

airplanes; some playing fields have many games going on at one time—very noisy

Table 1. Sport Strength Profile: Anna

Table 2. Sensory Profile Example: Soccer

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can be organized within the follow-ing five categories in addition to their sensory charac-teristics. See Table 3 for categories of sports based on these five character-istics as well as their most prominent sensory features.

Energy requirements. High energy sports include basketball, tennis, and ice hockey, which all require continu-ous movements. Lower energy sports, including bowling and fishing, are less

physically demanding. Pick a sport or activity that matches the energy needs of the child.11 This is especially impor-tant with a child’s first experience with a sport.

Dynamics. With dynamic sports, such as soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, the players and their positions on the field change constantly. Individual

should review the child’s sensory needs, motor coordination/praxis, and organizational and social skills, based on results from standardized assess-ments like the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests,18 Sensory Processing Measure,19 and Bruininks-Oskersky Test of Motor Proficiency20 as well as clinical observation. Review and deter-mine which areas affect their involve-ment in a sport—for example, is the child a sensory seeker who loves ves-tibular and proprioceptive input? The child’s preferences for certain sports, in terms of motivation to play a particular sport, should also be considered.

Understanding the child’s motor coordination and praxis level is crucial in sport selection; if a sport’s motor organization requirements are too complex, the child will not want to participate. Consider muscle tone: Does the child have the postural skills to run over an uneven field or hold a racquet or stick? Is he or she able to throw and catch a ball consistently? Follow two-step directions more than half the time?

Analyze the child’s organizational and social abilities in the areas of energy level, impulsivity, attention to task, and ability to follow directions. The child’s regulation level, social interaction skills, previous sport experience, and motiva-tion to participate in sports should also be documented. What is the child’s over-all energy level and how well does the child self-regulate in different environ-ments? A high energy level is a definite strength when selecting sports like cross country running or skiing. Children with relatively low energy levels may not have the stamina to play a running game like basketball. See Table 1 on p. 10 for a sample sport strength profile.

In addition to understanding the child’s sensory strengths and chal-lenges, the sensory aspects of each sport needs to be appreciated. Every sport has its own sensory profile, too—the visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, vestibular-proprioceptive, and gustatory aspects. The environment in which a sport is played can also affect how well a child performs—a noisy and smelly gym can be a challenging environment for children with auditory and spatial difficulties, for example. See Table 2 on p. 10 for a sample sensory profile of soccer. Most sports

Static SportsBowling Fishing DivingSwimmingHikingArcheryRock climbing TrampolineMartial artsTrack and fieldYoga

Dynamic SportsLess dynamic SkiingSkatingFencingVolleyballCyclingWrestlingRacquet sportsHorseback ridingBaseball

More dynamic Ultimate FrisbeeBasketball SoccerLacrosse FootballField hockey Dance

Lower Energy SportsBowling Fishing Archery HikingRecreational cyclingBaseballMartial artsHorseback ridingGolfTable tennisYoga

High Energy SportsBasketball Track and field Cheerleading Cross country DanceRock climbing Hockey Mountain cyclingBMX bike racingExtreme sportsSkiingTennisSoccerLacrosse

Vestibular SportsTrack and field FootballGymnastics TrampolineBasketball WrestlingLacrosse CheerleadingHockey—ice or fieldCyclingSkating—ice or rollerSky diving, hang

glidingTennis & other

racquet sportsDance

Tactile SportsWrestlingSoccerBasketball

Swimming/DivingHockeyCanoeing/kayakingHikingFishingTrampolineGymnastics

Auditory SportsHigherBasketballSoccerBowlingSoccerVolleyballSports in A gym Dance Cheerleading

LowerSwimmingArcherySkatingHikingFishingSailingCanoeKayakMartial arts

Proprioceptive SportsFootball Water polo/

SwimmingSoccerBasketballLacrosseHockey—ice or fieldWrestling

VisualHigher BaseballBasketballCyclingRacquet sportsMost team sports

LowerFishingBowling Swimming

Individual Sports Swimming*Wrestling*Bowling*Rock Climbing*Archery*Track and field*Cycling*Sailing*Fencing*HikingMartial arts*Tumbling*Horseback ridingFishingTennis*Table tennisBadminton*CanoeingYogaKayakingSkiing*Geocaching

*Can also be part of a team

Low High Dog paddle Front crawl Breast stroke Jogging Running in gym Running on trail

_______________ Sports examples ________________

Trampoline bounce Fencing Cheerleading Archery Golf Basketball Hiking Bike riding Soccer Bowling Canoeing Lacrosse Jogging Sky Diving Floor Hockey

Motor Coordination (varies with task and sports level)

Table 3. Characteristics of Sports for Children With Sensory Issues


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ina is a 9-year-old girl with a diagnosis of Asperger’s syn-drome. She receives special education instruction within an integrated (inclusion)

fourth-grade class model. Nina is easily distracted and has trouble attending to classroom lessons. She is very sensitive to loud noises and becomes anxious and loses focus in anticipation of fire drill alarms and assemblies. Nina needs an adult to stay close by, as any sensory issue that she is experiencing must be addressed immediately or her behavior usually escalates and becomes difficult to control.

Given the issues that Nina has, how can occupational therapy help? School-based occupational therapy practitioners often provide services to students like Nina, whose sensory processing dif-ficulties affect their school participation and performance. Sensory processing disorders are “impairments in detecting, modulating, interpreting, or responding to sensory stimuli” (p. 229).1 Students with this type of disorder may experi-ence difficulty paying attention in the classroom.

Sensory modulation disorder is a type of sensory processing disorder that occurs when there is impairment in the

ability to regulate the degree, intensity, and nature of responses to sensory input.1 Occupational therapy practition-ers can apply sensory integration theory to treat sensory modulation disorders through programs that implement self-regulation strategies.2 Self-regulation has been described as “the ability to modulate the intensity, frequency, and duration of verbal and motor acts in social and educational settings” (p. 5).3

The Alert Program (How Does your Engine Run? Alert Program for Self-Regulation), was founded by occupational therapists Williams and Shellenberger to teach children to change how alert they feel to facilitate learning, attending, and positive behav-iors.4 The Alert Program consists of les-sons that use sensorimotor activities and strategies based on sensory integration theory. Children learn how to regulate their own arousal states so they can respond efficiently to the demands of a situation or task.4 This article describes the implementation of a 6-week evi-

dence-based self-regulation program at a suburban New York public elementary school, with particular emphasis on the effect of self-regulation on students’ ability to attend to task. School-based occupational therapists often receive referrals for children with sensory-based attentional issues and use a variety of strategies to improve on-task behaviors and participation. This intervention explored whether the Alert Program, a comprehensive self-regulation program based on sensory integration theory, was an effective school-based intervention to improve attention to task in 7- to-10-year-old students with sensory process-ing difficulties.

Seven students participated in the intervention. Six of the students had conditions on the autism spectrum, and one student was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The program was designed to pro-mote awareness to students, teachers, and parents of how arousal states can be regulated through using sensory

Implementing a 6-week evidence-based self-regulation program to treat sensory modulation disorders at a suburban New York public elementary school.

Sensory Processing Challenges in the SchoolsLearning “High,” “Low,” and “Just Right” Speeds

NSERENA ZEIDLER


strategies both in school and at home. As the occupational therapist conduct-ing the evidence-based intervention, I introduced the program to students, teachers, and parents, and provided all training and follow up.

