Occupational Therapy Services For Children And Youth Under The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act

This handbook is designed to provide registered occupational therapists and certified occupational therapy assistants with guidance in serving children with disabilities and their families under the auspices of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The first chapter provides an overview of provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other laws relating to occupational therapy services for children with disabilities. The next chapters provide guidelines for addressing five major elements of occupational therapy service delivery: (1) continuum of services (includes information on the elements of transition, effect of continuum within early intervention and school system settings, and transitions that ensure continuity); (2) clients of services (addresses interactions with clients, client roles and responsibilities, and reimbursement systems); (3) context of intervention (reviews aspects of performance contexts, models of service delivery in the environmental context, and person-activity-environment fit); (4) collaboration (discusses components of collaboration and the collaborative process in service delivery); and (5) outcomes (including student-specific outcomes, development and documentation of the individualized family service plan and individualized education program outcomes, and program-specific outcomes). Each of these chapters reviews relevant terms and legislative considerations. Sample forms, resources, and professional policies are included in the appendices. (Each chapter contains references.) (CR)