Occupational Therapy (OT) is a related service in the school system. A referral for OT testing can be made if the student is already receiving education*! services from a special educator and continues to experience severe difficulty in an area such as fine motor functioning, acquiring self-care tasks such as feeding or dressing, or if sensory issues severely impact the student's performance in the school environment. OT testing might also be performed in conjunction with educational and psychological testing.

The referral for an OT consultation, screening, or testing can be initiated by a special educator, teacher, or parent. The JEP team would meet and discuss the needs of the student and determine if those needs could be met within the existing program or if an OT needs to be involved. The OT referral would be sent to John Archer School preferably with a brief explanation of the area(s) of weakness.
According to the request, consultation, screening, or testing would be performed by the OT and reported at an DCP meeting within 90 days. If a student's ability and performance were commensurate, OT services would not be indicated. If the student was performing at a much lower level than his ability level, IEP goals that address the problem areas would be developed by the OT or the OT could co-sign an existing IEP if the goals have already been established.

Typically, at the middle school and high school level, suggestions for accommodations and modifications would be mare appropriate than pulling a student out of classes and working on isolated skill*. For handwriting issues or a grnpho-motor disorder, different pencil grips, a variety of paper, lined composition books modified assignments and access to a computer might be suggested.
Direct service would be indicated for students with severe problems including those who have recently suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, a spinal cord injury, a brain tumor or other similar conditions. Usually middle and high school students who have conditions such as Cerebral Palsy may require direct or consultative services depending on the level of physical and cognitive involvement. The OT thai services the school usually makes recommendations for modifications and accommodations for students with Muscular Dystrophy. Each student needs to be observed! on an individual basis.

School Assignments This are not the real schools
Pamela Barile	Suzanne Derenick	Kimberly Driver
John Archer Forest Lakes Forest Hill Bel Air ES Bel Air MS Bel Air HS Ring Factory	John Archer Fountain Green Homestead/ Wakefield Fallston William Paca/ Old Post Road	Emmorton Abingdon Edgewood ES Edgewood MS Edgewood HS Deerfield
Laura Harper	Lorrie Hendricks	Betty Jones
John Archer Forest Lakes Forest Hill Bel Air ES Bel Air MS Bel Air HS Ring Factory	Aberdeen MS Aberdeen HS Bakersfield ES Church Creek ES Churchville ES Darlington Halls Cross Roads	Emmorton Abingdon Edgewood ES Edgewood MS Edgewood HS Deerfield
Jamee Lloyd	Helene Hamilton	Rachel Serignese

Additional Information: HCPS Occupational Therapy Adapted Paper