SUPPORT FROM THE LITERATUREThe literature provided supporting evidence for the intervention. When using a sensory-based approach, specific sensory stimulation is provided. The key assumption in sensory-based approaches is that targeted sensory input leads to the remediation of impaired sensory processes.5 Various sensory-based strat-egies are used by occupational therapy practitioners to address sensory process-ing difficulties. Multiple studies have reported an improvement in attention to task and behaviors using sensory-based approaches and interventions.6–11

Post et al. provided evidence to support self-regulated learning.3 The authors recommended that researchers identify the skills needed for self-reg-ulation and find ways to help children learn to organize, modify, and regulate responses in order to improve their conscious control. Cohn, Miller, and Tickle-Degnen identified self-regulation as one of the three main child-focused areas about which parents of children with sensory modulation disorder were most concerned.12 The Alert Program is a group intervention commonly used by occupational therapy practitioners to address sensory modulation needs.13

Barnes, Vogel, Beck, Schoenfeld, and Owen evaluated the use of the Alert Program in a public school classroom to increase self-regulation behaviors in children with emotional disturbances.14 Such children can often experience problems with learning and sensory processing, and studies have shown that these children frequently show deficits in processing sensory environmental information.14 The results of the study suggested that the Alert Program may have contributed to improved sensory processing skills in the classroom.

Salls and Bucey used the Alert Program to teach self-regulation strate-gies to middle school students in a classroom-based setting.15 Although results were not analyzed statistically, the collaborative-based program was found to be effective in strengthening

self-awareness, creative problem solving, and sensory regulation. The program fostered greater awareness of occu-pational therapy in the middle school environment, and it provided a cost-effective model for best practice in the school setting.

STEPS OF THE INTERVENTIONMy first step in conducting the inter-vention was to obtain written consent from the administration of the school district. I then established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Sensory Profile School Companion was completed by classroom teachers and used to identify students from my caseload who demon-strated sensory processing difficulties that affected their school performance.16 Inclusion criteria also required that students be ages 7 to 10 years, which reflected the needs and availability of

students in the elementary school, and to have reported difficulties with on-task behavior in the school environment. Students who had previously completed a formal program in self-regulation were excluded. Institutional Review Board approval was received, and then parent consent and child assent was obtained.

When identifying students for the intervention, the views of the classroom teacher and speech therapist were taken into consideration. I developed a list of students who were being considered for the planned intervention and then met with the classroom teacher of each of these students. I provided a brief overview of the Alert Program, and I discussed the possibility of the student’s inclusion in the intervention. Teach-ers had the opportunity to share their thoughts on whether the student could understand the basic concepts of the Alert Program, and if they felt that the student could benefit from the pro-gram. For students who were receiving speech-language services, I also sought input from the speech therapist to determine whether the student’s verbal comprehension skills were sufficient to understand the underlying concept of the Alert Program: “If your body is like a car engine, sometimes it runs on high, sometimes it runs on low, and sometimes it runs just right” (p. 2-1).4 I carefully considered the input received from the classroom teacher and speech therapist when identifying appropriate students for the program.

The 6-week Alert Program interven-tion was included in each student’s individualized education program (IEP). Each student’s IEP documented the presence of attention difficulties within the school setting. The Physical Develop-ment section of the IEP included a state-ment documenting sensory processing difficulties that impact classroom/school performance, and the IEP included an occupational therapy goal reflecting the need to develop sensory-based self-regulation strategies to increase on-task participation in school activities.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, I developed two scales to document baseline and outcome levels of attention. Teachers completed a Teacher Observation Scale, in which they answered questions about each student’s ability to pay attention and the

Hand Presses

Wall Push-ups

Engine Speedometer

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Table 1. Overview of Alert Program InterventionActivity ProcedureMaterials

• Introduce engine analogy.

• Engine Speed Guessing Game and Collages

• Students guess a person’s engine speed from pictures presented.

• Students create engine collage by matching and attaching engine speed pictures to corresponding sections on the poster.

• OT labels own engine level.

• Sample of laminated pictures of people with high, low, and just right engines (from Alert Program Manual)

• Large laminated poster with words HIGH in red, JUST RIGHT in green, and LOW in yellow

• Poster putty

Alert: Go Fish! Students follow directions to play Alert: Go Fish! and Alert Concentration.

52 - 3x4 inch playing cards picturing boys, girls, and animals in high, low, and just right levels of alertness

Obstacle Course While students complete obstacle course, OT comments on students’ engine speeds.

• Caterpillar cloth tunnel• Scooterboard• Large pillows• Therapy ball

Engine Speedometers

Students fabricate engine speedometer.

White paper plates, scissors, brass paper fasteners, markers, pencils and/or crayons, stickers

Engine Tune-Up Tools for the Mouth

Students try out different oral motor inputs (sour, sweet, spicy, salty, crunchy, chewy; licking, sucking, bit-ing, pulling, blowing) and mark box on grid accordingly.

Engine Tune-Up Tools for the Mouth grid from Alert Program Manual (1 per student), pencils, oral-motor inputs

Engine Tune-Up Tools for the Body

Introduce how moving our bodies can change engine levels. Students experience ways to move: front/back, up/down, circles, upside down, crash/bump, and heavy work (to muscles).

Copies of Ways to Move pictures from Alert Program Manual

Engine Tune-UpTool for the Hands

Attach funnel into balloon opening. Use spoon to scoop beans into fun-nel. Use coffee stirrer to push beans into balloon. Remove balloon from funnel when approximately half full. Knot top of balloon.

• Assorted beans (lentil, kidney, pinto) and barley

• Balloons, funnel, spoon• Sample of tactile inputs such as

Koosh balls, stuffed animals

Session

1Self-Report Scale

2

3

4

5

6

7

Engine Tune-Up Tools for the Eyes and Ears

Introduce visual and auditory inputs.• Variety of visual inputs: toys, pictures

• CD player• Variety of CDs• Test Drive CD

8

Sorting Engine Tools

• Students match engine speed cards to the cards for mouth, body, hands, eyes, and ears.

• Students play Alert Bingo game.

• 3x5 cards printed with five ways to change engine speeds

• Cards for the mouth, body, hands, eyes, ears (in Appendix)

• Alert Bingo game

9

Customizing Engine Care

Students complete chart describing specific strategies used to change engine speeds.

• 3x5 cards used in session 9.• “When I Want to Keep My Engine

Running” chart

10

Board game that encourages problem solving and independent self-regulation

Students answer questions pertain-ing to engine speed levels and ways to change engine levels.

“Keeping On Track: Alert Program Companion Board Game”

11

Goal

Students learn engine words.

Students learn engine words and identify “engine speeds.”

Students develop aware-ness of the feel of their engine speeds.

Students learn to iden-tify and label levels for themselves.

Students are introduced to sensorimotor meth-ods to change engine levels.




Students begin experi-mentation with choosing strategies.

Students choose strate-gies independently.

Students learn to change engine levels in varying settings.

Therapist shares effec-tive strategies with classroom teacher.

Develop plan to implement engine strategies within the classroom setting.

Students chart appropriate and pre-ferred tools for classroom use.

