Subject:  Requirements for personnel providing occupational and physical therapy

Source:  Pam Williams, Director, Compliance

Intended Audience:  Special education administrators, special education teachers, related service providers and paraprofessionals

Date:  July 15, 2004

 

As indicated in a previous SELS message dated 9/30/04, a series of questions and answers concerning the provision of school based Occupational and Physical Therapy is available on our website at http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/Compliance/Q&A/OT_PT.html.   

 

All special education administrators and individuals conducting IEP meetings must be aware that the service of occupational therapy (OT) listed on a child’s IEP may ONLY be provided by an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and the service of physical therapy (PT) may ONLY be provided by a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant.  All of these practitioners are licensed in the state of Missouri.  If anyone other than one of these licensed professionals provides services listed as OT or PT on a child’s IEP, they are in violation of the state regulations that are in place for these professions under the Department of Economic Development, Division of Professional Registration. DESE supports the requirements of the regulations for these professions.

 

Please refer to the first four questions in the above mentioned document for more specific information regarding the provision and documentation of these services on the child’s IEP.