Following Up: Occupational Therapist Shortage
Last week when Mayor de Blasio was on the show, a caller named Nicole asked him about the shortage of occupational therapists in New York City schools. The mayor couldn't completely answer Nicole’s question, so we decided to follow on her behalf and for the other parents of autistic kids.
Kristie Koenig, associate professor of Occupational Therapy at New York University and principal investigator of the NYU Steinhardt's ASD Nest Program, an inclusive program for children and adolescents with autism in the New York City Department of Education, explains why more kids are getting occupational therapy, shortages in New York City schools, different models of serving children with disabilities and more.
On the shortages in schools, Koenig says therapists in schools often feel professionally isolated, and fear they won't be able to properly serve the very high case loads.Â
We reached out to the Department of Education, and a spokesperson told us that yes, there is a nationwide shortage of occupational therapists, but the city is offering incentives like loan forgiveness programs to recruit more of them to work in underserved areas.Â
.@nyusteinhardt prof @Kpk3P (Kristie Koenig) in the studio discussing the occupational therapist shortage: pic.twitter.com/22DKCLze3y
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) January 20, 2016