Self-developed “Tools for the Class-room” chart

12Self-Report Scale


P e r s P e c T i v e s

Chai and BiscuitsStrategies to Create a Collaborative

International Occupational Therapy ExperienceAsha Asher

P e r s P e c T i v e s

imilar to many fellow therapists, I was inspired by AOTA’s Centen-nial Vision of our profession to promote collaboration within the global occupational therapy community. For that and other reasons, I was very excited to be awarded a Fulbright grant fund-ing my recent project in India as a visiting lecturer on “Enhancing

Services for Students With Develop-mental Disabilities Through Collabora-tion Between Occupational Therapy and Special Education.”

I trained as an occupational thera-pist in Mumbai, India, in 1977 and worked there for 8 years. I subse-quently spent 25 years providing pedi-atric services in Belgium, Canada, and the United States. I thought returning to work in India as a Fulbright Scholar would be easy because of my cultural connections. Wrong! I still had to use the skills developed over the years to negotiate cultural differences and experience a truly collaborative international exchange. The following are some tips and the insights I gained as a Fulbrighter that I hope may assist other international sojourners in plan-ning successful ventures.

INITIATING AN INTERNATIONAL PROJECTI suggest that you start by identify-ing why you want to participate in a particular experience. Recognizing that you stand to gain as much as you will give will help to establish a mutually respectful exchange with your hosts. Our understanding of a foreign culture is interpreted through media reports that unfortunately are generally sensational. Reflecting on your reasons for the exchange will also

allow you to recognize the bias you bring to the interaction. My intent was to “give back” to the institution that shaped my professional career. By extending my work further in India and Sri Lanka, I gained invaluable insights into the similarities and differ-ences of providing pediatric occupa-tional therapy services globally.

SECURING FUNDINGThe Fulbright Scholars Program is administered by the Council for International Educational Services, a division of the International Institute of Education (see www.cies.org for more information). It has many dif-ferent grant categories that you can take advantage of. A number of other

additional resources exist for funding your project.1–2

SETTING UP YOUR PROGRAMYou will need local support to facilitate your project. To establish connections within specific countries, I used the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Web site (www.wfot.org) and the individual national occu-pational therapy associations, my Fulbright connections, and my con-tacts with special schools cultivated earlier. I worked with my contact at my host affiliation, the occupational therapy school at LTMMC, Mumbai, to understand their needs and to clarify what I could and could not do within the limitations of my stay. Although

sAsha Asher (center) lights the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the lecture series. Looking on are Dr. Jyothika Bijlani (left), former professor and head of the occupational therapy school and center, LTMM College; and Dr. Nirmala Barse (right), deputy dean, LTMM College.

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c A l e N d A rTo advertise your upcoming event, contact the OT Practice advertising department at 800-877-1383, 301-652-6611, or [email protected]. Listings are $99 per insertion and may be up to 15 lines long. Multiple listings may be eligible for discount. Please call for details. Listings in the Calendar section do not signify AOTA endorsement of content, unless otherwise specified.

Look for the AOTA Approved Provider Program (APP) logos on continuing edu-cation promotional materials. The APP logo indicates the organization has met the requirements of the full AOTA APP and can award AOTA CEUs to OT relevant

courses. The APP-C logo indicates that an individual course has met the APP requirements and has been awarded AOTA CEUs.

July

Baltimore, MD Jul. 14–24Lymphedema Management. Certification courses in Complete Decongestive Therapy (135 hours), Lymphedema Management Seminars (31 hours). Coursework includes anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the lymphatic system, basic and ad-vanced techniques of MLD, and bandaging for primary/secondary UE and LE lymphedema (incl. pediatric care) and other conditions. Insurance and billing issues, certification for compression-garment fitting included. Certification course meets LANA re-quirements. Also in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, July 14–24. AOTA Approved Provider. For more informa-tion and additional class dates/locations or to order a free brochure, please call 800-863-5935 or log on to www.acols.com.

Kansas City, MO Jul. 27–28Introduction to Driver Rehabilitation. Course designed for individuals new to the field of driver rehabilitation. Topics include program develop-ment, driver training, adaptive driving equipment, and program documentation. Course will also em-phasize collaboration with mobility dealers and con-sumers and families. Contact ADED 866-672-9466 or visit our Web site at www.aded.net.

Kansas City, MO Jul. 27–28Application of Vehicle Modifications. Course designed for those desiring knowledge of adaptive driving equipment as well as the process for pre-scribing and delivering such equipment to individu-als with disabilities. Contact ADED 866-672-9466 or visit our Web site at www.aded.net.

Kansas City, MO Jul. 29–31ADED Annual Conference and Exhibits. Profes-sionals specializing in the field of driver rehabilita-tion meet annually for continuing education through workshops, seminars, and hands-on learning. Earn contact hours for CDRS renewal and advance your career in the field of driver rehabilitation. Contact ADED 866-672-9466 or visit our Web site at www.aded.net.

September

St. Louis, MO Sept. 12–15Envision Conference 2012. Learn from leaders in the field of low vision rehabilitation and research while earning valuable continuing education credits. Attend the multi-disciplinary low vision rehabilitation and research conference dedicated to improving the quality of low vision care through excellence in professional collaboration, advocacy, research, and education. Envision Conference, September 12–15, 2012, Hilton St. Louis at the ballpark. Learn more at www.envisionconference.org.

Syracuse, NY Sept. 29–30Eval & Intervention for Visual Processing Impair-ment in Adult Acquired Brain Injury Part I. This intensive updated course has the latest evidence based research. Participants learn to identify visual processing deficits, interpret evaluations, develop

interventions and document. Topics include: visual inattention and neglect, eye movement disorders, hemianopsia and reduced acuity. Faculty: Mary War-ren PhD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA. Also New Orleans, LA, March 9 to 10, 2013. Contact: www.visabilities.com or (888) 752-4364, Fax (205) 823-6657.

October

San Diego, CA Oct. 12–14Eval & Intervention for Visual Processing Deficits in Adult Acquired Brain Injury Part II. Continua-tion of Part I course, this intense practicum provides hands-on experience in administering, interpreting, and using evaluation results to develop intervention for visual processing deficits including eye move-ment disorders, hemianopsia, reduced visual acu-ity, and visual neglect. Offered only once a year. Faculty: Mary Warren PhD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA. Also Boston, MA, November 8–10, 2013. Contact visAbILITIES Rehab Services: www.visabilities.com or (888) 752-4364, Fax: (205) 823-6657

Ongoing

Internet & 2-Day On-Site Training Become an Accessibility and Home Modifica-tions Consultant. Instructor: Shoshana Shamberg, OTR/L, MS, FAOTA. Over 22 years specializing in design/build services, technologies, injury preven-tion, and ADA/504 consulting for homes/jobsites. Start a private practice or add to existing services. Extensive manual. AOTA APP+NbCOT CE Registry. Contact: Abilities OT Services, Inc. 410-358-7269 or [email protected]. Group, COMBO, personal men-toring, and 2 for 1 discounts. Calendar/info at www.AOTSS.com. Seminar sponsorships avail-able nationally.

Clinician’s View Offers Unlimited CEUs Two great options: $177 for 7 months or $199 for 1-Full Year of unlimited access to over 640 contact hours and over 90 courses. Take as many courses as you want. Approved for AOTA and bOC CEUs and NbCOT for PDUs. www.clinicians-view.com 575-526-0012.

