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Learn more about being a military-affiliated student and hear from a few of them about why they chose HPU.

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Landing Page - Hawaii Pacific University - GCHS

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For nearly 60 years, Hawai‘i Pacific University (HPU) has supported our military service members, veterans, Department of Defense civilians and their families through various campus programs.

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Experience the Graduation of our Inaugural OTD Honolulu Cohort.

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Fall 2025 Graduation Ceremony II
4PM HST

College of Natural and Computational Sciences, graduate college of health sciences, and School of Nursing – all degrees, all levels

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Mid-Pacific Conference Center
Coral Ballroom

Thursday, December 11, 2025
4:00 PM

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How To Get Into OT School: Everything You Need To Know

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The reason we work so hard to contribute to the OT community is because we believe deeply in what we do and we want our work to help change people’s lives everyday for the better.

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Dr. Hart helps to empower children with upper limb differences

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Dr. Hart helps to empower children with upper limb differences

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This article highlights a specially designed camp for children with upper limb differences (ULDs) in Hawai’i. A first-of-its-kind camp for the Hawaiian islands, it included intentionally designed and culturally relevant experiences for children and their families.

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Sara Orbe, Zahava L. Friedman, and Victor M. Camacho, Volume 30 • Issue 3 • March 2025, pp. 12-17

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It takes an island: Empowering children with upper limb differences | AOTA

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The collaboration between HPU and Shriners Children’s Hawai’i will continue to grow, and we hope to add additional activities for parents as well as siblings.

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Jump ahead to the 2-minute mark to get a look at the Waterfront Plaza, where our lab immersions take place.

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Hawaiʻi Pacific University Campus Tour 2024

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Deciding if becoming an OT is right for you

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Deciding if becoming an OT is right for you

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Maybe you're just curious about the OT profession, or you're seriously contemplating going into the wonderful field of occupational therapy. Either way, this article is for you!

First off, if you're brand-new to OT, you may be wondering what exactly is o ccupational therapy, or "OT" for short?

Occupational Therapy, as defined by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), is a "client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation."

Additionally, occupational therapists help to enable people to participate in their activities of everyday life by working with them to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do. Occupations include self-care, leisure activities, work, play, and social participation.

As an OT, you can work in many settings with many different populations, treating physical and psychological conditions.

The types of patients OTs treat range from children with autism to adults with hand or wrist injuries, brain injuries, mental health clients, people with an orthopedic surgery like a hip replacement or motor vehicle accident, people who have had a stroke, and older adults with dementia. Just to name a few.

What is the Average Salary?

While you shouldn't base choosing to be an occupational therapist solely based on the salary, it is helpful to know that you can live comfortably as an OT.

The national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020) is $86,280 per year, which equates to $41.48 per hour. This number can very widely for OTs, however, so be sure you also check out our comprehensive salary data from 2,322 OTs and COTAs here.

While it may seem that you can make a large salary as an OT, I do want to also let you know that both Occupational Therapy Master's and Doctorate degrees are not cheap.

On the low end, programs start at $40,000 for tuition, which is an in-state tuition rate and these programs are rare and very competitive to get into.

Most OT grad programs are $60,000-$120,000+.

If you do your research, you will notice that some programs will also include lab/equipment fees of $100-$700 per year and textbook costs adding several thousand dollars to your tuition bill.

If you aren't living at home for free with parents, you can also expect to add $12,000 a year for rent, utilities and food. In total, you're looking at spending up to nearly $150k for OT school if you're living on your own and paying your own bills.

As an example, the total costs for my program came out to roughly $80,000. Assuming a 6% interest rate and 10-year term, you can expect to come out of school with student loan payments of $888 per month. You can play with the numbers using Bankrate's student loan calculator.

After the 6 month post-graduation grace period, you can plan to start making your student loan payments.

This number will of course be higher or lower depending on several factors, such as if you attend a Master's degree state school (lower) or private Doctorate program (higher).

Please be aware: I did a quick Google search while writing this post on "Cheapest OT Schools," and the posts I found were completely inaccurate, stating the most expensive schools were only $44,000. This does not make clear that those costs are per year.

Check your school's website for the most accurate information.

I don't want this to discourage you at all, as it is doable. But if you're just interested in getting into the field for the money, you won't feel like you're really "raking it in" until you get those student loans paid down, since you're probably looking at over $100K for OT school and living expenses.

If you're considering going to school to be an Occupational Therapy Assistant, the schooling will be much less expensive, which I break down in my post titled " OTR or COTA: What's the Difference? "

Where Do OTs Work?

Occupational therapists work in a huge variety of settings, with anyone who needs help to improve their lives, and therefore OTs have a wide variety of places that they can be employed.

