LAC 28:CI.1503. Occupational Therapy

A. Definition. Occupational Therapy includes the following services: 1. evaluating students with disabilities by performing and interpreting tests and measurements and/or clinical observations of neurophysiological, musculoskeletal, sensorimotor functions and daily living skills; 2. planning and implementing treatment strategies for students based on evaluation findings; 3. improving, developing, restoring or maintaining functions impaired or lost through illness, injury, or deprivation; 4. improving or maintaining ability to perform tasks for independent functioning when functions are impaired or lost; and 5. administering and supervising therapeutic management of students with disabilities, recommending equipment and providing training to parents and educational personnel. B. Criteria for Eligibility. Evidence of criteria must be met in accordance with this Section. 1. The student is classified and eligible for special education services. There is documented evidence that occupational therapy is required to assist the student to benefit from access and participation in special education services. 2. The student demonstrates a motor functional performance impairment limiting the student’s access and participation in the educational program in one of the following categories: Developmental, Motor Function, or Sensorimotor. 3. Functional participation and access may include but is not limited to motor function, classroom skills, playground and physical education participation, self-help skills, mobility, assistive technology needs, sensory self-regulation, and prevocational and transition needs. 4. According to clinical and/or behavioral observations which may include but are not limited to available current medical information, medical history, and /or progress reports from previous therapeutic intervention, the student exhibits limitations that affect the physical functioning in the educational setting. These limitations might include abnormalities in the area(s) of fine motor, sensorimotor, visual motor, oral motor, or self-help skills. In addition to OT assessment, current student information must indicate one of the following abilities: a. improve educational access and participation with occupational therapy intervention; b. maintain access and participation functioning with therapeutic intervention, but if the student maintains motor functioning without therapeutic intervention, OT would not be required in the educational setting; or c. slow the rate of regression of access and participation functioning with therapeutic intervention if the student has a progressive disorder. 5. Additionally, the student must require the clinical expertise of an occupational therapy practitioner to improve function, maintain function, or slow the rate of regression of functional performance. 6. Developmental. Students, excluding those with neurophysiological impairments, who demonstrate a fine motor, visual motor, oral motor, or self-help delay. 7. Motor Function. According to clinical and/or behavioral observations, which may include but are not limited to available current medical information, medical history, and/or progress reports from previous therapeutic intervention, the student exhibits neurophysiological limitations or orthopedic limitations, that affect the physical functioning in the educational setting. The limitations might include abnormalities in the area(s) of fine motor, visual motor, oral motor, or self-help skills. In addition to OT assessment, current student information must indicate one of the following abilities: a. an ability to improve educational access and participation with occupational therapy intervention; b. an ability to maintain access and participation with therapeutic intervention, but if the student maintains motor functioning without therapeutic intervention, OT would not be required in the educational setting; c. an ability to slow the rate of regression of access and participation with therapeutic intervention if the student has a progressive disorder; or d. the student must require the clinical expertise of an occupational therapist to improve motor function, maintain motor function, or slow the rate of regression of motor function. 8. Sensorimotor. According to clinical behavior observation and/or an appropriate assessment instrument, the student exhibits an inability to integrate sensory stimulus effectively, affecting the capacity to perform functional activities within the educational setting. The activities might include abnormalities in the area of fine motor, visual motor, oral motor, self-help, or sensory processing such as sensory awareness, motor planning and organization of adaptive responses. In addition to OT assessment, current student information must indicate an ability to improve functional activity performance through OT intervention. C. Procedures for Evaluation 1. The assessment shall be conducted by a licensed occupational therapist and shall include at a minimum the following procedures: a. a review of available medical and educational information, environmental concerns, anecdotal records and observation of motor skills which document the specific concerns causing the referral; b. an assessment of motor abilities, functional and performance according to current American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) guidelines and Louisiana Standards of Practice. 2. For students ages 6 through 21, the assessment should be conducted in the educational environment. 3. The occupational therapist's assessment should be designed to answer the questions listed below. a. Does this problem interfere with the student's ability to benefit from access to and participation in the educational program? b. Is there a likely potential for change in the student's educational functioning if he/she receives therapeutic intervention? c. Does the occupational therapy practitioner bring unique expertise without which the student will not achieve the IEP goal? 4. The provision of services shall be determined at the IEP Team meeting, using the evaluation data and input of the occupational therapist and the results and recommendations of the therapy assessment including but not limited to the occupational therapist bringing unique expertise without which the student will not achieve the IEP goals. The continuation of services will be determined at the annual IEP review using data and input from the therapist.