Needs Assessment Part II Final

Running head: NEEDS ASSESSMENT PART II 1

Needs Assessment Part II

Gretchen Kempf Jenna Syverson & Justine Macready

The University of Scranton

NEEDS ASSESSMENT PART II 2

Introduction

Young adulthood is a period in which individuals are required to apply the skills they

have learned during their childhood and adolescence in order to be able to live self-sufficiently.

Young adults living with Down syndrome may not have the opportunity to use such skills due to

hospitalizations or other disruptions to typical functioning. According to Spencer, Emery, and

Scneck (2003), individuals with disabilities have lower rates of high school graduation,

employment, postsecondary education, and residential independence when compared to peers

without disabilities. By providing students with various real life learning opportunities, this

group will facilitate and encourage a successful transition to adulthood for its young adult

members, as research shows that youth who experience a successful transition process have

increased positive outcomes in work, relationships and independent living as adults (Bazyk &

Bazyk, 2009). This Life Skills for Young Adults program aims to meet the underserved needs of

students in transition who have been diagnosed with Down syndrome. It aims to provide a safe

and supportive environment in which young adults can learn, practice and utilize life skills that

may improve their occupational and social functioning.

Program Description

This group will address the following priority needs: 1) learning life skills that can be

generalized in a variety of settings, and 2) practicing learned skills within real social settings that

allow students to further develop through observation, self-regulation, and problem solving. The

group will allow for opportunities for students to develop further skills through observation, self-

regulation, and problem solving. It will focus on the planning of and participation in practical,

hands-on activities that will allow for skill development. Patients will be involved in the

selection, planning and carrying out of all activities to increase confidence, allow for self-


directed choices, and build independence. Activities will address skill areas necessary for

engagement in IADL such as leisure participation, social participation, financial management,

meal planning and preparation, employment interests and pursuits, as well as community

integration and mobility. As students engage in these activities, therapists will be able to identify

and remediate skills deficits. The activities will be graded according to individual skills levels,

which will for individualized progression and demonstration of client-centered care. By

providing occupation-based evaluation and intervention, occupational therapists offer a unique

role in transition services (Spencer, Emery & Schneck, 2003).

Program Goals

Goal setting and achievement is an important part of life skill application. Spending time

to establish long-term achievement goals prior to application will help members maintain

motivation to learn and progress. In order to meet the underserved need for life skills that can be

generalized in a variety of settings, students must meet three specific OT program goals: 1)

members will put together a weekly shopping list of items needed for school lunch to facilitate

independence in meal preparation 2) members will utilize organizational skills and financial

management skills to construct a personal spending diary 3) members will be able to identify and

state 4 vocational interests to potentially pursue upon completion of high school. In order to meet

the underserved need for practicing learned skills within real social settings that allows students

to further develop through observation, self-regulation, and problem solving, members must also

meet three more specific OT program goals: 1) members will participate in all community

outings throughout the academic school year to further develop skills in real social contexts 2)

members will successfully use public transportation (i.e. buy a metro card or bus ticket, navigate

bus schedule, etc.) at least twice on community outings with supervision by end of the second


marking period 3) members will demonstrate appropriate social skills when interacting with

public personnel (i.e. waitress, bank teller, cashier, etc.) when engaging in a community outing.

Meeting Program Goals

In order to meet the above goals the program will run for the entire school year and each

week the group will address a different area to increase each student's independent living skills.

Two occupational therapists will be the group leaders throughout the entire program. Each

program session will start with a discussion of the daily topic, followed by an interactive activity

that addresses this particular topic and requires group members to utilize learned skills. During

the initial session, the program rules and confidentiality will be explained along with the general

goals of the program. The members and group leaders will have a discussion of what life skills

are and why they are important. Each member will then be asked to state their wants and wishes

for the future. Throughout the school year, sessions will address financial skills (how to write a

check and balance a bank account, how to create a budget to organize bills and personal

expenses, and the consequences of not paying bills on time), home management skills (cooking a

basic mean, laundry logistics, washing dishes and cleaning up, and basic organizational skills),

communication and social skills (how to interact with people from varying socioeconomic

groups, education levels, skill sets and age ranges, public speaking, appropriate behavior and the

importance of body language and how to utilize the internet in different situations), and coping

with stress and emotions (stress management worksheet, strategies to deal with stress, how to

channel emotions and anger/frustration tolerance). Life Skills for Young Adults will provide pre

vocational activities to help students develop appropriate social skills and habits needed for

successful work performance later in life. In order to meet the requirements of daily activities in

various environments after high school, it is crucial that students receive adequate transition


planning and services, especially because adults with disabilities do not qualify for services

beyond 21 years of age (AOTA, 1998).

Program Logistics

Life Skills for Young Adults will consist of no more than 10 members who are high

school students in transition and diagnosed with Down syndrome with an IQ of 50 or higher. The

group will meet five times a week for forty-eight minutes during sixth period from 12:07 pm to

12:55 pm and will run for the entire school year. Group will be held in a home economics

classroom equipped with a bathroom, large tables and chairs, and a kitchen area that includes a

stove, refrigerator, sink, and microwave. Members will be recruited through teacher, parent, or

principal referrals. Group rules and confidentiality will be explained, and the group leader will

inform the members that if confidentiality is not respected, group membership will be prohibited.