I compiled this list from The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)'s Compensation and Workforce study, but left off the percentages as it is from 2010 and the numbers probably differ a bit today.

This study lists the settings that both Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants primarily work in, with the ones higher on the list being the most common and the bottom settings being the least common.

1. Hospitals

2. Schools

3. Nursing Facilities (Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living Facilities)

4. Outpatient Therapy

5. Home Health

6. Academia

7. Early Intervention

8. Community

9. Mental Health

What Do You Need to do to Get Started?

To get started on your future career as an occupational therapist, we have an entire blog section dedicated to prospective occupational therapists, as well as a comprehensive e-book " How to Get Into OT School: Everything You Need to Know " for when you're ready to consider applying to OT school.

Lastly, be sure to give these top My OT Spot articles a read:
5 Big Mistakes I Made When Applying to OT School The MOT vs OTD: Which Degree Should You Pursue? Is Occupational Therapy Stressful? 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Occupational Therapist
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I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide with your future career plans (whether you choose OT or another path). If you have any questions about becoming an OT that I didn't cover, please leave them in the comments below 🙂
This post was last updated May 18, 2021.

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Decide If Becoming an OT Is Right For You - myotspot.com

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Maybe you're just curious about the OT profession, or you're seriously contemplating going into the wonderful field of occupational therapy. Either way, this article is for you! First off, if you're brand-new to OT, you may be wondering what exactly is o ccupational therapy, or "OT" for short?

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1. Discovering Occupational Therapy Archives - myotspot.com

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You've probably already heard all about how challenging the coursework is for occupational therapy programs. The process of applying to occupational therapy school can be just as challenging but in a different way, especially when you're trying to obtain enough occupational therapy observation hours required for your applications.

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Accessible fart machines and hand-less video game controllers | Holly Cohen

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When you get your first job as a licensed occupational therapy practitioner, you usually aren't thinking about additional occupational therapy specialties right off the bat. Your primary focus is just trying to keep your head above water.

You are thrown into unfamiliar territory, and as a result you will likely spend the first few years of your career figuring out the basics and what your interests are.

For those who have spent a lot of time in a single setting like inpatient rehab, you may have grown complacent and are wondering what step to take next and how to boost your credentials.

The following is a list of 20 common occupational therapy specialties and certifications that OT practitioners can obtain. Some may take you by surprise, and some you might already be qualified for.
A quick note: Please be sure to check the linked references for the most up-to-date requirements as these can change over time.
20 Occupational Therapy Specialties to Advance Your Career

1. Gerontology (BCG)

Specialties 1-9 are all provided by AOTA's Advanced Certification via an application process. As of our most recent publishing of this article, AOTA's certifications do not require an exam but they do state that they will begin adding examinations to certifications starting in mid-2021. The below links will have the most up-to-date information on requirements.
Board Certification in Gerontology
The eligibility requirements for gerontology are as follows:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in any capacity of gerontology

Minimum of 500 hours delivering OT services in gerontology within the past 5 years

Verification of employment

2. Mental Health (BCMH)
Board Certification in Mental Health
Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in any capacity of Mental Health

Minimum of 500 hours delivering OT services in mental health within the past 5 years

Verification of employment

3. Pediatrics (BCP)
Board Certification in Pediatrics
Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in any capacity of pediatrics

Minimum of 500 hours delivering OT services in pediatrics within the past 5 years

4. Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR)
Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation
Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in any capacity of physical rehabilitation

Minimum of 500 hours delivering OT services in physical rehabilitation within the past 5 years

Verification of employment

5. Driving and Community Mobility (SCDCM or SCDCM-A)
Specialty Certification in Driving and Community Mobility
Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in any capacity of driving rehabilitation

Minimum of 5 00 hours delivering direct OT services within driving and community mobility (within the past 5 years)

Verification of employment

6. Environmental Modification (SCEM or SCEM-A)
Specialty Certification in Environmental Modification
Eligibility requirements:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Verification of employment

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours as in any capacity of environmental modifications

Minimum of 5 00 hours delivering direct OT services within environmental modification

Verification of employment

7. Feeding, Eating, and Swallowing (SCFES or SCFES-A)
Specialty Certification in Feeding, Eating and Swallowing
Eligibility requirements:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours working in this specialty in any capacity

Minimum of 5 00 hours delivering OT services within feeding, eating, and swallowing (within the past 5 years)

Verification of employment

8. Low Vision (SCLV or SCLV-A)
Specialty Certification in Low Vision
Eligibility requirements:

Completed application form and fee

Evidence via portfolio/examples of completed work

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3, 000 hours working in low vision in any capacity

Minimum of 5 00 hours delivering direct OT services within low vision (within the past 5 years)

Verification of employment

9. School Systems (SCSS or SCSS-A)
Specialty Certification in School Systems
Eligibility Requirements:

Professional degree in OT

Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA-recognized credentialing or regulatory body

Minimum of 3 years practicing as an OT

Minimum of 3,000 hours in school-based OT in any capacity

Minimum of 500 hours delivering direct OT services within the school system (within the past 5 years)

Verification of employment

10. Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Occupational or physical therapist for three years

4,000 hours of direct hand therapy practice experience (obtained in any country). Upcoming and projected hours are not accepted prior to the application deadline.