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical Course Occupational Therapy and Home Modification: Promoting Safety and Supporting Participation. Edited by Margaret Christenson, MPH, OTR/L, FAOTA, and Carla Chase, EdD, OTR/L, CAPS. This new SPCC consists of text, exam, and a CD-ROM of hundreds of photographic and video resources that provide education on home modification for occupational therapy professionals. Practitioners who work with either adults or children will find an overview of evaluation and intervention, detailed descriptions of assessment tools, and guidelines for client-centered practice and occupation-based outcomes. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 NbCOT PDUs/ 20 contact hours). Order #3029, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/ ?SKU=3029

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical Course Mental Health Promotion, Prevention, and In-tervention With Children and Youth: A Guiding Framework for Occupational Therapy. Edited by Susan bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. This important new SPCC provides a framework on the role of oc-cupational therapy in mental health interventions for children that can be applied in all pediatric practice settings. The public health approach to occupation-al therapy services at all levels puts an emphasis on helping children develop and maintain positive mental health psychologically, socially, functionally, and in the face of adversity. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 NbCOT PDUs/20 contact hours). Order #3030, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3030

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseEarly Childhood: Occupational Therapy Services for Children Birth to Five. Edited by barbara E. Chandler, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. This course is an enlightening journey through occupational therapy with children at the earliest stage of their lives. Ex-plores the driving force of federal legislation in oc-cupational therapy practice and how practitioners can articulate and demonstrate the profession’s long-standing expertise in transitioning early child-hood development into occupational engagement in natural environments. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 Nb-COT PDUs/20 contact hours). Order #3026, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3026

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseOccupational Therapy in Mental Health: Consid-erations for Advanced Practice. Edited by Marian Kavanaugh Scheinholtz, MS, OT/L. A comprehen-sive discussion of recent advances and trends in mental health practice, including theories, stan-dards of practice, and evidence as they apply to occupational therapy. Includes content from several federal and non-government entities. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 NbCOT PDUs/20 contact hours). Order #3027, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3027

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseDysphagia Care and Related Feeding Concerns for Adults, 2nd Edition. Edited by Wendy Avery, MS, OTR/L. Provides occupational therapists at both the entry and intermediate skill levels with an up-to-date resource in dysphagia care, written from an occupational therapy perspective. Earn 1.5 AOTA CEUs (15 NbCOT PDUs/15 contact hours). Order #3028. AOTA Members: $285, Nonmembers: $385. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3028

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseCollaborating for Student Success: A Guide for School-Based Occupational Therapy. Edited by barbara Hanft, MA, OTR, FAOTA, and jayne Shep-herd, MS, OTR, FAOTA. Engages school-based oc-cupational therapists in collaborative practice with education teams. Identifies the process of initiating and sustaining changes in practice and influencing families/education personnel to engage in collabo-ration with occupational therapists. Perfect for learn-ing to use professional knowledge and interperson-al skills to blend hands-on services for students with

Continuing Education

Sensory Integration Certification Program by USC/WPS Philadelphia, PA: Course 2: July 12 – 16Santa Rosa, CA: Course 1: July 12 – 16

Los Angeles, CA: Course 4: Aug. 24, 25, 26 & Sept. 8, 9For additional sites and dates, or to register, visit

www.wpspublish.com or call 800-648-8857

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Take advantage of this month’s most popular online courses:All courses approved for AOTA CEUs and NBCOTprofessional development units.

Listening Approaches (REC #1239) Presented by Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L

Implementing Sensory Strategies in the Home (REC #1185) Presented by Britt Collins, M.S., OTR/L

Current Sensory Based Interventions for Autism: The Evidence (REC #1204 and POD #1219) Presented by Alison Lane, Ph.D., OTR/L and Chelsea Hetrick

Autism and My Sensory Based World (REC #1014 and POD #1015) Presented by Temple Grandin, Ph.D.

Subscribe to OccupationalTherapy.comtoday and get one additional month FREE!Use Promo Code OTC604. O� er expires June 29, 2012.

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c A l e N d A rteam and system supports for families, educators, and the school system at large. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 NbCOT PDUs/20 contact hours). Order #3023, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3023

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseStrategies to Advance Gerontology Excellence: Promoting Best Practice in Occupational Ther-apy. Edited by Susan Coppola, MS, OTR/L, bCG, FAOTA; Sharon j. Elliott, MS, OTR/L, bCG, FAOTA; and Pamela E. Toto, MS, OTR/L, bCG, FAOTA. Fore-word by: Wendy Wood, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. Excel-lent resource for gerontology practitioners today to help sharpen skills and prepare for the spiraling de-mand among older adults for occupational therapy services. Special features include core best prac-tice methodology with older adults, approaches to and prevention of occupational problems, health conditions that affect participation, and practice in cross-cutting and emerging areas. Earn 3 AOTA CEUs (30 NbCOT PDUs/30 contact hours). Order #3024, AOTA Members: $490, Nonmembers: $590. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3024

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseLow Vision: Occupational Therapy Evaluation and Intervention With Older Adults, Revised Edition. 2008. Edited by Mary Warren, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA. Occupational therapy practice in low vision rehabilitation services has changed significantly since the first edition of Low Vision. The Revised Edition helps practitioners maintain professional competency by supporting the AOTA Specialty Cer-tification in Low Vision Rehabilitation (SCLV) creden-tialing process. Special features include first-edition updates and revisions, new information on evalu-ation, lessons related to psychosocial issues and low vision, eye conditions that cause low vision in adults, and basic optics and optical devices. Earn 2 AOTA CEUs (20 NbCOT PDUs/20 contact hours). Order #3025, AOTA Members: $370, Nonmembers: $470. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3025

AOTA Self-Paced Clinical CourseNeurorehabilitation Self-Paced Clinical Course Series. Series Senior Editor: Gordon Muir Giles, PhD, DipCOT, OTR/L, FAOTA. This Series includes 4 components—the Core SPCC and 3 Diagnosis-Specific SPCCs. The Core SPCC is highly recom-mended as a prerequisite for the Diagnosis-Specific courses. Each of the Diagnosis-Specific SPCCs is based on a case study model supported by key concepts presented in the Core. Core SPCC: Core Concepts in Neurorehabilitation: Earn .7 AOTA CEU (7 NbCOT PDUs/ 7 contact hours). Order #3019, AOTA Members: $130, Nonmem-bers: $184. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3019 Diagnosis-Specific SPCCs: Neurorehabilitation for Dementia-Related Diseases (Order #3022 http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3022), Neurorehabilita-tion for Stroke (Order #3021 http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3021), and Neurorehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury (Order #3020 http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=3020). Each: 1 AOTA CEU (10 NbCOT PDUs/10 contact hours), AOTA Members: $185, Nonmembers: $263. Call or shop online to purchase the Core and/or 1 or more Diagnosis-Spe-cific SPCCs together for significant savings!

