School-Based Practice for Occupational Therapy Certificate
Deepen Your Practice As A School-Based Occupational Therapist
Online | 1 Year | Certificate for Academic Credit
Certificate Highlights
Learn Best Current Evidence for School-Based Practice
Learn what you need to be up to date with current best evidence related to service provision, assessment, and evidence-based interventions. If you are a school-based OT you need to make sure you stay current with the evidence and best practices so you can offer the best care possible.
Designed for School-Based OTs
This certificate program is specifically designed for school-based OTs. Learn what you need from other experienced occupational therapists.
Transition Into School-Based Practice
While this certificate is designed for school-based OTs, if you are an OT who wants to switch to school-based practice, this certificate can prepare you for success in your new roles. Learn all the best current evidence on school-based practice. Prepare to move into your new practice setting.
Learn Without Relocating Or Traveling
This certificate program is designed for working OTs The program is fully online and designed to be completed while working full-time as an OT. The certificate is designed to allow you to apply what you learn directly to your practice.
Further Your Education As An OT
As an OT, it’s important to constantly further your education and knowledge of the evidence. This program is not formally set up for CEU’s–but many state licensing boards accept this kind of academic credit from an accredited university in lieu of CE’s.
Curriculum
Learn different skills, content, and concepts that allow you to offer the best intervention or service as a school-based OTt.
Explore Key Concepts For OTs in School-Based Practice
Explore historical concepts related to medical and ecological service provision, direct versus consultative services, and the legal application of occupational therapy as a service provider in the educational system. Understand key aspects of occupational therapy school-based practice so that you can offer client-centered and individualized care.
Dive Into Mental Health In Education as an OT
Review current policies and funding resources for mental health, implications for practice, and discuss advocacy for occupational therapy in mental health programs as they related to educational environments. Make a difference in schools in regard to clients with mental health needs.
Explore Different Interventions In Relation to School-Based Settings
Dive into deeper research for identified disabilities and efficacious interventions to promote participation in educational/school-based settings. Explore sensory-based, emotion, and self-regulation and other related interventions as they relate to school-based settings and populations.
Become a More Well-Rounded Healthcare Professional
Refine your collaboration, ethics, reflective practice, and interprofessional education skills. Understand varying perspectives, and the synthesis of skills and knowledge in current, best-practice models for in school-systems for occupational therapy professionals. Elevate both your practice and yourself as an evidence-based professional.
Courses
Code
Course
Credits
SBP 718Practice Models & Evidence: Current School-System Best Practices3
Students will develop an understanding of the historical concepts related to medical and ecological service provision, direct versus consultative services, and the legal application of occupational therapy as a service provider in the educational system. Students will review and understand the federal, state, and district practice including 504’s, accommodations, and multi-tiered support systems. Educational modules will focus on understanding the occupational therapy role in the least restrictive environment, participation, and introduction of the occupational therapy practice framework. Students will explore and utilize strength-based and occupational performance assessments to implement in their school setting, as well as demonstrate the construction of student-centered goals to support educational outcomes. Using literature to develop evidence-supported interventions and how to apply a learner – centered individualized education plans will be discussed. Assistive technology, linking goals to curriculum and state/district standards, and least restrictive educational environments will be addressed.
SBP 728Behavior, Sensory, & Mental Health Issues in School Settings3
Review of current law and funding for mental health, implications for practice, and advocacy for occupational therapy in mental health programs as related to educational environments is a focus of this course. Emerging practice issues including such sensory processing innovations, multi-tiered support systems, positive behavioral supports, and school-wide curriculum adoption for mental health initiatives will be discussed. Students will delve into sensory-based, emotion and self-regulation and other sensory related interventions will be explored as they relate to school-based settings and populations.
SBP 738Applications of Best-Practice Interventions in School Systems3
This final course in the school-based certificate focuses on refining the students collaboration skills, ethics, and reflective practice, interprofessional education to understand perspectives, and synthesis of skills and knowledge in current, best-practice models for in school-systems for occupational therapy professionals. Students will research and explore the application of using best evidence to treat, intervene, and support various students’ needs. Opportunities to delve deeper into specific research for identified disabilities and efficacious interventions to promote participation in educational settings will be provided. Using resources from case studies and real-life scenarios, students will develop occupation-based intervention plans for students using knowledge gained from courses I (Practice Models and Evidence: Current School-System Best Practices) and II (Behavior, Sensory and Mental Health Issues in School Settings) and construct resources for use in virtual therapy sessions, using these resources in a collaborative module for alternative service delivery.
Semester Dates
Summer 2024
Type
Date
Fall 2024
Type
Date
7-8-2024
Winter 2025
Type
Date
Admission Requirements
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from an accredited college or university
One year of clinical practice
Clinical Rotation Requirements including required vaccinations: Admitted students to Rocky Mountain University who will be completing a clinical rotation will receive vaccination forms regarding required vaccinations. Not all vaccinations or proof of immunity are required at the beginning of the program but will be prior to the first clinical rotation. The University allows for vaccination exemptions and more information about the University’s position on vaccination can be reviewed at https://rm.edu/vaccination-statement/
RMU requires the following items prior to starting any clinical rotations (these are subject to change depending upon public health concerns and specific clinic requirements):
- MMR
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
- TB
- Tdap
- Annual Influenza
- COVID 19
- HIPAA certification
- OSHA certification
- CPR certification