Must pass the Certified Hand Therapist exam

Read more about how to become a Certified Hand Therapist here.

11. Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT)
Norton School of Lymphadema Therapy The Brennan School of Innovative Lymphatic Studies
Eligibility requirements are as follows:

Licensed occupational therapist

The course is 135 hours long divided into classroom instruction and home study

The current cost for the entire course is $3,200

12. Assistive Technology Professional (ATP)
ATP Exam Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements include:

A variety of educational backgrounds are accepted, ranging from high school diploma to Master's degree or higher

Total hours of assistive tech-related training will depend on the degree received (10, 20, or 30 hours)

Half of training hours need to be met at IACET or University approved continuing education units; the other half may be fulfilled by other Continuing Education Credits or documented contact hours

Training hours must be completed in same time frame as your work experience

13. Seating and Mobility Specialist (ATP/SMS)
SMS Exam Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements include:

You have already obtained ATP certification

1,000 hours or more in seating and mobility-related service with consumers at any time in your professional experience

Two types of professional activities completed in the last 5 years: Continuing education, client service delivery, advocacy, mentoring, presentation, publication, leadership

14. Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist (CSRS)
Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist
Eligibility requirements include:

Licensed occupational or physical therapist

The educational program includes four 8-hour seminars costing a total of $800 for all four courses

The cost of the exam is ranges from $150-$175 depending on National Stroke Association membership

15. Neuro-Developmental Treatment Certification (C/NDT)
Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association
Eligibility requirements include:

Completion of at least one of the following courses:

Course in the Management of Adults with Stroke and Brain Injury

NDT/Bobath Certificate Course in the Management & Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Other Neuromotor Disorders

Hold an active NDTA membership.

Apply within 12 months of successful course completion (with $150 application fee if submitted after 30 days of the course end date).

16. Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS)
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS)
Eligibility requirements include:

Completion of the following courses:

Marketing and Communicating with the Aging in Place Client (CAPS I)

Design Concepts for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS II)

Details and Solutions for Livable Homes and Aging in Place (CAPS III)

Completion of online CAPS graduation application

Signed copy of CAPS code of ethics pledge

Submit application fee

17. Certified Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist
Certified AHCB Hippotherapy Specialist
Eligibility requirements include:

Licensed or certified OT, PT, SLP, or certified assistant

One year of full-time experience in practice

Taking AHA Level I and II courses

A minimum of 25 hours of one-on-one direct treatment in clinical practice using hippotherapy following Level II course

Experience/comfort working with horses

18. Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIST)
Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS)
Eligibility requirements include:

500 hours of currently verifiable direct contact experience with an individual or individuals with brain injury (through paid employment or academic internship; volunteer work does not count)

Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent

The class currently costs $300

19. Saebo Certified Therapist

Not familiar with Saebo? You can read more about Saebo on their website and can find the Saebo Certification course list here.

Saebo eligibility requirements include:

Licensed occupational or physical therapist or COTA/PTA

Have experience with fabricating and fitting splints/orthotics

Have experience with evaluation and treatment of neurological patients

Currently have an active caseload consisting of neurological patients that are appropriate for the Saebo program

20. Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
Eligibility requirements include:

Meet the discipline requirement (which includes licensed occupational therapists)

Obtain a minimum of 2 years professional practice experience after meeting the discipline requirement

Obtain 1,000 hours providing diabetes care and education within 4 years of applying

Take 15 hours of continuing education applicable to diabetes prior to taking the exam

________________

We hope this list gave you a few ideas to get started on increasing your credentials!

What other occupational therapy specialties or certifications would you add to this list? Please share in the comments below!
This post was originally published on May 11, 2018 and updated on February 8, 2021.

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20 Occupational Therapy Specialties to Advance Your Career - myotspot.com

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When you get your first job as a licensed occupational therapy practitioner, you usually aren't thinking about additional occupational therapy specialties right off the bat. Your primary focus is just trying to keep your head above water.