AOTA CEonCD™NEW! Ethics Topic—Duty to Warn: An Ethical Responsibility for All Practitioners. Presented by Deborah Yarett Slater, MS, OT/L, FAOTA, Staff Liai-son to the Ethics Commission. Ethics Topic—Duty to Warn helps you understand your professional, ethi-cal, and legal responsibilities in the identification of safety issues in ADLs and IADLs as they evaluate and provide intervention to clients. The importance of using data from both objective and subjective sources is emphasized as well to determine risk of harm in performing daily activities. Course material includes not only lecture format but also interac-

tive case studies and resources to enhance learn-ing on this topic. Earn .1 AOTA CEU (1.25 NbCOT PDUs/1 contact hour). Order #4882, AOTA Mem-bers: $45, Nonmembers: $65. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4882

AOTA CEonCD™ NEW! Using the Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) To Enhance Your Practice. Presented by Patricia Schaber, PhD, OTR/L. Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) provides an evidence-based perspective in defining the process and nature, fre-quency, and duration of the interventions that occur within the boundaries of this serious illness. This new CEonCD™ course takes a further step on the topic with Practice Guidelines principles presented in a multimedia format highlighting concepts for occu-pational therapy practice and case studies of adults at different stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2.50 NbCOT PDUs/2 contact hours). Order #4883, Member Price: $68, Nonmember Price: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4883

AOTA CEonCD™NEW! Autism Topics Part II: Occupational Thera-py Service Provision in an Educational Context. Edited by Renee Watling, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. The second in an important 3-part CE series that offers supplemental content from chapters in the AOTA Press 2010 book Autism: A Comprehensive Occu-pational Therapy Approach, 3rd Edition. Specifical-ly addressing the unique aspects of occupational therapy practice within the public school systems, the course will enhance your ability to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders, and their families, from early intervention through elementary years and the transition process. Rec-ommended Reading: Autism: A Comprehensive

Occupational Therapy Approach, 3rd Edition. Earn .6 CEU (7.5 NbCOT PDUs/6 contact hours). Order #4881, AOTA Members: $210, Nonmembers: $299. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4881

AOTA CEonCD™Autism Topics Part I: Relationship Building, Evaluation Strategies, and Sensory Integration and Praxis. Edited by Renee Watling, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. The first in a 3-part series on content from Autism, 3rd Edition to expand occupational thera-py practice with children on the autism spectrum through building the intentional relationship, using occupational therapy evaluation strategies, ad-dressing sensory integration challenges, and plan-ning intervention for praxis. Highlights include video clips and strategies that will enhance the provision of evaluation and intervention services. Recom-mended Reading: Autism: A Comprehensive Oc-cupational Therapy Approach, 3rd Edition. Earn .6 CEU (6 NbCOT PDUs/6 contact hours). Order #4848, AOTA Members: $210, Nonmembers: $299. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4848

AOTA CEonCD™NEW! OT Manager Topics. Authors: Denise Ch-isholm, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Penelope Moyers Cleveland, EdD, OTR/L, bCMH, FAOTA; Steven Ey-ler MS, OTR/L; jim Hinojosa, PhD, OT, bCP, FAOTA; Kristie Kapusta, MS, OT/L; Shawn Phipps, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Pat Precin, MS, OTR/L, LP. This CE course presents supplementary content from chap-ters in The Occupational Therapy Manager, 5th Edition, and provides additional applications that are relevant to selected issues on management. The course focuses on six specific topics related to occupation-based practice, evidence-based management, evaluating OT services, continuing competency, conflict resolution, and employee mo-tivation. Participants should read the selected text chapters prior to studying the CE topics. Earn .7

Continuing Education

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c A l e N d A rCEU (8.75 NbCOT PDUs/7 contact hours). Order #4880, AOTA Members: $194, Nonmembers: $277. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4880

AOTA CEonCD™Let’s Think Big About Wellness. by Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA. The focus of occupational thera-py on living a satisfying life embraces a global view about wellness. In this course, we will explore the official documents and materials that support our concept of wellness, review examples of interdisci-plinary literature on wellness, and explore strengths models from other disciplines as a way to inform our bigger thinking. Earn .25 CEU (3.13 NbCOT PDUs/2.5 contact hours). Order #4879, AOTA Mem-bers: $68, Nonmembers: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4879

AOTA CEonCD™The Short Child Occupational Profile (SCOPE). Presented by Patricia bowyer, EdD, MS, OTR, FAO-TA; Hany Ngo, MOT, OTR; and jessica Kramer, PhD, OTR. Introducing The Short Child Occupational Pro-file (SCOPE) assessment tool, this course provides a systematic way to document a child’s motivation for occupations, habits and roles, skills, and envi-ronmental supports and barriers. The SCOPE can be used with children and youth ages birth to 21 in a range of practice contexts. Earn .6 AOTA CEU (7.5 NbCOT PDUs/6 contact hours). Order #4847, AOTA Members: $210, Nonmembers: $299. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4847

AOTA CEonCD™An Occupation-Based Approach in Postacute Care to Support Productive Aging. A collabora-tive project between the American Occupational Therapy Association and AOTA Platinum Partner Genesis Rehabilitation Services. Authored by De-nise Chisholm, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Cathy Dolhi, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, and jodi L. Schreiber, MS, OTR/L. Course reviews occupation-based practice with a focus on postacute care practice settings for older adults. Practical strategies to promote the practitioner’s ability to integrate occupation throughout the occupational therapy process are presented in an interactive format to maximize clini-cal application, and real-life scenarios illustrate the occupation-based approach for facilitating produc-tive aging. Earn .6 AOTA CEU (7.5 NbCOT PDUs/6 contact hours). Order #4875, AOTA Members: $210, Nonmembers: $299. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4875

AOTA CEonCD™Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Life Af-ter IDEA. Authored by Lisa Crabtree, PhD, OTR/L and janet DeLany, DEd, OTR/L, FAOTA. Explores the critical issues of autism in adulthood and pro-vides occupational therapy practitioners with the knowledge and tools to advocate for the health and community participation of young adults and adults on the autism spectrum. The course uses multiple sources and perspectives that provide information, strategies, and resources. Earn .3 AOTA CEU (3 NbCOT PDUs/3 contact hours). Order #4878, AOTA Members: $105, Nonmembers: $150. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4878

AOTA CEonCD™Response to Intervention (RtI) for At Risk Learn-ers: Advocating for Occupational Therapy’s Role in General Education. by Gloria Frolek Clark, PhD., OTR/L, bCP, FAOTA and jean Polichino, OTR MS, FAOTA. Provides core components of RtI, the role of occupational therapists at each tier, and case studies. RtI is being implemented nationally to ensure high quality instruction and data-based decision making within the general educational system, and content highlights opportunities for occupational therapy within RtI frameworks in public education. Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2.5 NbCOT PDUs/2 contact hours). Order #4876, AOTA Mem-

bers: $68, Nonmembers: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4876

AOTA CEonCD™Strategic Evidence-Based Interviewing in Occu-pational Therapy. Presented by Renee R. Taylor, PhD. begins with an introduction to the three basic types of interviews most commonly applied in oc-cupational therapy practice: structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, and general clinical in-terviewing. Through evidence-based examples of frequently used interview-based assessments within the occupational therapy literature, this course will describe a set of norms and communication strate-gies that are likely to maximize success in gathering accurate, relevant, and detailed information. Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2 NbCOT PDUs/2 contact hours). Order #4844, AOTA Members: $68, Nonmembers: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4844

AOTA CEonCD™Everyday Ethics: Core Knowledge for Occupa-tional Therapy Practitioners and Educators, 2nd Edition. Developed by AOTA Ethics Commis-sion and Presented by Deborah Yarett Slater, MS, OT/L, FAOTA. Provides a foundation in basic ethics information that gives context and assistance with application to daily practice. Learning objectives include what is meant by ethics, key ethical theories and principles, and the rationale for changes in the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards 2010. The course reinforces the value of self reflection on practice for enhanced competency and increased ethical behavior. Earn .3 AOTA CEU (3 NbCOT PDUs/3 contact hours). Order #4846, AOTA Members: $105, Nonmembers: $150. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4846

