State of Maryland

An Occupational Therapist Supervisor is the supervisory level of work at Maryland Department of Health (MDH) designated Court Involved (CI) Facilities providing occupational therapy treatments to mentally ill, aged, physically ill, or physically disabled patients, or developmentally disabled clients of State inpatient, residential or vocational rehabilitation facilities, or community-based programs in clinics, schools or home settings.  Employees in this classification are responsible for the assessment, planning and implementation of clients’/patients’ occupational therapy treatment.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants and may supervise other support staff.              

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Therapy Services Manager or other licensed health administrator.  Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions and may be required to lift and move clients/patients and equipment.  Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent and aggressive behavior.  

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of a class specification.

The Occupational Therapist Supervisor is differentiated from the Occupational Therapist III Lead in that the Occupational Therapist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Occupational Therapists while the Occupational Therapist III Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Occupational Therapists.  The Occupational Therapist Supervisor is differentiated from the Occupational Therapist III Advanced in that the Occupational Therapist III Advanced functions as the sole Occupational Therapist responsible for providing all occupational therapy services in a State facility or local Health Department in a State facility or local Health Department.  The Occupational Therapist Supervisor is differentiated from the Therapy Services Manager in that the Therapy Services Manager is responsible for managing at least two therapeutic services programs for an entire facility.

Plans, coordinates, supervises and evaluates the work of Occupational Therapists; Trains lower-level Occupational Therapists;

Develops the policies and procedures for the administrative and clinical functions of occupational therapy programs for a State facility or local health department;

Prepares and monitors the occupational therapy program budget;

Collects all necessary data in order to develop treatment plans for patients/clients with unusual needs;

Determines additional training, education, literature and resources needed for facility and community-based staff in the area of occupational therapy;

Plans, develops, implements and evaluates occupational therapy treatments for patients/clients;

Instructs individuals or groups in specific skill development, such as social interaction, sensorimotor functions, basic tasks, grooming and hygiene, and independent daily living skills;

Studies, observes and records the reactions and progress of clients/patients;

Evaluates assigned clients/patients in order to determine appropriate treatment or suitability of treatment program;

Develops and provides clinical training of Occupational Therapy students;

Assesses the functional level of patients/clients;

Develops and modifies occupational therapy programs based upon the needs of patients/clients;

Fits and instructs patients/clients in the use of orthotic and prosthetic devices;

Orders equipment and supplies;

Completes evaluation, progress and statistical reports concerning patients/clients;

Provides and instructs patients/clients in the use of adaptive devices and compensation techniques;

May be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent aggressive behavior;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of occupational therapy;

Knowledge of human behavioral norms;

Knowledge of student training principles and techniques;

Knowledge of psychiatric and physical illness;

Knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and kinesiology;

Knowledge of medications and their side effects;

Knowledge of diseases and disabilities and their etiology, pathology, complications and prognosis;

Knowledge of medical, surgical, psychological and educational procedures used in the occupational therapy treatment of patients/clients;

Skill in recognizing changes in patient/clients;

Skill in motivating patients/clients;

Skill in fitting orthotic and prosthetic devices and adapting equipment to the specific need of the patients/clients;

Skill in planning, organizing and directing occupational therapy treatments;

Skill in instructing students; Skill in preparing and maintaining reports;

Skill in communicating effectively with patients, clients, staff, students, volunteers and the public;

Ability to plan, coordinate, supervise and evaluate the work of Occupational Therapists and other health professionals, students and support staff;

Ability to prepare and monitor a program budget.

Education:   Determined by the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice under the licensing requirements for Occupational Therapists.

Experience: Four years of experience as an Occupational Therapist.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Occupational Therapy for two years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Therapy classifications or Therapy specialty codes in the Occupation Therapy field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess a current license as an Occupational Therapist from the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, Spring Grove Hospital Center, 55 Wade Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21228.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete and maintain current certification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.

3. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.