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Caregiver Training Series: Essential Tips for Being Good Caregiver | Occupational Therapist Explains

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Occupational Therapy in a Skilled Nursing Facility

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As an occupational therapy student, I remember being completely overwhelmed by all the different practice settings where an OT can work. In particular, I had trouble discerning between inpatient hospitals (also known as acute care hospitals) and acute rehab hospitals. In my head, I used those words interchangeably until I finally learned more detail behind each setting.

Therapists in these roles do have a lot of overlap simply because they are both hospital-based. An OT in an inpatient/acute care hospital will work with patients who have short lengths of stay due to acute health concerns.

As a result, therapists will usually work with a patient for 3-5 days (sometimes even less) before they are discharged to their home. Therapists working in acute care departments are very swift and to-the-point in the work they do with patients. Occupational therapy's role in acute care also includes:

Assessing Safety in Preparation for Discharge

Patients will either go to their home, short term rehab, or back to a long-term care facility where they reside. This means therapists will make recommendations for a patient's level of care upon discharge, including notifying other team members such as care coordinators and social workers of a major change in status due to the patient's hospitalization/medical concerns; therapists may recommend that patient have stand-by assist during ADLs, 24/7 care due to unsafe behaviors, or anything in between.

Resumption of Daily Activities

While OTs in this setting do not usually have enough time in the plan of care to focus on IADLs or leisure, they do help patients get started on returning to their previous level of functioning as it pertains to self-care and ADLs; this is crucial because patients will need this jump start on rehabilitation whether they are transferred to a short-term rehab facility before going home or they return directly to their home and begin home care or outpatient services.

Ordering Durable Medical Equipment (DME)

Some patients may not need much rehabilitation following short hospital stays, but a lot of people who are in the hospital for a brief period of time are those who recently had surgery or another medical procedure. As a result, they may need temporary assistance in the form of equipment such as 3-in-1 commodes, crutches, walkers, braces, orthoses, and more.

Other individuals, especially older adults, may experience a decline in overall health status due to an exacerbation of a chronic condition. In this case, such equipment may be more of a permanent accommodation.

Regardless of why (or how long) someone needs DME, such tools allow patients to remain as independent as possible while accommodating for their change in abilities. OTs in inpatient care settings do the foundational work early on to measure patients for this equipment and complete the relevant assessments to ensure they are a good fit.

Equipment is usually sent directly to the patient's home and therapists or caregivers can assist with assembling it and making adjustments there. However, it's crucial that therapists guarantee these tools are in the home before a patient gets there, since their release from the hospital is usually contingent on having a safe and accommodating place to return to.

Many of the job duties of an occupational therapist in acute rehabilitation are very similar to those associated with inpatient/acute care services. The main difference between these two settings is the length of time that patients are seen for. Most people in acute care are recommended to get a screening or evaluation to see if they may need occupational, physical, or speech therapy.

Sometimes they end up getting services and sometimes the screen shows they don't need it. If they end up qualifying for services based on a medical need, they will usually get services three to five times per week until they are discharged.

What About Acute Rehab?

In acute rehab, patients must be recommended for these services while in acute care, since acute rehab is far more intense than other OT services. Sometimes this takes place in a separate part of a hospital with one part being acute care and another portion other dedicated to acute rehabilitation. Patients might even be transferred to a separate facility altogether that is only for acute rehabilitation.

This is called an inpatient rehabilitation facility (or IRF). Either way, someone qualifies for acute rehabilitation by being able to tolerate at least three hours of daily therapy five days per week. If they show a lot of progress and motivation for improvement, the rest of the treatment team will recommend them for acute rehab.

While in this program, they must continually make progress in order to remain at this level of care. Otherwise, they may be discharged to another type of short-term rehab such as a skilled nursing facility.

Common Diagnoses OTs in Inpatient Settings Will See

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have a list of qualifying diagnoses that at least 60% of acute rehabilitation patients must have in order for the facility to receive reimbursement. There are thirteen diagnoses that include:

Congenital deformity

Stroke

Spinal cord injury

Brain injury

Amputation

Major multiple trauma (MMT)

Hip fracture

Burns

Some neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease

One of three types of arthritis that have not responded to outpatient therapy

Bilateral hip or knee replacements in patients with a BMI > 50 or those who are over 85 years old

Common Interventions for Inpatient OTs

As you can see, there is quite a big difference between the intensity of these two practice settings. But the good news is that there is not much delineation between the types of treatment they provide. Therapists in both inpatient care settings and acute rehabilitation settings both engage patients in treatments that address:

_______________

If you are interested in working in one or both of these practice settings, it's a great way to get a lot of experience with many diagnoses. Both of these inpatient settings see patients both old and young with chronic conditions and acute health issues, so you will be able to understand the impact that a variety of factors has on the rehabilitation process.