AOTA CEonCD™Skilled Nursing Facilities 101. Christine Kroll, MS, OTR and Nancy Richman, OTR/L, FAOTA This new course is designed to help practitioners better manage practice within skilled nursing facility set-tings. It addresses the importance of documenta-tion, requirements for different payers, significance of managing productivity, understanding billing considerations, and maintaining ethical practice standards. Earn .3 AOTA CEU (3 MbCOT PDUs/3 contact hours). Order #4843, AOTA Members: $108, Nonmembers: $154. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4843

ADED Approved AOTA CEonCD™Determining Capacity to Drive for Drivers with Dementia Using Research, Ethics, and Profes-sional Reasoning: The Responsibility of All Occupational Therapists. Linda A. Hunt, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. Emphasizes the role of occupational therapy in the evidence-based evaluation process and focuses on the required professional reason-ing and ethics for making final recommendations about the capacity for older adults with dementia to drive or not. Provides the Multifactor Older Driver with Dementia Evaluation model (MODEM) to both general practice and driving specialist occupational therapy practitioners who work with older driver cli-ents with dementia. Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2 NbCOT PDUs/2 contact hours). Order #4842, AOTA Mem-bers: $68, Nonmembers: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4842

ADED Approved AOTA CEonCD™Creating Successful Transitions to Community Mobility Independence for Adolescents: Address-ing the Needs of Students With Cognitive, Social and Behavioral Limitations. Miriam Monahan, MS OTR, CDRS, CDI, and Kimberly Patten, OTL, AMPS certified. Addresses the critical issue of community mobility skill development for youth with diagno-ses that challenge cognitive and social skills, such as autism spectrum and attention deficit disorder. Community mobility is vast in that it includes mass transportation, pedestrian travel, and driving, and is

essential for engaging in vocational, social, and ed-ucational opportunities. The course is appropriate for occupational therapy practitioners practicing in educational settings and in driver rehabilitation. Earn .7 AOTA CEU (7 NbCOT PDUs/7 contact hours). Or-der #4833, AOTA Members: $175, Nonmembers: $250. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4833

ADED Approved AOTA CEonCD™Driving Assessment and Training Techniques: Ad-dressing the Needs of Students With Cognitive and Social Limitations Behind the Wheel. Miriam Monahan, MS, OTR, CDRS, CDI. Occupational ther-apy practitioners in the driver rehabilitation area are challenged by students with Asperger’s syndrome, nonverbal learning disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, attention deficit disorders, and lower IQ scores. This new course is highly visual and creative in addressing critical issues related to driving as-sessment and training. Course highlights include skills deficits related to these diagnoses, methods and tools that address driving skills (including video review), assessment techniques to determine the readiness to drive, and intervention techniques for developing specific social and executive function skills necessary for driving tasks. Earn 1 AOTA CEU (10 NbCOT PDUs/10 contact hours). Order #4837, AOTA Members: $249, Nonmembers: $355. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4837

AOTA CEonCD™Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MO-HOST): Theory, Content, and Purpose. Gary Kielhof-ner, DrPH, OTR/L, FAOTA; Lisa Castle, MbA, OTR/L; Supriya Sen, OTR/L; and Sarah Skinner, MEd, OTR/L. Occupation-focused practice and top-down as-sessment make occupational therapy unique when assessing and documenting client services. Unfor-tunately, therapists often turn to quicker impairment-oriented or performance-based assessments. The MOHOST occupation-focused assessment tool is comprehensive and easy-to-administer with a wide range of clients at different functional levels. This new course teaches you how to use a variety of informa-tion from observation, interview, chart review, and proxy reports to complete the MOHOST tool. Earn .4 AOTA CEU (4 NbCOT PDUs/4 contact hours). Order # 4838, AOTA Members: $125, Nonmembers: $180. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4838

AOTA CEonCD™Exploring the Domain and Process of Occupational Therapy Using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, 2nd Edition. Presented by Susanne Smith Roley, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA; janet V. DeLany, DEd, OTR/L, FAOTA. Explore ways in which the doc-ument supports occupational therapy practitioners by providing a holistic view of the profession. Earn .3 AOTA CEU (3 NbCOT PDUs/3 contact hours). Order #4829, AOTA Members: $73, Nonmembers: $103. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4829

AOTA CEonCD™Sensory Processing Concepts and Applications in Practice. Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA. Ex-amines the core concepts of sensory processing based on Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing. The course explores the similarities and differ-ences between this approach and other sensory based approaches, examines how to implement the occupational therapy process, and reviews evidence to determine how to create best practice assessment and intervention methods. Case stud-ies and applications within school-based practice, and knowledge and practice issues on the horizon are also discussed. Earn .2 AOTA CEU (2 NbCOT PDUs/2 contact hours). Order #4834, AOTA Mem-bers: $68, Nonmembers: $97. http://store.aota.org/view/?SKU=4834

AOTA CEonCD™Ethics Topics—Organizational Ethics: Occu-pational Therapy Practice In a Complex Health


Faculty opportunities in education

Northeast Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

South Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Midwest Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

West Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

National Multiple locations within the U.S.

International All countries outside the United States

AD REGION COLOR KEY

e M P l O Y M e N T O P P O r T u N i T i e sFaculty

Assistant Professor of Occupational TherapyThe Depmtment of Occupational Therapy in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of North Dakota, is seeking applications for a full-time, 12-month faculty member beginning August 1, 2012. Rank and salary will be determined based on qualifications and ex-perience.Candidates will have the opportunity to be an integral part of an occupational therapy program that grants an entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy degree. The program is based in Grand Forks, ND, with a satellite professional level MOT program available at Casper College, Casper, WY. The faculty position is located in Grand Forks.Position Qualifications and ResponsibilitiesRequired: Occupational therapist with eamed master’s degree, minimum of 3 years of clinical experience, evidence of teaching experience, strong leadership background, and familiarity with a variety of educational approaches (e.g., traditional, online education, distance education). Can-didates must hold current certification by NBCOT and be eligible for licensure in North Dakota and Wyoming. Each full-time faculty member is responsible for supporting the teaching, scholar-ship, and service missions of the department as designated in collaboration with the department chair. The faculty member is responsible for providing effective learning experiences for students with diverse interests, abilities, and expectations. Faculty members are expected to engage in creative/scholarly activities and be involved in activities that support individuals and or groups in the institution, University System, professional associations, or external communities at the local, state, regional, national, or international levels. The position also includes student advise-ment and advisement for graduate students completing the scholarly project and/or independent study process.The individual will be responsible for teaching in his or her area(s) of expertise in relation to be-ing able to teach a variety of courses within the physical disabilities and pediatric practice areas and healthcare management, which requires broad clinical experiences. The individual must have strong writing and interpersonal communication skills.Preferred: Earned doctorate (or progress toward this degree) experience in higher education and proficiency in using multiple modes of teaching/leaming technologies including video-conferenc-ing and online instruction.Application Process: Apply only online via: https://secure.med.und.edu/search/occupational-therapy/Application review will begin May 1st, 2012 and remain open until the position is filled. Inter-ested candidates should submit: 1) a letter of application that includes a copy of current and in-formation on past state licensure; 2) curriculum vita; 3) a teaching statement and; 4) the complete names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references. A Criminal History Record Check will also be completed per SBOHE (State Board of Higher Education) Procedures 602.3Questions concerning this position may be directed to: Dr. LaVonne Fox, Search Committee Chair, University of North Dakota; UND OT Department; Hyslop 210; 2751 2nd Ave. No. STOP 7126; Grand Forks, ND 58202-7126; Phone: 701-777-2216; Email: [email protected], over 13,000 students attend classes on the UND campus each year. UND is one of only 47 public universities in the United States that has both accredited schools of law and medicine. UND offers 89 under-graduate majors, 63 undergraduate minors, 57 master’s programs, 23 doctoral programs, two professional programs (medicine and law), and a specialist diploma program in educational leadership. UND is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. F-6017

Faculty

Health Sciences and Family Studies Division

Full-time Tenure Track Occupational Therapy Assistant

Program CoordinatorQualifications: Five years clinical experience; one year experience in full-time academic setting.

