PIP System (SUNY Orange)

2021 - 2022 Occupational Therapy Plan

A general statement (narrative) about what the department wants to accomplish.

Last updated on: 12/04/2020 7:35 am by Donna Frazier

Shrink Box

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Faculty, Staff and Students look forward to creative growth and potential exciting proposed changes for AY 2021/2022.  Some of these growth opportunities include learning service collaborations; college wide and community based collaborations; and  possibly revisiting the development of an off cycle weekend/distance learning OTA program on the Newburgh Campus. We will continue to collaborate with the New York State Occupational Therapy Association to have  increased professional development and continuing education offerings in partnership with the New York State Occupational Therapy Association.

A significant component of the OTA Program is the emphasis on applied learning through ‘community connections service-learning' projects, which has been a challenge this past year due to COVID, however I am optimistic we will continue again soon. This essential component of our program incorporates collaborations with college programs and services, e.g., Office for Accessibility Services, Lab School, BRIDGES, PTA Architecture and Engineering.  We look forward to  inter departmental collaborations and projects.

We have implemented the new ACOTE standards in July 2020, we will continue to tweak and tune as we go along, We did get final approval for our OTA skills lab course that will begin in Fall 2021, with this comes some technology requests upgrades in our lab.

The SUNY Orange Center for Assistive and Rehab Technology (CART), a sister program housed within the OTA Department, offers a wealth of resources, assessments, and adaptive equipment demonstrations for students within the college community as well as community members across the developmental lifespan.  We would like to expand the CART and reorganize the equipment so it is more user friendly.

In conclusion, the OTA faculty look forward to move the program forward and keep up with the ever changing health care demands in our communities. Our program is a vital part of our community through all of our community connections programs.

All of the aforementioned contribute not only to our excitement as a Department team, but to the overall contribution to the College's Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan to serve our students and community in diverse and essential areas.

Plan revisions:

Department Goals

Specific things the department wishes to achieve or accomplish this academic year.

# Department Goal
1 1. To obtain funding to purchase additional equipment for the OTA ‘model’ apartment for training and skills practice.
2 2. Continue to research Electronic Documentation System (EMR) that can be used for teaching.
3 3. Work with Advisement Admissions departments to enhance the Admissions process for entrance into the OTA Program.
4 4. To increase the number of traditional and non-traditional Field sites that include psychosocial component to maintain compliance with new revised 2020 ACOTE standard changes.
5 5. To have a designated classroom for clinical instruction that has the technology needed to teach and socially distance.
6 6. To have a larger lab space for lab hours and teaching labs. The current space is limited and does not have adequate space for teaching.
7 7. Hire a tenure track Faculty Full time instructor
8 8. To research updated texts for a few of the classes, explore if OER is an option for any classes.
9 9. To explore the feasability and gather data for weekend/evening OTA program at the Newburgh campus.

Initiatives

Projects or processes that would assist you in achieving one or more of your goals this academic year.

Initiative Title Importance  
ACOTE Accreditation Standard Requirement Full time Faculty Requested High
Actions
To increase the number of traditional and non-traditional Field sites that include psychosocial component to maintain compliance with new revised 2020 ACOTE standard changes High
Actions
To research the EXXAT Comprenhensive program to manage clinical fieldwork sites and scheduling High
Actions
Technology upgrade to OTA Lab BT 204 Low
Actions