Occ. Code 5901300

SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, GRADE 18

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

Senior Occupational Therapist is a professional position requiring specialized education, experience, and licensure. Under general supervision and as a part of an interdisciplinary treatment team, incumbents evaluate individuals and plan and conduct individual and group occupational therapy treatment programs to prevent further physical and mental impairment of individuals, restore or improve individuals’ physical and mental capacities, and assist individuals in the process of rehabilitation/recovery. Such treatment programs are rendered on prescription or referral of a physician. Senior Occupational Therapists are classified primarily in the Department of Health, the Office of Mental Health, and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST: appointment requires license and current registration to practice occupational therapy in New York State and one year of professional occupational therapy, demonstrating advanced competencies as an Occupational Therapist. Evaluates individuals, plans and conducts occupational therapy activities; generally responsible for a unit, program, or group of individuals; may supervise other occupational therapy and direct care staff.

Occupational Therapists perform many of the same activities as positions at the senior level; however, they do not have the experience and have not demonstrated the advanced competencies required for appointment at that level.

Head and Chief Occupational Therapists manage and/or oversee the occupational therapy program for a hospital, major treatment program, or facility and provide clinical supervision to a number of Senior Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, and other staff.

Occupational Therapy Assistants are paraprofessionals who assist Occupational Therapists in applying treatment activities and manual and creative arts to improve or restore capacities in the mental, physical, or emotional functioning of patients.

As prescribed or referred by a physician, evaluates individual's needs for therapy based on functional performance of tasks, life skills, and interpersonal skills.

• Reviews medical records and past treatment and confers with other service providers and treatment team members.
• A Senior Occupational Therapist works as a member of a treatment team. The purpose of a treatment team is to ensure an integrated multidisciplinary approach to patient care, including treatment planning and implementation. Members of a treatment team may be called upon to coordinate the care and care planning of any of the individuals served by the team. This may include completing treatment planning documents, review of individual’s medical record, and discussions with other members of the team.
• Interviews individuals, family, and caregivers to evaluate current functional level and to determine individual rehabilitation plan for treatment.
• Selects, administers and scores written and performance evaluations and assessments to determine present level of functioning in such areas as performing the activities of daily living, strength and dexterity, gross and fine motor skills, interpersonal relations, communications, memory, coordination, and perceptual and problem solving skills and interprets test results.

Develops treatment plans describing the treatment strategy, purpose, and anticipated outcomes.

• Determines need for adaptive equipment and other aids to improve functional skills and abilities and may design, adapt, and fabricate such aids.
• Selects individual and group treatment interventions that assist individuals to attain their therapeutic goals.
• Makes follow up treatment intervention recommendations to be implemented by the individual family, caregivers, and/or direct care staff.
• Selects discharge treatment activities to be implemented by family, caregivers, and direct care staff.
• Recommends rehabilitation needs in the individual's work, living, educational and social/leisure environment consistent with the individual’s strengths, needs and learning styles. 
• Prepares written occupational therapy plans for each individual in conjunction with treatment staff from other therapy programs.

Supervises and conducts occupational therapy activities.

• Plans individual and group treatment interventions, and determines equipment, supplies, space, and staff needed to implement them.
• Instructs individuals to use adaptive techniques and equipment.
• Administers and monitors specific treatment modalities, such as sensory integration, relaxation facilitation, and neurodevelopmental techniques.
• Instructs individuals in the development of the skills and techniques needed to participate in social and rehabilitation activities, performing activities of daily living, and learning work skills consistent with learning style.
• Motivates and assists individuals in participating in therapy treatment interventions.

Works with individuals, family, caregivers, and community agencies to plan and provide continuity of care.

• Plans for continuity of care upon discharge or movement to a less restrictive community-based setting.
• Instructs individuals, family, and other caregivers regarding rehabilitation techniques and approaches.
• Recommends physical modifications in the living, work and educational environments to facilitate social/leisure reintegration into the community.
• Monitors individual's adaptability and recommends changes to improve individual's adjustment.

Evaluates and documents the progress of individuals.

• Observes and records individual's progress to determine response to treatment interventions and treatment goals.
• Modifies individual treatment plans/goals to reflect improvements or changes and response to treatments prescribed.
• Completes reports and maintains records documenting treatment activities and treatment plans.

Member of the interdisciplinary treatment teams.

• Attends individual case reviews and team meetings to represent the occupational therapy components of the treatment plan.
• Coordinates and integrates occupational therapy activities with those of other disciplines.
• Modifies treatment plans and programs in conjunction with the overall treatment program.
• As member of a treatment team identifies and writes or assists other disciplines in identifying and writing goals for individuals and reviews goals in conjunction with other staff.

Instructs other occupational therapy staff and service providers in therapy techniques and objectives.

Supervises Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, students, and other staff.

As licensed professionals, Senior Occupational Therapists are expected to be fully competent in the performance of occupational therapy activities. They function with considerable independence in evaluating individuals, developing and implementing treatment programs and plans, conducting group and individual occupational therapy sessions, analyzing individual's response to treatment, and modifying treatment plans in accordance with individual's needs, as identified in the individual’s comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment team plan. They instruct individuals, staff, and caregivers about the application of treatment techniques and the use of special equipment and devices to assist individuals in their rehabilitation, therapy, and adaptation to the community and living and work environment.

Senior Occupational Therapists are supervised by higher level Occupational Therapists, Treatment Team Leaders, or other professional staff, who review and approve their work and provide guidance and assistance.

Senior Occupational Therapists have frequent oral and written communications with individuals and their families and caregivers, other occupational therapy staff, treatment team members, medical and direct care staff, and community organizations to elicit and clarify information, answer questions, evaluate individuals, explain treatments, coordinate rehabilitation and therapy programs, and provide advice and assistance. They are required to explain occupational therapy information so that it is easily understood by individuals and caregivers, who may have little or no understanding of occupational therapy. They must be able to encourage and motivate individuals to participate in and comply with occupational therapy programs.

They record information about individuals and their treatment, prepare and revise treatment plans, and record individual’s progress and response to treatment.

Senior Occupational Therapists physically demonstrate treatment activities, manual and creative arts, modifications of the activities of daily living, and the use of special equipment and devices to individuals, caregivers, and direct care staff. They assist individuals in using adaptive equipment.

In some instances, Senior Occupational Therapists may use specialized or adapted computers, picture boards, and other specialized devices to communicate with individuals and they may instruct other staff and caregivers to use these devices.

A Senior Occupational Therapist may supervise Occupational Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapists, students, and direct care staff by providing technical supervision and training, approving and monitoring treatment activities, and performing the full range of general supervisory activities. Supervision over other staff, however, is not required or necessary for the classification of a Senior Occupational Therapist position.

Non-competitive Promotion: One year of experience as an Occupational Therapist demonstrating required advanced competencies.

Open Competitive: License to practice as an Occupational Therapist and one year of experience.

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.

Revised: 4/02