Green River offers excellent benefits.

For a complete listing of qualifications and to submit an application, please visit our website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/greenriveredu/default.cfm.

Green River is an EEO/AA EmployerF-6039

Faculty

THE UNIVERSITY OFSOUTH DAKOTA

Assistant/Associate Professor – 12 months

Department of Occupational Therapy

The University of South Dakota,nationally ranked for research andacademics, continues to take the lead inHealth Sciences through innovation andstate of the art technology. TheUniversity is currently seeking a full-time faculty member for theDepartment of Occupational Therapy inthe School of Health Sciences. TheOccupational Therapy Departmentresides in the newly constructed LeeMedical Building with state of the artclassroom and laboratory space andtechnology including a drivingsimulator and an Activities of DailyLiving Suite equipped with remotepatient monitoring systems. Beginningfall 2012, the program will have accessto the new Parry Simulation Center forhealth and medical sciences. Asmembers of the School of HealthSciences, Occupational Therapy facultyand students engage in interdisciplinarystudy and scholarly activity withcolleagues from several relateddisciplines. The University of SouthDakota is located in Vermillion, SD, adynamic academic community in a ruralsetting well within a one-hour drive oftwo metropolitan communities.

Minimum Qualifications: Applicantsmust have a doctoral degree (ordemonstrate significant progressiontoward completion), a minimum of 5years of clinical experience, andeligibility for an OccupationalTherapist license in South Dakota.Preferred Qualifications: Record ofscholarly productivity or potential todevelop an active research program,teaching experience, and professionalservice will enhance the candidate'sapplication. Experience in adultrehabilitation is preferred but otherbackgrounds will be considered.

Responsibilities will include teachingin a learner-centered curriculum,engaging in scholarly activity andgrantwriting, mentoring graduatestudent research, and university andprofessional service.

Salary/Compensation: Appointment atthe rank of Assistant/AssociateProfessor is dependent on qualificationsand experience. Salary is commensuratewith rank and experience.

Apply at: http://yourfuture.sdbor.eduReview of applications will begin June 30,2012.

EEO/AA

OT PracticeIssue: 6/4Due: 5/22Size: 2.25 x 9.187Cost: $1421.00

F-6051

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U-5986

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Faculty

School of Health ProfessionsDepartment of Occupational Therapy1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, New York 11201-8423

The Department of Occupational Therapy at Long Island University–Brooklyn Campus is seeking to fill two full-time, nontenure-track faculty positions (NTTA). We are seeking educators with experience in teaching (in class or online) and student advise-ment. We are looking for one educator with expertise in mental health/health and wellness promotion and one educator with expertise in physical disabilities.

Qualifications: Qualified applicants will have an earned doctoral degree or would be at the final stage of completion of their doctoral degree. Clinical ex-perience of 5 years or more and eligibility for state of New York licensure required.

One of the positions is currently available and the other position has a starting date of September 1, 2012.

Our department offers high quality education to students from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, using innovative teaching pedagogies that inte-grate theory, evidence-based practice, and ongo-ing clinical experience through community service and fieldwork education. Our faculty is committed to teaching, scholarship, and service to the univer-sity and the community. As an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, LIU seeks a diverse pool of applicants.

For consideration please forward your letter of interest, Curriculum Vitae, and three letters of references to:Supawadee-Cindy Lee, Ph.D., OTR/L, Chair, Faculty Search CommitteeDepartment of Occupational TherapyLong Island University–Brooklyn Campus718-780-4332E-mail: [email protected]

F-5999

Faculty

School of Health ProfessionsDepartment of Occupational Therapy1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, New York 11201-8423

The Department of Occupational Therapy at Long Island University–Brooklyn Campus is seeking to fill a full-time, tenure-track faculty position. We are seeking a seasoned educator with experience in teaching (in class or online), a well-established re-search agenda, and experience in student advise-ment. Candidates with a research focus in health and wellness promotion will be preferred.

Qualifications: Qualified applicants will have an earned research doctoral degree and 5 years or more of clinical experience. Eligaibility for state of New York licensure required.

The position has a starting date of September 1, 2012.

Our department offers high-quality education to students from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, using innovative teaching pedagogies that inte-grate theory, evidence based practice, and ongo-ing clinical experience through community service and fieldwork education. Our faculty is committed to teaching, scholarship, and service to the univer-sity and the community. As an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, LIU seeks a diverse pool of applicants.

For consideration please forward your letter of interest, Curriculum Vitae, and three letters of references to:Supawadee-Cindy Lee, PhD, OTR/L, Chair, Faculty Search CommitteeDepartment of Occupational TherapyLong Island University–Brooklyn Campus718-780-4332E-mail: [email protected]

F-6000

West

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTSAnchorage School District Anchorage, Alaska

Join a dynamic team of 30 OT’s!Competitive salary • Great benefits

$3,000 signing bonus for 2012-2013 school year

$2,000 salary supplement for SI or NDT

Contact Kate Konopasek at907-742-6121

([email protected])or apply online at www.asdk12.org

W-5824

Faculty

ACADEMICFIELDWORK

COORDINATOR Applications are being accepted for a full-time 12-month Assistant Professor /Academic Field-work Coordinator in Occupational Therapy Program at Salus University. This position in-volves leading curriculum development regard-ing fieldwork education, teaching graduate level courses, scholarship, and service. The person will develop clinical sites, mentor students, and integrate clinical education into the program. The mission of Salus University is to protect and enhance health and well-being through educa-tion, research, patient care and community ser-vices worldwide. Our vision is to be recognized nationally and internationally for excellence and innovation, and we are seeking an Academic Fieldwork Coordinator who will help us to at-tain these goals through a targeted plan of mu-tual growth and development.We are also seeking Occupational Therapy con-sultants and Adjunct Faulty to assist in the de-velopment of syllabi. Qualifications:Earned doctorate and eligibility for licensure as an occupational therapist in Pennsylvania required. Ability to travel to clinical rotation sites required. Particular expertise in children and youth desirable. Record of scholarly activity and experience in teaching preferred. Salary and faculty rank are commensurate with qualifica-tions and experience.

