POSITION TYPE: Full-time (40 hours per week)

LOCATION: We have openings at both our Peoria Service Center (507 E. Armstrong Ave., Peoria, IL 61603) and our Bloomington Service Center (202 St. Joseph Drive, Bloomington, IL 61704)

About Us: Easterseals Central Illinois is a trusted leader in pediatric therapy, empowering children with developmental delays, disabilities, and special needs to reach their fullest potential. We are seeking a passionate Occupational Therapist to join our collaborative team, offering a variety of specialized services designed to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and their families.

Why Join Easterseals Central Illinois?

Professional Growth and Mentorship:

• Ongoing mentorship from experienced therapists to help you develop new skills and advance in your career.
• Access to specialized training in areas like sensory integration, aquatic therapy, or assistive technology to expand your clinical expertise.
• Opportunities to grow within the organization, with pathways for advancement into leadership roles or specialized certifications.

Innovative Tools and Technology:

• Use advanced therapeutic tools such as specialized sensory integration equipment to enhance your therapy sessions.
• Access cutting-edge software for documentation and treatment planning, streamlining your workflow and allowing more time for client care.

Inclusive and Supportive Team Environment:

• Be part of a supportive, family-oriented culture that fosters collaboration, where your ideas and contributions are valued.
• Work with a diverse team of professionals who share a passion for making a difference in the lives of children and families.

What Sets Us Apart:

• A Mission with Impact: For over 100 years, Easterseals Central Illinois has been dedicated to helping children with special needs and their families. With 75 affiliates nationwide, our work impacts more than a million individuals annually.
• Balanced Work-Life: Set schedules with no nights or weekends, ensuring a healthy work/life balance.
• Documentation Time Included: 60% productivity requirement allows for paid documentation time during work hours. Even if a client cancels, you are paid for your time.
• Collaborative, Multi-Disciplinary Approach: Work with an interdisciplinary team of Occupational, Physical, Speech, and Feeding Therapists, as well as behavioral and counseling professionals, to provide the best holistic care for our clients.
• Accreditation & Recognition: Easterseals Central Illinois holds an 8th consecutive CARF accreditation for Pediatric Specialty Outpatient Rehabilitation, demonstrating our commitment to the highest quality of care.

Perks & Benefits:

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • Vacation, Sick, and Personal time
  • Paid Holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving
  • Paid Holiday break from Christmas Eve through New Years Day
  • Event Days: Earn additional PTO hours if you volunteer with us
• Comprehensive Group Health Insurance
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical and Dependent Care
  • Long-Term Disability, Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Coverage
  • Life Insurance: Both Employer Paid and Employee Paid options available
• 401(K) with employer match
• Professional Development & CEU Allowance
• Easterseals qualifies for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program

Position Objective: The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team providing outpatient treatment and consultation services to clients and their families under the direction of the Occupational Therapist. The COTA assists in the assessment and provides treatment to clients in the areas of fine motor/self-help skills, upper extremity function, activities of daily living, upper body strength, visual/perceptual skills, and sensory integration processing under the direction of the Occupational Therapist.

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Associate’s degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited university.
• Must be licensed in the State of Illinois or eligible for licensure.
• A minimum of one year of proven successful experience in the area of pediatric occupational therapy is preferred.

Competency Requirements

• Advanced knowledge and skill necessary to provide treatment plans related to credentialed/licensed field of practice.
• Demonstrate proficiency with EHR and required Rehab workflows including timely patient care documentation and billing for accurate medical records.
• Working knowledge of personal computers and software (MS Office Suite).

Job Functions:

• Assists the Occupational Therapist with completing initial evaluations and documentation for each client.
• Assists the Occupational Therapist in establishing individualized therapy goals and generating data for the Plan of Care and/or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the school-based contracts.
• Participates in multidisciplinary or caregiver team meetings and provides input during case studies with the medical director as needed.
• Monitors progress toward identified outcomes and assists with modification of treatment goals and therapeutic intervention strategies as necessary and/or every six months at a minimum.
• Provides direct therapy at service centers, natural environments, telehealth, or school contracts accurately documenting services, obtaining OTR/L co-signatures, and billing for services following payer guidelines.
• Records and document attendance/absences. Documents progress notes and phone contacts regarding the individual served accurately in the file and in a timely manner.
• Develops home programming activities for the family and revises as necessary. Provides parent/guardian/family training or school personnel training in the care of the individual (e.g. positioning) and in-home program activities.
• Participates as needed or requested in the smooth transition of an individual to a public school program or other placement as necessary. Corresponds with physicians and other professionals involved in the care/treatment of the family as necessary.
• Attends departmental and discipline staff meetings, in-services, case studies, and team reviews as requested.
• Ensures that all requirements for supervision, credentialing, and licensure are maintained.
• Completes competencies and maintains established departmental policies and procedures, safety and infection control standards, quality assurance, and accreditation standards of the Center.

Marginal Responsibilities:

• Assists with Adaptive Equipment Clinic and AT services including equipment orders, fittings, follow up and the manufacture of splints as necessary for each individual followed.
• Assists with monitoring and ordering test booklet/evaluation supplies as needed.
• Mentors new staff members as requested.
• Fulfills contractual obligations as requested.
• Complete letters of medical necessity as needed.
• Supervises clinical students as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Must have visual ability sufficient to read and accurately complete written correspondence, reports, etc., and computer screen information.
• Frequent use of hands to grasp, handle, or feel.
• Close supervision of clients and physical assistance or redirection during treatment sessions and use of novel/suspended equipment to maintain client safety.
• Regular standing, walking, sitting, bending, lifting, and reaching.
• Occasional kneeling, work with clients on floor mats, and transitions from floor to standing related to patient care.
• Ability to lift and/or carry up to fifty (50) pounds.
• Ability to drive to all Easterseals centers and service sites within a 100-mile radius, as needed.

Work Environment

• Routinely works in office environments with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, temperature.
• Community Settings for meetings and direct service activities.
• Client homes for direct service activities.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• May be exposed to contagious diseases but potential for personal harm and injury is limited when proper safety and health precautions are used.

Easterseals Central Illinois is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Easterseals is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, call 309.686.1177.