Caseload to workload

A workload model is an effective way to approach school-based occupational therapy services. A workload model helps practitioners to balance direct service provision with other job-related responsibilities.

Review these considerations for moving from a caseload to a workload model.

A caseload usually refers to the number of children seen by occupational therapy in special education as part of an individualized education plan (IEP). A workload encompasses all the work activities you perform that benefit students directly and indirectly, including activities directed toward groups of students, whole classrooms, or school-wide populations.

Below are tips for you to consider if you would like to adopt a workload approach.

• Complete a time study over a specified period (e.g., 1 week, 3 weeks, 1 month) to establish your work patterns.
  • Divide your daily work schedule into 15-minute intervals.
  • Track work tasks you perform during each interval. Some common tasks include intervention, documentation, evaluation, IEP development, meetings, consultation, data collection, family communication, case management, advocacy, research, and support for school-wide activities.
• Determine how much time you spend completing each type of work task on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
• Reflect on the time you spend doing each type of work task and identify barriers as well as strategies to increase efficiency (e.g., performing evaluations on a specified day, grouping students with similar goals).
• Discuss your time study data with your supervisor and advocate for the workload model.
  • Discuss the benefits of using the workload model.
  • Describe ways occupational therapy can benefit students without an IEP (e.g., universal design, prevention and promotion strategies, addressing participation in cafeteria and school playground environments).
  • Provide examples of previous collaborations with educators and how they benefited students.

Resource

AJOT Article: Caseload and workload: Current trends in school-based practice across the United States (Member Only)