EOE

Please apply online at:https://home.eease.adp.com/

recruit/?id=1281731or submit resume and cover letter

to Fax: 215-780-1265 For program information, contact

Marian Gillard, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA at [email protected]

Want an Adventure in Alaska?Immediate vacancies for Occupational Therapists in the

Fairbanks, Alaska School District• Up to $5000 relocation costs • Competitive salary &

benefits • 190 day contract (summers off!) • Safe schools • No state/sales tax • Permanent fund dividend

• Doctoral level state university • Unparalleled outdoor recreational activities

• Urban setting • International airportFairbanks North Star Borough School District

520 5th Avenue • Fairbanks, AK 99701 Ph: (907) 452-2000, ext. 380

Fax: (907) 451-6008 E-mail: [email protected]

www.k12northstar.org

West

W-5

867

West

ARIZONA OTs—$65,000 Phoenix, Tucson, & Burbs

602-478-5850/480-221-2573 Schools,16 wks off, 100% Paid: Health, Dental, Lic, Dues, CEU-$1,000,401K, Hawaii/Spanish I

trips… [email protected]*STARS* StudentTherapy.com

W-6037

Become a Member

AOTA’s Online CommunityCONNECTIONS

www.otconnections.org

Select Specialty and Regency Hospitals are part of a national knowledge network of 111 long-term acute care hospitals.

Select Specialty and Regency Hospitals are acute care hospitals designed for patients who need a longer hospitalization for their recovery.

We put patient care above all else. The result has been a culture that invests in its

employees, and is deeply dedicated to their continuous improvement and learning.

We are looking for people who embrace our mission and core values: those who work with a passion for excellence.

• Opportunities for full-time occupational therapists

• New graduates considered

• Current OT Texas licensure required

• 8-hour shifts Monday through Friday

• Autonomy to develop individualized patient plan of care

• Intimate environment for critical care means more time with patients and families

• Benefits include 401k with company match

Join uS today. youR futuRe awaitS.

to learn where positions are available, CONTACT tricia Cogdell AT 877.582.2003 OR [email protected]

O T O p e n i n g S a T f i v e l O c a T i O n S

D a l l a s F o r t W o r t h

l o n g v i e W o D e s s a

S-6050


May 9 was the National Center for Safe Routes to School’s Bike to School Day. But for many occupational therapy practitioners’ clients, biking to school is not a realistic option for any number of reasons, including the distance between home and school, an intellectual or developmental

disability, the weather, and more. Susan Shutrump, OTR/L, supervisor of occupational therapy and physical therapy services at Trumbull County Educational Service Center in Ohio, believes more attention in general needs to be paid to the transportation needs of students with special needs, and she has focused much of her career on the subject. She recently spoke about safe transportation with OT Practice associate editor Andrew Waite.

Waite: Why do you think this practice area is so important?

Shutrump: Let me start with an example. I have a child on the spectrum who moved from elementary to middle school, and he has significant sensory

processing disorders, including visual problems, that cause him real difficulty. He never rode the bus in elementary school, but the middle school just sent him out to this sea of buses and expected him to find his way. He freaked.

Waite: How can occupational therapy help?Shutrump: OTs really need to evaluate carefully how safely children with the non-obvious dis-abilities can get to school. That’s the big issue. When a kid rolls up to the bus stop in a wheelchair, everybody says, “We need to do something.” Kids with sensory process-ing disorders and high level kids on the spectrum have just as many needs, and sometimes more needs, that can really quickly turn to an unsafe situation.

Waite: How might it be unsafe?Shutrump: We may need additional equipment or need another adult ride to the bus, but in any case we need to ensure that our kids get the additional support they need to get to school safely. For example, one of my students has significant light touch problems. He is not big enough that his feet touch the ground. So every time his bus goes over a bump, the back of his legs are getting a lot of light touch—brush, brush, brush— and he becomes emotionally distraught.

Now, if I put that same child over a wheel well, his feet are supported, and if I put him in a safety vest that is well fitted, he’s great—he loves the bus. So it’s taking what we know about these kids and what

works in the classroom and making sure it happens in the school bus environment as well.

Waite: How can occupational therapy prac-titioners begin thinking about incorporating transportation within interventions?Shutrump: In the IEP [individualized education program], there is a section that talks about whether or not the child qualifies for specialized transportation. What therapists need to do when they are looking at that section is go beyond the obvious and think about the child’s judgment, sensory processing issues and sensitivities, and cognitive level, and work with the team to analyze the route to school and make certain that all of the supports that are necessary are built in.

We have to think that if students need that level of support in a school environ-ment, they still need it when they board the bus. So we really need to make cer-tain that the environment is also looked

at. Occupational therapy practi-tioners are the best people to lead that fight because they know the sensory processing issues and they know what kinds of equipment and support are needed in the classroom and on the bus.

Waite: So more than the therapists just being able to lead the trans-portation team, they need to be the ones advocating for such an assess-ment in the first place?Shutrump: Absolutely. Occupa-tional therapy practitioners can teach children to do all kinds of

wonderful things and support them and get really good work skills and prevoca-tional skills, but the bottom line is, practi-tioners often don’t do any of those things at the child’s home. The ball is dropped if we don’t look at the transportation component, because if you can’t get someone somewhere, he or she misses out on important occupations. We’re a very mobile society. If you have a dis-ability there are a lot of risks throughout your day, but the place that is most risky is a vehicle. And, unfortunately, that’s not getting a lot of attention. We are put-ting on these drivers of kids with special needs lots of responsibility without the training, and that needs to change. n

QA&

uestions and Answers

OTs really need to evaluate carefully how safely children with the non-obvious disabilities can get to school.

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Underwritten by: Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company, Simsbury, CT 06089 The Hartford® is the Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries, including issuing company Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company.

Administered by: Marsh U.S. Consumer, a service of Seabury & Smith, Inc.Plans may vary and may not be available in all states. All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company detail exclusions, limitations, limitations, reduction of benefits and terms under which the policies may be continued in force or discontinued. 55513, 55820, 55821, 55822 (6/12) ©Seabury & Smith, Inc. 2012 GBD-1000A (AGP-5841)d/b/a in CA Seabury & Smith Insurance Program ManagementAR Ins. Lic. #245544 CA Ins. Lic. #0633005

As a healthcare professional, you probably know the importance of having a solid, dependable health insurance plan for yourself and your family should one of you become ill.

But what if you become seriously ill or disabled, causing you to be out of work for a lengthy amount of time? The risks are real. It could happen to you.

What’s more, what if you were Totally Disabled and didn’t have your full paycheck? Think about it: would you and your family be able to live on less than what you normally earn today?

That’s why AOTA makes available the Disability Insurance Plan for its members. This important disability program can pay more and pay longer than many plans, and offers you the quality protection you’ll likely need.

Disability Insurance Plan highlights:n Monthly benefit options from $200 to $5,000.

n Benefits paid up to 60% of your Pre-Disability Earnings—tax free. Insurance coverage purchased out of your own pocket with after-tax dollars is not taxable under current tax regulations. You may wish to consult a personal tax advisor for further information.

n Coverage you can take with you, even if you change jobs

n Part-time work benefits available

. . . and more!You owe it to yourself and your family to make sure you’re helping to protect your income with a dependable disability program. With the AOTA-sponsored Disability Insurance Plan, you’ll be helping to protect yourself, your family and all that you’ve worked for.

Call 1-800-503-9230 for a free information kit or visit us at www.aotainsurance.com

Help protect all that you’ve worked for with the AOTA-sponsored Disability Insurance Plan.

Help protect all that you’ve worked for with the AOTA-sponsored Disability Insurance Plan.

P-6045

ot practice june 4 issue

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