Special Education Nursing

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a provision for nursing services to students, with a recognized disability or disorder, to access and benefit from their special education program. Potential access to special education nursing begins with the assessment process that is initiated by the IEP team.

The determination for nursing services must be addressed through the IEP team after a nursing assessment.

The Special Education nurse consults with and provides training for students, parents, teachers and staff concerning various medical conditions and delegated medical procedures. The special education nurse develops individualized healthcare plans and provides treatment as ordered by a physician. Special education nursing services are identified and documented in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Occupational Therapy

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) include a provision for educationally relevant Occupational Therapy to assist students, with a recognized disability or disorder, to access and benefit from their special education program. Services are intended to support a student in achieving Individual Education Plan (IEP) based objectives and are not for medical or rehabilitative reasons.  An educational need for therapy services must be identified through the IEP team and evaluation process.  Students with a 504 Plan may also receive accommodative services of Occupational Therapy in order to create equal access to the general education curriculum and environment.

Occupational Therapy in the educational environment focuses on functional outcomes and includes various intervention strategies and supports. Some of these are implemented by other school personnel with the collaboration of the school-based therapist.

Potential access to Occupational Therapy begins with the evaluation process that is initiated by the IEP team, 504 Plan team, Response to Intervention team, or parent, when an educationally related concern is identified and documented in an IEP meeting, 504 meeting, Response to Intervention meeting, or Direct Parent Referral meeting. The parent or legal guardian of the student will be asked to sign a Consent to Evaluate to start the process.

Occupational Therapy services in the school setting are educational in nature and are designed to support the child in their role of being a student. Areas for possible intervention include motor skills, self-care skills, adaptive skills, and social-emotional regulation.  The occupational therapist may use a variety of approaches such as creating activities to promote learning, modifying activities or environments to improve access, and collaborating with and educating school staff, students, and parents.

Physical Therapy

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a provision for educationally relevant Physical Therapy to assist students, with a recognized disability or disorder, to access and benefit from their special education program. Services are intended to support a student in achieving Individual Education Plan (IEP) based objectives and are not for medical or rehabilitative reasons.  An educational need for therapy services must be identified through the IEP team and evaluation process.  Students with a 504 Plan may also receive accommodative services of Physical Therapy in order to create equal access to the general education curriculum and environment.

Physical Therapy in the educational environment focuses on functional outcomes and includes various intervention strategies and supports. Some of these are implemented by other school personnel with the collaboration of the school-based therapist.

Potential access to Physical Therapy begins with the evaluation process that is initiated by the IEP team, 504 Plan team, Response to Intervention team, or parent, when an educationally related concern is identified and documented in an IEP meeting, 504 meeting, Response to Intervention meeting, or Direct Parent Referral meeting. The parent or legal guardian of the student will be asked to sign a Consent to Evaluate to start the process.

Physical Therapy services in the school setting are educational in nature and are designed to support the student in physically accessing the school environment. Physical therapists require a prescription from a physician in order for services to be provided.  The school-based physical therapist primarily focuses on supporting environmental access, functional mobility, motor skills training, monitoring and maintenance of therapeutic equipment, and collaboration and training of school staff, students, and parents.

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