MISSON STATEMENT

Occupational Therapy Education Specialist

It will be my mission as the Occupational Therapy Training Program Coordinator for the PA AgrAbility program to foster an interest and excitement for occupational therapy’s role in enhancing, sustaining, and promoting the health and well-being of individuals working within agriculture. Subsequent to this initial objective, I will strive to provide an educational plan that highlights the unique person-environment-occupation relationships that exist in various areas of agriculture. Ultimately, my mission will be to place and facilitate the supervision of AgrAbility-based fieldwork level I & II experiences for OT and OTA students, as well as, provide educational opportunities for practicing therapists.

To accomplish the above agenda the educational opportunities will focus on enabling students and therapists time to explore the following areas of competency within occupational therapy practice as adapted from The Guide for Occupational Therapy Practice (2002):

· Respond to requests for agriculturally-related services and initiate referrals when appropriate;

· Screen individuals to determine the need for occupational therapy services;

· Evaluate individuals to obtain and interpret data necessary for planning and

providing intervention;

· Interpret evaluation findings to appropriate individuals;

· Develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods to achieve them;

· Implement the intervention plan directly and/or in coordination with others;

· Adapt environments, tool, materials, and activities according to the needs of the

individual and his or her social, cultural context;

· Monitor client's responses to the intervention and modify plans as needed;

· Communicate and collaborate with other team members and/or care givers;

· Develop appropriate home and community programming to support performance in the agricultural environment;

· Dismiss services when maximum benefit is received and formulate discontinuation and follow up plans;

· Document services as required;

· Maintain records required by the practice setting, third party payers, and regulatory agencies;

· Perform continuous quality improvement activities and program evaluation using predetermined criteria;

· Function in accordance with the AOTA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice;

· Utilize, interpret, and conduct research to support the efforts of the PA AgrAbility Program.

I am confident that occupational therapy students, practitioners, and faculty will embrace this emerging area of practice and fully engage in learning more about how they may become partners in ensuring the occupational balance of individuals working within agriculture across the state. I am very much looking forward to observing the story of PA AgrAbility excite a passion in current and future occupational therapy practitioners across the state!

Dr. Angela N. Hissong, OTR/L