If you've shadowed or had a fieldwork rotation in one or both of these settings, what's your favorite part about an OT's role in inpatient? If you haven't had experience in acute care or inpatient rehabilitation settings, do you think you'd like working in one? Let us know in the comments!

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Occupational Therapy's Role in Inpatient Settings - myotspot.com

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As an occupational therapy student, I remember being completely overwhelmed by all the different practice settings where an OT can work. In particular, I had trouble discerning between inpatient hospitals (also known as acute care hospitals) and acute rehab hospitals. In my head, I used those words interchangeably until I finally learned more detail behind each setting.

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Academic failure.

Noncompliance.

Misbehavior.

All can indicate occupational therapy needs within the school setting (Case-Smith, 2002).

A student may not have the fine motor skills or hand strength to complete a writing task, and may fail the assignment. A student may focus so much on writing and copying the notes that they cannot attend to the content of the lesson.

A student may outright refuse to complete an assignment or act out in an attempt to escape or avoid the embarrassment of being unable to perform in the classroom, resulting in noncompliance and misbehavior.

This is when a school-based occupational therapist (OT) can create a turnaround in the classroom, and in this article, we review this therapy with some practical examples.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

What Is School-Based Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy does its best to match a child's ability to the demands presented in school.

OT intervention is critical for students with the difficulties mentioned above, mainly because "schools have the responsibility to contribute to the health and development of children in their care and because children have no choice but to spend a certain period of time each day at school" (Bundy et al., 2008, p. 523).

The role of OTs in a school setting is to equalize a student's abilities to the tasks required; however, the role of the OT has expanded to much more than fine motor skills such as handwriting and scissor skill work.

OTs may work with students with physical limitations, developmental delays, learning disorders, speech or language concerns, hearing or visual impairments, or behavior or emotional difficulties. OTs may work with students on self-regulation skills, attention to task, or sensory challenges.

An OT is part of a child's education team. For example, if a child qualifies for an individualized education plan under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, they may be eligible for occupational therapy services.

Sometimes, a certified occupational therapy assistant may support the OT and students by providing interventions prescribed by the OT.

School-Based OTs: A Job Description

The overall responsibility of a school-based OT is to furnish support and provide interventions for students to engage in school activities and achieve independence within the school setting (Campbell, 2019).

OTs first begin by assessing a student's fine and gross motor skills, visual perception, attention to task, and sensory processing. OTs may use common assessments, such as (Parham, Clark, Watling, & Schaaf, 2019; Rodger, 1994):

Motor-Free Visual Perception Test

Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2)

Visual-Motor Integration Test

Ayres's Clinical Observations

Revised Gesell Developmental Schedules

Sensory Processing Measure

Questionnaires, standardized assessments, and interviews are also used to determine if a student is eligible for OT services (Campbell, 2019).

If a student demonstrates a need for occupational therapy, the OT will collaborate with the student's team to recommend a plan and create goals. OTs deliver services within the school setting, including pull-out or push-in services.

Pull-out services require the OT to remove the student from the general education setting for one-on-one or small group instruction. In contrast, push-in services involve the OT's inclusion within the general education setting, where they deliver real-time feedback and accommodations and assist other students within the classroom.

Ongoing data collection is essential, as this determines students' progress toward goals and intervention success. Documentation in occupational therapy is the most critical skill, although it is often the most dreaded OT task (Sladyk, 1997).

The average caseload for an OT is approximately 44 students (Spencer, Turkett, Vaughan, & Koenig, 2006); therefore, it would be beneficial for an OT to be organized and efficient.

Patience is another helpful virtue for this profession.

Additionally, OTs need to collaborate with school staff members, parents, and students; therefore, good written and verbal communication skills would be required.

An undergraduate degree is needed to become a school-based OT; OTs may eventually want to pursue a master's degree to remain marketable and up to date with the latest interventions. Some areas require specific state certifications or licenses to practice occupational therapy.

School-based OTs may work in traditional brick-and-mortar school buildings or from a teletherapy setting for rural or difficult-to-staff school districts. Having students at various schools within a district or even multiple districts within a local education agency is typical.

6 Practical Examples of OT Goals

With the help of the school team and considering the needs stated in the initial assessments, OTs suggest precise goals that students should master to improve their functioning within the school setting. The OT and student address these goals during each session and track the progress made.

OT goals should be SMART+R, meaning they are specific, measurable, attainable, result oriented, timely, and include a reward. For help writing SMART+R goals, you can use our Setting SMART+R Goals worksheet.

