Occupational therapy assessment
- Consider an assessment by an Occupational Therapist to determine if the youth has any sensory processing difficulties with the senses of tactile, sight, hearing, taste, smell, proprioception, vestibular, and especially any difficulties with interoception. Interoception is the sense that provides individuals with the information about how their body is feeling internally.
- Occupational therapy assessments are helpful to guide effective treatment recommendations for the home, school, and community environment and can determine if a sensory diet would be helpful in reducing distress. A sensory diet is a set of individualized and specific activities to help an individual regulate their sensory responses, attention, activity levels, etc.
Occupational Therapy Resources
This fact sheet provides brief suggestions for OT’s to help prevent further trauma during occupational therapy treatment and assessment. Additional resources are shared as well.
This blog describes the useful technique called therapeutic use of self that helps OT’s be aware of themselves, using their own personalities, and interpersonal skills in order to engage clients, build trust, and illicit a better outcome.
Interoception Resources
Provides guidance on use of evidence-based supports that facilitate discovery and validation of each person’s unique interoception experience which in turn empowers people with self-understanding, self-regulation, health, well-being and social connection.
Designed for those who support, instruct, work with, or live with someone with autism, the Autism Internet Modules (AIM) guide users through case studies, instructional videos, pre- and post-assessments, discussion questions, activities, and more.
OCALI’s Lending Library creates, collects, and shares an extensive collection of free books, videos, assistive technology devices, assessment tools, and other resources that are available to Ohioans to borrow at no charge.
Free reading resources for families and professionals who want to enhance their understanding of autism spectrum disorder and how to support individuals with ASD through the use of book studies. Listed books can be borrowed from the OCALI lending library.
The purpose of this paper is to present a framework of emotion regulation that highlights the integrative role of interoceptive awareness and ability.
he SPIRAL foundation offers educational programs and materials to increase understanding and acceptance of sensory integration and sensory processing differences.
Functional behavioral analysis
- Consider the need to complete a Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA) conducted by a person certified in adaptive behavior analysis.
- FBA’s can help identify what factors support behaviors and determine the purpose of the behavior. Children with complex needs (i.e., a combination of developmental disability, sensory differences, cognitive challenges, social competence challenges, trauma, etc.) can present confusing and challenging behaviors. Conducting an FBA by looking at factors and underlying issues that may trigger or reinforce the challenging behaviors and the responses to consequences (Antecedent, Behavior Consequence) will support the team with developing an appropriate intervention plan. Without identifying the root causes of the behaviors, interventions may be selected that do not meet the needs of the child.
Functional Skills Assessment
The Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems (ALSUP) aids caregivers in identifying a child’s lagging skills and unsolved problems in actionable and productive ways, rather than labeling behaviors as ‘attention-seeking’, manipulative or the like.
Autism SPectrum Disorder Resources
The Underlying Characteristics Checklist (UCC) and Individual Skills and Strengths Inventory (ISS) were developed as components of the Ziggurat Model. The UCC is an informal, non-standardized assessment tool designed to identify characteristics across a number of domains associated with ASD. The ISS is a tool for individuals to identify and catalog their skills, knowledge, and strengths, which can be used for career development, personal growth, and even organizational planning. It helps individuals understand their capabilities and potential areas for improvement.
Trauma-informed psychological assessment
- Consider completing a trauma-informed psychological assessment to confirm the youth’s current diagnoses and to determine if the youth’s symptoms are due to past traumas, sensory deficits, current diagnoses, and/or difficulties with communication skills. This assessment is important in determining appropriate recommendations in the home, community, and school environment.
Trauma-Informed Care Resources
The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) collaborate on the statewide Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Initiative intended to promote a greater sense of safety, security, and equality among consumers/clients.
Mary Vicario, LPCC-S is the Founder of Finding Hope Consulting and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor, Certified Trauma Specialist who holds a Certificate in Traumatic Studies from Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute.
Is it ADHD or Child Traumatic Stress? A Guide for Clinicians
This fact sheet provides questions that a parent/care-giver or team member might pose to ensure that their Occupational Therapist uses a trauma informed lens.
General evaluation/ assessment resources
Adaptive Behavior Assessment System Third Edition (ABAS-3) gives a complete picture of adaptive skills across the lifespan. It is particularly useful for evaluating those with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, neuropsychological disorders, and sensory or physical impairments.
Recent SOC ECHO didactic sessions that provided information on evaluation and assessments are available to view on YouTube. These short videos offer information and many strategies:
Chris Filler - Intro to FBA and BSP
For review of medication history and possible medication adjustments.
Email an ACCESS Ohio CCOE Intake Cordinator | Phone: (937) 641-8554
The ASUP (Assessment of Skills and Unsolved Problems) is a discussion guide created to assist caregivers in identifying a child’s lagging skills and unsolved problems. Rather than viewing a child’s difficulties as attention-seeking, manipulative, coercive, unmotivated, lazy, or limit testing, lagging skills provide more accurate, productive, actionable lenses. (Accompanies the books The Explosive Child and Lost at School by Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.)
An educational resource for coordinated, family-centric behavioral health care. Developed for both health providers and families to better understand the unique challenges associated with a child’s specific diagnosis and managing symptoms.
Identifying Enjoyable Activities that Align with Youth Interests
This website provides an easy way to find detailed listings for mental health professionals.
Charlie Health offers immediate access and flexible scheduling so that people in crisis can find the treatment they need. This virtual intensive outpatient program treats mental health, substance use disorders, and eating disorders.
Developmental Disability Assessment Resources
The CFED is a screening tool used to evaluate basic eligibility criteria based on the definition of developmental disability.
Designed for those who support, instruct, work with, or live with someone with autism, the Autism Internet Modules (AIM) guide users through case studies, instructional videos, pre- and post-assessments, discussion questions, activities, and more. The user is required to create a free account in order to access the modules.
OhioRISE is a specialized managed care program for youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs ages 0-20 who are eligible for Ohio Medicaid.
The Ziggurat Group provides comprehensive autism evaluation and intervention services for children and adults. The Ziggurat Model is recommended as a process and framework for designing individualized, comprehensive intervention plans for children with autism.
The Ziggurat Model book can be borrowed from the OCALI library. The library can be accessed by anyone in Ohio free of charge. Materials can be checked out online and shipped free of charge.
OCALI Lending LibraryFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
Resources and training designed to increase awareness of the impact of alcohol-exposed pregnancies and establish resources, coordinate interventions, and diagnostic services for families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
Resources related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) to raise awareness of individuals with an FASD, promote screening for prenatal exposure to alcohol and encourage referral for diagnostic evaluations for an FASD.
This video provides helpful information on FASD. It is presented by The Change Starts Here Collaborative, CEO Aubrey Page.
This webinar, hosted by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health highlights the symptoms, red flags, and importance of screening for FASD.
This organization provides diagnostic, treatment, and support resources, explains how alcohol interferes with healthy prenatal development, and locates high quality treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) through the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator.
Substance Use Disorder Assessment Resources
The CRAFFT is a health screening tool designed to identify substance use, substance-related riding/driving risk, and substance use disorder among youth ages 12-21. It has been implemented as part of universal screening efforts in thousands of busy medical and community health settings, as it yields information that can serve as the basis for early intervention and patient-centered counseling.
The ASAM is organized by arranging biopsychosocial assessment information into six dimensions that assist in individual need identification as well interactive complexity recognition. An ASAM assessment is appropriate even when a full diagnosis for Substance Use Disorder is not suspected.