Your school-based physical therapist (PT) is a valuable source to assist and provide adapted and supportive equipment, for use in the school setting, to your student.

If your student is eligible for Special Education services under Orthopedic Impairment (OI), your student will qualify to receive equipment through our equipment loan bank - Columbia Regional Inclusive Services (CRIS). 

The physical therapy team has a limited amount of smaller adapted equipment that may be used for students that do not qualify to receive equipment through CRP.

Equipment can only be provided by a physical therapist if the student is actively receiving school-based physical therapy services. The PT will assess the student to determine the need and type of adapted equipment that may be beneficial to enhance the student’s participation in the educational setting. The physical therapist is the only service provider that can recommend the needed equipment to be loaned from CRP.

Before any adapted equipment is provided for use by the student and school staff, the physical therapist must fit each piece of equipment specific to that student. The physical therapist must also provide training to the school staff to ensure equipment is being used safely by both the student and staff.  

Equipment that may be available to your student:

• Classroom seating and desk set-up

• Alternative positioning devices 

• Mobility devices

• Restroom equipment

• Mechanical lift equipment

• Recreational equipment

Your PT may provide support as follows:

• Identify students that may benefit from adapted equipment.

• Identify the appropriate adapted equipment needed.

• Collaborate with CRP for the loan of adapted equipment. 

• Coordination of equipment moves across the district.

• Coordination of equipment for recreational use (recess, PE, etc.).

• Repair and maintenance of district-provided equipment.

• Monitoring of privately owned equipment and referral for repair by family and/or vendor. 

• Support families in purchasing privately-owned equipment.

• Write letters of medical necessity so that families are able to acquire privately-owned equipment. 

Please note that some equipment has to be parent-provided and is not available for loan from the PT Team or CRP. 

• Parent-provided equipment is indicated when the device is the student's main mode of mobility. This is indicated when the student is using the mobility equipment for greater than 15% of the school day, or for all ambulation/mobility in the school setting.

• Parent-provided equipment may include, but is not limited to, the following: power or manual wheelchairs, power scooters, strollers, walkers/ rollators, and mobility canes.

• Parents may be asked to provide specialized equipment for sleeping when a child is required to sleep in school for medical reasons (i.e., sleeping cots, etc.).

• Parent-provided equipment is the property of the parent and the parent is responsible for maintenance, servicing, and repairs of said equipment through equipment vendors or private agencies. Equipment must be in good working order to ensure the safety of the student while in the school setting and during transport. The school-based PT may collaborate with outside agencies regarding maintenance and repairs.

Please see options of mobility or positional equipment that may be available to your student under Resources.