There are countless formats to follow. Fusion is an excellent resource for various goal formats and additional examples. Here are some specific examples of OT goals in practice.

Fine motor skills

Samantha is a kindergartener who has demonstrated difficulty with the fine motor skill of cutting. She struggles to hold the scissors correctly.

Therefore, this goal is appropriate to help improve her ability to use scissors to cut simple shapes:

Samantha will cut simple shapes, such as squares and rectangles, out of paper with smooth edges in three of five trials with limited help and 50% verbal cues to promote hand-eye coordination.

Writing

Bryan is a second-grader whose handwriting is illegible. He also receives specialized academic instruction for reading because he continues to have difficulty recalling the sounds that letters make.

Bryan is able to copy letters that are on the same writing plane (i.e., a small whiteboard on his desk, but not the large whiteboard at the front of the room). He does his best to copy the letters; however, his letters do not consist of the straight lines required.

Here is an example of a goal for this student:

Given a model, Bryan will draw straight line capital letters three times in four out of five treatment sessions with no assist and 20% verbal cues for increased graphomotor skills while maintaining a tripod grasp.

Communication

Desiree is a sixth-grade student in the life skills class who is nonverbal. The ultimate goal for her will be communicating with her caregivers. To communicate, she will be continuing to practice her speech and will be learning sign language.

The following goal will help Desiree communicate:

With fading prompts, Desiree will use 10 signs, gestures, or word approximations to request, protest, greet, and answer yes/no questions during therapy sessions for 80% of opportunities in 4/5 consecutive sessions.

Sensory processing

During class, particularly circle time, Sharon exhibits difficulty remaining seated and participating with her peers. She may sometimes hit a peer who is making too much noise.

Sensory modulation skills are taught explicitly, and she is on a sensory diet (distracting sights, sounds, smells, etc. are avoided).

Sharon would benefit from the following goal:

Using sensory strategies, Sharon will show appropriate sensory modulation skills to sit and take part in circle time in the classroom without aggression toward peers in four out of five days of the week as measured by observational data.

Self-regulation

While waiting for the teacher in the hallway, Rylan sometimes loses his patience by irritating other students, making inappropriate noises, and running around in the hallway.

Rylan will attend occupational therapy sessions to help increase his stamina for standing in line.

The teacher is encouraged to provide frequent positive reinforcement in the classroom and will be able to provide verbal reminders while the class is waiting in the hallway.

Rylan will tolerate standing in line without tantrums or other poor behaviors with 50% verbal cues three out of five times as measured by behavioral data.

Self-care

Caydence is also in a life skills class and her individualized education program team wishes for her to be more independent in her self-care skills.

The team would first like to begin working on the tasks of brushing her hair and washing her face. She is able to grasp the hairbrush appropriately and can manipulate her hands to wash her face effectively with some assistance.

A task chart will be used to remind Caydence to perform these activities daily, with the following goals:

Given a task chart, Caydence will perform grooming tasks like brushing her hair and washing her face with 85% assistance and 40% verbal cues for increased functional independence in daily life.

Using Art Therapy in Schools

Occupational therapy is widely known as a profession that often uses creativity in its practice (Bathje, 2012).

To gain an understanding of some art-based activities that OTs might use in their practice, review our article on Art Therapy. To be clear, OTs are not art therapists; however, using some of the same strategies could enhance the practice of occupational therapy and attain functional goals.

Several benefits of Art Therapy include promoting personal change, development of identity, and self-awareness (Blomdahl, Gunnarsson, Guregård, & Björklund, 2013).

Further, Blomdahl et al. (2013) indicate that Art Therapy is valuable in a variety of clinical situations, including depression, which was mentioned as one of three major concerns for students.

Many OTs work with students who are on the autism spectrum. Students with an autism spectrum disorder may benefit from Art Therapy in introducing strategies for behavioral patterns, sensory issues, tactile awareness, auditory and olfactory sensitivity, emotional issues, motor skills, communication, social skills, and visual thinking (Alter-Muri, 2017).

A Look Into School-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Mental health continues to be a substantial area of need for many students, and OTs are on the front line in identifying and providing early intervention for these students.

Many students experience anxiety and depression and have difficulties with social relationships (Chan, Dennis, Kim, & Jankowski, 2017). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an effective intervention that could prevent the effects of anxiety, such as diminished academic functioning, peer problems, and other psychopathology (Chan et al., 2017; Haugland et al., 2020; Stallard et al., 2014).

CBT is an intervention used to challenge and change troublesome thoughts, behaviors, and emotions through a change in cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation.

