Still not getting OT...

My DS started at a center based program through EI, full day, this past October (he turned 2 in August). His teacher suggested we evaluate for OT/PT services, and so the evaluations were done in November. He qualified for both, but I was told in December right before the holidays by myservice coordinator that the school did not have any OT's available and that DS would be put at the top of a waiting list, and they expected an OT to become available in either January or February. Well February is practically over and I haven't heard anything about the OT. My service coordinator said last week she had reached out to someone at the school and was waiting for a call back. The other night when DS' teacher was over for parent training, I had asked her about the OT and she suggested I call the same woman that my service coordinator said she contacted (which is the teacher's supervisor). I called her and left her a message yesterday morning and still haven't heard back. If she doesn't get back to me, is there anything I can do? The service coordinator mentioned she can reach out to other agencies but that the therapy would have to be done at home, since outside agencies are not allowed into the school, and that he would then be removed from the school's waiting list. This is not my ideal situation however, since DS is already kind of burnt out from being at school all day so I think if therapists walked in at 4pm he would lose his mind.... I was happy with this school in the beginning but the more I am thinking about it, the more this is making me want him to go elsewhere in the fall when he transitions to CPSE.

Sorry for the vent, I just hate that everything has to be a fight.

Message edited 2/27/2015 2:24:18 PM.

Still not getting OT...

Ask your county coordinator to get you someone for home. We were in the same boat. He qualified in Jan or Feb and the school point blank said they would have someone by summer at the earliest. EI found someone to come on weekends at home.

Make sure the school has him in the schedule for the fall, though. My DS did end up getting OT at school in September. OTs are in high demand and once they are assigned at school for the academic year, they have a hard time fitting them into a therapist's schedule. We had a similar situation with PT but that got resolved a LOT sooner.

Message edited 2/27/2015 2:26:28 PM.

Re: Still not getting OT...

Still not getting OT...

Your EI county coordinator should be able to do an email blast to the agencies that provide services with your availability to see if she can find someone from a different agency. To me, it seems pretty clear that the school isn't going to find someone. Your EI person needs to look elsewhere, IMO.

Re: Still not getting OT...

Could you go to a near by agency that has a sensory gym on a weekend morning ? EI can do services on weekends. OT will only be 30 minutes at a sensory gym so it would be a quick session. OT should be "fun", so if you do get someone who comes over at 4 they can work on a lot of activities that involve therapy balls, scooters, obstacle courses etc

Hang in there, I found EI to be such a fight and the quality of services for us wasn't there. Once we hit CPSE and the school district was in involved there was a bit more accountability.

Re: Still not getting OT...

Waiting for it in school is definitely going to limit you. I would take the home services or go to a sensory gym.....Good luck!

Re: Still not getting OT...

Thank you, I asked my service coordinator to look for an outside agency, I guess I should have done this sooner