Occupational Therapist - Birth to Three

Location: Greater Hartford, CT

Organization: Harc, Inc.

Work Schedule: M-F (flexible)

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Reports to: Senior Director of Birth - Three

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

The OT will conduct evaluations/assessments and use the information gathered to help determine a child’s eligibility for services, as well as develop and implement Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs).

As a member of the IFSP team, the OT will function as families’ Primary Service Provider (PSP) or Supporting Service Provider (SSP). As a family’s PSP, the OT will serve as their main point of contact and provide the majority of their services.

As a family’s SSP, the OT will support the family’s PSP to learn and carryover strategies to support the child’s development.

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

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

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

Key Responsibilities

1. Conduct evaluations and assessments

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

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

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

5. Oversee data collection

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

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

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

Additional Job Functions

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

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

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

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

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

Key Competencies

Leadership

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

Family-Centered Approach

• Demonstrate a commitment to supporting children and families; maximizing family capacity to support child learning
• Show empathy and patience, and maintain a non-judgmental attitude for diverse abilities and backgrounds

Advocacy and Collaboration

• Facilitate knowledge-sharing and access to local resources/services essential for children and family success
• Build partnerships and collaborate with community organizations and strategic partners
• Demonstrate strong advocacy skills to promote inclusion and opportunities for children and their families
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a transdisciplinary team; consider problems from different perspectives and appreciate different disciplines’ approaches and values

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in Occupational Therapy
• Master’s or doctoral degree preferred
• Licensure from Connecticut’s Department of Public Health, including participation in ongoing professional development activities to maintain licensure
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Proficiency in Microsoft and associated applications (Outlook, SharePoint, Excel, Word)
• Experience working with young children and their families preferred

Physical Requirements

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

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

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, plus 11 paid holidays
• Affordable medical, dental, and vision benefits (Harc, Inc. covers up to 94% of a single person’s health insurance premium)
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 9.5% employer contribution
• Employer-paid life insurance options
• Professional development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
• Staff recognition and appreciation programs
• Harc, Inc. employees qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

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