Who Provides Motor Services at MRSD?

Carrie Bartlett is our district Occupational Therapist. She supports our district through our partnership with Clackamas ESD. She will be in district on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She can be contacted at: carrie.bartlett@molallariv.k12.or.us

Brittany "Britta" Gurgel, P.T., D.P.T., P.C.S. is our district Physical Therapist. She can be contacted at: Brittany.Gurgel@molallariv.k12.or.us 

Who are Occupational Therapists?

According to American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), Occupational Therapy (OT) is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. 

Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Occupational therapy services typically include:

• an individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals,

• customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals, and

• an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan. 

Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science. 

Who Are Physical Therapists?

According to the American Physical Therapist Association (APTA), Physical Therapists (PTs) are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility - in many cases without expensive surgery and often reducing the need for long-term use of prescription medications and their side effects.

Physical therapists can teach patients how to prevent or manage their condition so that they will achieve long-term health benefits. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan, using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

How do Students Qualify for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy services?

Occupational therapy and physical therapy are related services, which means they can not be provided as stand alone services. Instead, students must meet eligibility criteria for an IDEA eligibility for them to qualify for OT or PT services.