In using CBT, an OT is practicing in a cognitive-behavioral frame of reference, meaning the therapist considers that thoughts, behaviors, emotion/mood, physiological responses, and the environment are all interrelated aspects of the human experience.

This paradigm is critical because a change in one of these areas could improve or deteriorate in another (Duncan, 2011). CBT techniques may include deep-breathing exercises for anxiety, systematic desensitization for phobias, and graded activity scheduling and diaries for chronic fatigue (Duncan, 2011).

The OT Dude offers several examples to help students identify irrational ideas, demonstrate the illogic, and replace those thoughts with more positive ideas.

Some of these strategies include:

Homework and journals

Role-play

Assertiveness training

Additional benefits and strategies of CBT can be found in our Benefits of CBT According to Science article. In addition, we provide several worksheets concerning CBT that may be of use below.

PositivePsychology.com's Useful Resources

When making use of CBT, OTs can fill out these worksheets to gain a better understanding of the student.

The ABC Functional Analysis Worksheet details the classic ABC technique to collect information on problematic behavior. An OT can use this worksheet for a student who demonstrates behavior concerns or refusals.

Our Case Formulation Worksheet guides professionals in the four CBT steps to identify the factors contributing to the problem: predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective.

An OT may want to refer to the Graded Exposure Worksheet in addressing fears or tactile aversions. Likewise, an OT may wish to use the Imagery-Based Exposure Worksheet to allow the student to self-evaluate using seven steps.

Social skills are crucial to child development, and many OTs work with students who struggle with social skills. You can refer to our resource on Social Skills Training for Kids to pad your toolkit.

Developed by the founders of PositivePsychology.com, Quenza is a client-tracking program that will give you everything you need to monitor student progress in real time so you can stay on top of your students' improvements and deliver even better occupational therapy outcomes.

This tool encompasses all therapy elements in one easy-to-use system. OTs can use the intake forms, assign homework exercises, assess with questionnaires, and evaluate with feedback forms. Using each of these components and easily converting the results into manageable notes would produce comprehensive records. Quenza offers a $1 trial.

17 Positive Psychology Exercises - If you're looking for more science-based ways to help others enhance their wellbeing, this signature collection contains 17 validated positive psychology tools for practitioners. Use them to help others flourish and thrive.

A Take-Home Message

Occupational therapists have the enormous task of helping a child fulfill their role as a student. OT-related issues that lead to academic trouble, such as illegible handwriting leading to poor grades, can derail a child's education and career prospects.

OTs can be the saving grace, from helping students write legible letters to maintaining self-control in sensory-rich situations.

No matter the goal, OTs use various methods, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Art Therapy, to assist children in achieving their goals, ultimately helping students to become more independent at school and learn to find their place in the world.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free.

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School-Based Occupational Therapy and Its Goals Explained

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Academic failure. Noncompliance. Misbehavior. All can indicate occupational therapy needs within the school setting (Case-Smith, 2002). A student may not have the fine motor skills or hand strength to complete a writing task, and may fail the assignment. A student may focus so much on writing and copying the notes that they cannot attend to the content of the lesson.

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A Day in the Life of an Acute Care OT with Ashley Hayward | OT Miri

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Occupational Therapist : Careers in Mental Health

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The Uncommon OT Series Podcast - Wholistic Transitions

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A Monthly Series hosted by Patricia Motus, OTR/L RYT where she features & applauds the unique work of Occupational Therapy Practitioners currently working in emerging & non traditional practice areas...settings where OT is Uncommon. Listen to an up-close and personal conversation, hear their

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ot in school based settings - Bing video

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What we did - and brought back - from St. Lucia.

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Learn about the incredible service-learning opportunity our students recently participated in.

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HPU OTD HNL_St Lucia Service Learning Content_07.2025

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HPU held its second annual Go-Baby-Go event on October 3, at the University's Graduate College of Health Sciences in Kaka'ako, Honolulu. In an interdisciplinary effort, HPU Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students collaborated with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and engineering students to customize six ride-on cars for six local children with disabilities, offering early independent mobility, play, and social participation.

HPU's OTD Honolulu program is Hawai'i's only occupational therapy doctoral program. It carefully integrates community-centered builds like Go-Baby-Go directly into the coursework, pairing students' pediatrics and assistive technology labs with hands-on service learning.

The second annual 'Go-Baby-Go' event was a wonderful success, where children had the chance to have fun and interact with their friends and siblings.

"We are so proud that this is our second year of hosting the Go-Baby-Go event at HPU," said HPU Professor of Occupational Therapy Patricia Coker-Bolt, Ph.D., OTR/L, FNAP, FAOTA, who coordinated the event. "It's been a wonderful collaboration between the HPU occupational therapy program, as well as our physical therapy students, and students and faculty from our engineering department."

