Occupational Therapist I - Children's Therapy Program

Are you an Occupational Therapist (OT) with a passion for helping children?
Join the Medical Therapy Program (MTP) team in the Department of Health Services (DHS).

Starting salary up to $49.12*/Hour plus a cash allowance of $3.45/Hour, and a competitive total compensation package!*

The County of Sonoma seeks candidates for a part-time ( (.50 Full-Time Equivalent, 20 hours per week) Occupational Therapist II - Children's Therapy Program position, which may be filled at the I or II level. If you are interested in applying at the I level, you will need to apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted.

What Makes Sonoma County a Great Choice

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to excellent benefits* including:

Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $425 and ongoing education/training opportunities
County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment

About the Position

This position provides skilled and professional occupational therapy services to children from birth to age 21, who have physical impairments that require a thorough evaluation and treatment plan to address functional limitations and who qualify for Medical Therapy Program services.

During a typical workday, the OT will provide direct or telehealth therapy services consisting of fine motor, visual perceptual motor, functional mobility, upper extremity functional training, durable medical equipment and bracing/orthoses evaluation and training, caregiver and client education, strength and range of motion training, and analysis of client's physical function, and consultation with community partners who share in the care of each child.

Duties of the OT include:

Planning, implementing, and supervising occupational therapy programs for individual and group treatments
Providing timely and skilled consultation services to caregivers and community partners to promote client’s increased independence and physical and emotional well-being
Teaching self-care activities with emphasis on such areas as communications, feeding, dressing, personal hygiene, and other activities of daily living
Evaluating the home setting and appropriate community settings for safety and access- including training client and caregivers in the use of equipment and/or home therapy program
Establishing and monitoring therapeutic exercise programs including client and caregiver instruction
Establishing measurable therapy goals and objectives
Evaluating clients' needs for equipment and/or splinting
Maintaining medical records and documentation per State guidelines
Engaging in timely and accurate billing for services rendered
Remaining current on trends and new developments in the field of occupational therapy

The OT positions will work closely with both occupational and physical therapists, Supervising Pediatric Therapists, Medical Therapy Program Manager, Senior Office Assistants, and Community Health Worker Specialists to ensure that the client services are well-coordinated. The Medical Therapy Program team operates out of the Medical Therapy Units which are licensed outpatient rehabilitation centers. On occasion, the OT might work in the community environment making home visits to evaluate the client’s home or visiting school or other community settings to ensure that the client is functioning at their highest level.

The ideal candidate for this position will possess:

Two or more years of experience working in an outpatient or acute care setting with children who have complex physical disabilities and chronic health conditions
The ability to work in a fast-paced work environment that values collaborative problem-solving and treatment planning with other medical professionals
Flexibility to work in a variety of locations
Strong knowledge of principles and practices of neurodevelopmental therapies and the World Health Organizations framework for measuring health and disability via the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health
Proficiency with Microsoft Word and experience working with electronic health records and associated workflows
A cooperative approach when working with different personalities and the ability to shift their focus when unexpected issues arise
Patience, compassion, and resiliency when faced with difficult situations

The employment list established from this recruitment may also be used to fill future part-time and extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of this list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualification

Education: Graduation from an accredited Occupational Therapy Program that is approved by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.

Experience: Any combination of training and experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities. Normally, two years of experience as an Occupational Therapist would provide such opportunity. Experience in providing therapy to physically handicapped children or in a pediatric program is desirable. Advanced certification in oral, motor, hand therapy, and modalities is highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid California license as an Occupational Therapist issued by the California Board of Occupational Therapy.

Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: normal and abnormal child development, neurodevelopmental sequencing and various therapeutic techniques; splinting techniques, assistive devices, durable medical equipment and training of their use; skeletal anatomy, kinesiology and the objectives of occupational therapy treatment; pathology and injuries which result in physical impairment and treatment approaches; physical and psychological rehabilitation and problems of disabled patients and their affects on the family; and standardized evaluation tools and interpretation of results.

Knowledge of: the principles of training and supervision.

Ability to: understand and interpret physicians' orders; adapt treatment programs to individual circumstances; exercise tact and good judgment in dealing with patients, staff, parents, school personnel and the public; keep clinical case records; prepare and present oral and written reports; comply with common public health safety practices and procedures; cope with working with handicapped children and their families; to move children utilizing appropriate transfer techniques; complete computer reports as required by the occupational therapy program; and meet physical demands of standing, twisting, kneeling, bending, squatting, stooping, grasping, and lifting.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application and should be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

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