Related Services
A full range of therapeutic services including speech, occupational and physical therapy are provided at Mercer County Special Services School District. Certified school social workers and school psychologists provide individual and group counseling. All related services are provided in accordance with the student's IEP. Therapists work collaboratively with each other and the classroom teacher to fully integrate and support student needs. Two certified school nurses provide nursing and health services in each building. In addition to routine care of children, our nurses may participate in IEP meetings, assist in feeding program reviews, conduct vision and hearing screenings, and maintain close contact with parents and teachers.
Counseling
Counseling is provided in an individual or small group setting. The school social worker, school psychologist or substance awareness coordinator provides this service to our students. Counseling services are provided to students in need of help for substance abuse, mental health, and behavioral issues which may interfere with the student’s ability to learn.
Occupational Therapy
The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable students to enhance their ability to participate in school activities or, by modifying the environment, to better support participation. In addition to individual and group sessions, the occupational therapists run a small workshop in which they train students in various job-related skills, such as filing, sorting, collating and assembly tasks. The occupational therapists address daily living skills to better enable students to function in school, at home, and in the community.
Physical Therapy
The purpose of physical therapy within the school setting is to optimize the student’s ability to function in the least restrictive environment and to identify and maximize quality of life and movement potential for each student with respect to their current school needs and post-graduation/transition goals. Therapists perform classroom and/or vocational ergonomics assessments and handle the evaluation, adjustment, and maintenance of the assistive/adaptive equipment. Therapists work with our students on safety awareness and health/wellness promotion.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is provided to students according to the needs identified in the IEP. Receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language skills are addressed in various settings throughout the school day. Speech and language specialists incorporate the use of augmentative communication systems and assistive technology for those students requiring an alternative mode of communication. Therapy is often integrated during functional, social, vocational, daily living and classroom activities in order to facilitate generalization of skills.
Director
Tammy Lascar
609-631-2108