"HPU purchased the ride-on cars and adapted them for children with various conditions or disabilities, giving them an opportunity for early mobility and a way for them to explore their environment. This year, we have six families. The children are receiving services from local clinics like Sprouts, Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, and Shriners Children's Hawai'i. Our occupational therapy program really promotes service learning, so our students are learning and giving back to our families and our community partners. It's also interprofessional; our engineering students make sure the cars are wired properly, and our occupational therapy and physical therapy students ensure the children fit safely with seatbelts and straps."

Engineering students and faculty focused on reliability and access.

"We took the foot pedal in the cars and rewired them to be controlled by a big red button," said HPU Assistant Professor of Engineering Patricia Young, Ph.D. "This is the second year our engineering students have been involved in this great event. We have engineering students across our electrical, biotechnology, and biomedical programs participating in the modification processes."

As the first test drives rolled down the lab hallway the impact was immediate. The Yoshiro family shared how they were feeling at the event with their son Kaden.

"The experience has been priceless so far. We never thought we would have the opportunity to do this with our son. We didn't think it was possible," the Yoshiros expressed. "This event is amazing, having it be accessible to Kaden. We have so much gratitude. It has succeeded our expectations. How much the students and faculty care about our son and other families is amazing. And seeing how they interact with our son has been amazing. As we have been preparing for the event, our son has been so happy. It has made our day, our week, our month."

For OTD students, the build connects the classroom to real life. "Go-Baby-Go helps children do the things they want to do in life," said first-year OTD student Mariah Borce. "Bringing together our pediatrics lab and assistive technology coursework to adapt cars means keiki (children) can play and interact with their friends and siblings, on their terms."

Founded at the University of Delaware by Professor Cole Galloway, Go-Baby-Go has grown into a global movement that adapts off-the-shelf cars with adaptive seating and switch-activation, so young children can explore their world on their own. Research indicates that early, self-directed mobility supports cognitive, social, and motor development, which in part is why HPU launched the build last year and continued it this fall.

HPU's Doctor of Occupational Therapy program in Honolulu is ACOTE-accredited, delivered in an accelerated two-year hybrid format, and features immersive on-site labs, interprofessional education with DPT and engineering, and rich community partnerships that reflect Hawai'i's culture and needs.

To learn more, go to www.hpu.edu/otd

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The 'Ohana | HPU's Occupational Therapy Program Hosts Second Annual 'Go-Baby-Go' Event

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HPU held its second annual Go-Baby-Go event on October 3, at the University's Graduate College of Health Sciences in Kaka'ako, Honolulu. In an interdisciplinary effort, HPU Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students collaborated with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and engineering students to customize six ride-on cars for six local children with disabilities, offering early independent mobility, play, and social participation.HPU's OTD Honolulu program is Hawai'i's only occupational therapy doctoral program.

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Schedule an Appointment - Military Campus Program Advisor

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Schedule an Appointment - Military Campus Program Advisor

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Military Campus Programs/Off-Campus Programs specializes in helping military service members, their families, Veterans, U.S. Department of Defense civilians, and other non-traditional students achieve their educational and professional goals. We provide an American education built on a liberal arts foundation recognizing the need for flexibility without sacrificing academic integrity. We use various traditional and distance learning course delivery methods to educate our students to live, work, and learn in an ever-changing global society.

Our 8-week semesters are perfect for adult learners who cannot make the commitment of a 15-week term.

Schedule an appointment

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HPU's Military Campus Programs offer on base education to service members, their families, Veterans, U.S Department of Defense civilians, and other non-traditional students. Our 8-week semesters are perfect for adult learners who cannot make the commitment of a 15-week term.

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We are Proud to be a Yellow Ribbon School

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Program Overview

For nearly 60 years, Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU) has supported our military service members, veterans, Department of Defense civilians and their families through our Military Campus Program (MCP).

Courses are offered on six of Oʻahu's military campuses, in downtown Honolulu, and completely online. Whether seeking an Associate, Bachelor or Graduate degree, service members like you have the opportunity to gain experience in high-demand fields such as Cybersecurity, Business, and Criminal Justice at HPU.

HPU's Military Campus Program advisors are here to help you achieve your professional and educational goals. Click here to schedule an on-base or virtual appointment.
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For nearly 60 years, Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU) has supported our military service members, veterans, Department of Defense civilians and their families through our Military Campus Program (MCP). Courses are offered on six of Oʻahu's military campuses, in downtown Honolulu, and completely online.

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HPU OTD HNL_Military Spouses Flyer_08.2025 (1)

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