Job Description: Occupational Therapist (OT)

Title:  Occupational Therapist (OT), Part Time
Reports to: Executive Director

The Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluates patient’s needs, creates a treatment plan based on each client’s evaluation, maintains physician prescriptions and client medical information, gives treatment to patients in a clinic setting and in an arena setting using the horse as a treatment tool with a PATH Instructor and volunteer Session Assistants, documents all treatment sessions, and maintains PATH Intl. Standards, Shining Hope Farms’ Facility Rules, and the American Hippotherapy Association’s Standards while keeping each client’s safety a priority.

Qualifications

  • Must be a licensed OT able to practice in the state of North Carolina.
  • 1-2 years of clinical experience
  • Strong communication skills – verbal and written.
  • Basic computer skills and the ability to communicate via email with attachments and encryptions.
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Ability to complete treatment documentation quickly and thoroughly
  • Ability to work as part of a team – including a PATH instructor and volunteer session assistants.
  • Ability to work independently.
  • Horse experience preferred.

Working Conditions

  • OT will work in a clinic setting, indoor arena, and outdoor arena setting.
  • Each treatment session includes 30-45 minutes of walking around, and there will be many treatment sessions back to back. The OT should be comfortable working outside and walking for long periods of time.

Responsibilities

(shall include, but are not limited to)

  • Adheres to the regulatory and practice standards of Pediatric Occupational Therapy.
  • Completing occupational therapy examination that includes: taking the patient/client history, conducting a systems review, and performing tests and measures to identify potential and existing problems.
  • Utilizes hippotherapy techniques and clinic interventions at least once a month including applying interventions to maximize safety and performance in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), teaching clients new ways of approaching tasks and educating them on how to break down activities into achievable components
  • Evaluate a patient’s progress, modifying a plan of care and trying new treatments as needed
  • Educates patient/family regarding therapeutic exercises, activities and equipment.
  • Submitting prior authorization requests to the appropriate insurance providers/companies (if treatment is rendered by therapist without prior authorization there will be no compensation)
  • Documenting patient progress with daily progress notes, providing a written plan of care, providing/conducting a progress summary at 6 month intervals, conducting parent interviews and reporting of progress
  • Keeping track of your own client schedule
  • Being the primary contact for the patients and their families (including providing them with your number for cancellations and scheduling issues)
  • Entering billing, evaluation and treatment information in billing software in a timely manner (due within 3 days of treatment or evaluation).
  • Maintaining your workspace in an appropriate manner (i.e. returning all items to their appropriate location at the end of the day, and making sure all patient information is locked-up). No equipment, manuals, software, etc. shall be taken off the property without a written request submitted to the office.
  • Submitting faxes/paperwork if office staff is unavailable.
  • Mentoring volunteers and shadowing students who come to volunteer/shadow because they are interested in the discipline
  • Supervising and directing students (interns/students in their clinical affiliations/students in their fieldwork experiences) as assigned by Volunteer Coordinator (this may include, but is not limited to composing evaluations, progress reports, and day-to-day guidance and supervision)
  • Assisting Volunteer Coordinator in setting-up clinical affiliations and fieldwork experiences
  • Making the schedulers aware of every schedule change (as it will effect staff and volunteers)
  • All sessions will be scheduled on the hour and last one hour with a maximum of 45 minutes of ride time. There must be a minimum of 15 minutes for the barn staff to prepare for the next session.

Wages

  • Therapist will receive a per hour wage based on the amount of units they serve a child for.
  • Therapists do not receive compensation for a daily progress note after treating each patient as this is included in the hourly wage
  • Therapists will receive a flat fee for both evaluations and re-evaluations
  • There will be no compensation to employee when there is a cancellation of services by the patient.
  • The therapist may also be provided with the option to perform administrative duties for the Employer (based on availability) at a lesser rate of pay. This is contingent upon a number of factors including the current budget and funds available.

For more information, or to apply for this position, visit our contact us page.

Additional Opportunities

Mental Health Counselor

The Mental Health Counselor is responsible for rendering mental health counseling services and incorporating equine assisted psychotherapy with a team of equine specialists in mental health and learning.

COTA Supervisor

Provide guidance and oversight to the COTA or occupational therapy assistant related to the delivery of occupational therapy services and the facilitation of professional growth and competence. It is the responsibility of the occupational therapist and the occupational therapy assistant to seek the appropriate quality and frequency of supervision to ensure safe and effective occupational therapy service delivery.

Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)

The Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) evaluates patient’s needs, creates a treatment plan based on each client’s evaluation, maintains physician prescriptions and client medical information, gives treatment to patients in a clinic setting and in an arena setting using the horse as a treatment tool with a PATH Instructor and volunteer Session Assistants, documents all treatment sessions, and maintains PATH Intl. Standards, Shining Hope Farms’ Facility Rules, and the American Hippotherapy Association’s Standards while keeping each client’s safety a priority.

PATH Intl. Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor

This position will be responsible for providing onsite support as a registered therapeutic riding instructor or instructor in training as required by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH). Reporting to the Executive Director, the Therapeutic Riding Instructor will carry out the duties as required for the instructors.

Physical Therapist (PT)

The Physical Therapist (PT) evaluates patient’s needs, creates a treatment plan based on each client’s evaluation, maintains physician prescriptions and client medical information, gives treatment to patients in a clinic setting and in an arena setting using the horse as a treatment tool with a PATH Instructor and volunteer Session Assistants, documents all treatment sessions, and maintains PATH Intl. Standards, Shining Hope Farms’ Facility Rules, and the American Hippotherapy Association’s Standards while keeping each client’s safety a priority.