Potential members will be informed of the possible benefits of the program and what to expect

from it. Members will also be encouraged to share and discuss any questions or concerns they

may have regarding the program. Members will be seated at a large circular table, each member

facing one another. The group leaders will initiate introductions and check-ins at the start of each

session. The group leaders must be familiar with the adolescent population, Down syndrome,

developmental disabilities, learning disabilities and transition requirements under IDEA. Two

certified OT/Rs will work in collaboration with one another and will be responsible for

fabricating treatment plans, facilitating groups, and working individually with the students as

needed.

In order to ensure our clients are receiving the highest quality of care, it is essential to

have OT staff available to deliver services on every scheduled day. Therefore, two licensed and

registered occupational therapists (OT/R) will be hired for full time staff positions. The


occupational therapists must have successfully completed and graduated from an accredited OT

professional program recognized by AOTA, and have completed all fieldwork requirements.

Two years of experience as an occupational therapist, preferably in the school system or other

pediatric practice setting are recommended. In addition to having an initial certification by the

National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), therapists must also obtain

a license issued by the state of Pennsylvania in order to practice in PA schools. Since a Certified

Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) requires supervision from an OT/R in order to facilitate

groups, we deemed it necessary to have two OT/R’s on staff to carry out services, on the

occasion that one OT/R is unable to work one day.

Professional development and competency are essential qualities for therapists to

demonstrate in order to achieve best practice. Three performance indicators for therapists

running this life skills program will include: 1) displaying professional behavior by presenting

oneself in a manner accepted by colleagues and employers, 2) cooperating effectively with co-

workers, students, and families and show initiative in an energetic, positive, and motivated

manner, 3) demonstrating clinical reasoning and an understanding and appreciation for evidence-

based practice.

The budget for Life Skills for Young Adults will include a variety of items and materials

to assist students in the completion of skill building activities and providing students with a

supportive learning environment. Items that must be accounted for in the program budget are as

follows: a large round table, square tables, chairs, school/craft supplies, iHome, iPod, room

decor, paper towel dispenser, soap dispenser, hand sanitizer dispenser, computers and

accessories, cooking equipment, money management materials, community outing funds, and

staff salaries. A more detailed description of the program budget can be found by referring to


Appendix B. This Appendix displays a specific listing of all of the materials we will utilize in the

program. We created this budget as if all materials and equipment were not already supplied

within the Home Economics room where our program will be held. However, it can be assumed

that the school will have funded and provided a number of the items included in this list, such as

tables, chairs, kitchen equipment, white board, etc.

Program Implementation

Community resources available to assist students in reaching program goals will include

after school tutors. These tutoring programs can help students stay on top of their academic

work-load as well as provide social interaction outside of school. This social interaction will help

to further develop and utilize self-regulating skills learned in the classroom. Local support

groups for family members caring for children with Down syndrome may also be of assistance in

educating parents on how to identify skill deficits their children may display, and showing them

how to address them at home outside of the school setting. School buses will assist parents in

getting children to school in order to participate in the program. Riding the bus independently

will instill a sense of responsibility and time management for students and provide an additional

social setting to practice learned skills in.

Students will be encouraged to explore community resources and practice skills both in

and out of the program. Activities focused on learning more about community resources through

computer searches, phone calls and use of the home economics room will culminate in regularly-

scheduled outings that will take place outside of group time. This will facilitate an understanding

and awareness of skills and knowledge of accessible community resources. School

administrators, teachers, aides, parents and therapists are all potential allies and referral sources

for this program. The OT/R collaborates regularly with the school-based team to achieve student


outcomes. The OT/R is expected to independently review outcomes and modify intervention

programs. The OT/R educates student, educational personnel, and family to facilitate increased

understanding of the student’s occupational performance.

Other services that are necessary to fulfill the needs of this population include a

counselor. Counseling services may be more beneficial to caregivers of a student with Down

syndrome but will also help the students themselves to express frustrations in a healthy manner.

This will also help build a healthy support system for the student. A school aide can be utilized

within academic classes to assist the student with any tasks that may be too difficult, and to help

students follow their class schedules correctly (i.e. making it to class on time, finding the right

classroom). Other services that we will have to consult outside of the school setting are the

managers/staff of the locations where we plan to go for our community outings. We will want to

call ahead of time to ensure that the particular facility we wish to go to is welcoming and

accepting of our group, and is willing to accommodate our students’ needs. We will also want to

obtain information about the facility make sure that it is an appropriate environment for our

students to practice learned skills without feeling too nervous, overwhelmed, or frustrated.

Potential Barriers

Potential barriers to this program may be the lack of time provided for each session. A

program that takes place during school hours must follow a typical school schedule to ensure that

students can attend all of their required classes. 50-minute sessions may not be a substantial

amount of time to complete a challenging activity, so some aspects of the task may have to be

rushed. After completing our literature review, we found that there is currently limited research

on transition programs in school systems that help individuals with developmental and

intellectual disabilities successfully engage in meaningful occupations and prepare them with life


skills they will need once they finish high school (Dunn, 1988; Spencer, 2001). We were able to

recognize the vital need for syndrome-specific programs to be implemented in schools in order to

identify the strengths and deficits, and address the needs of this specific population of students.

Therefore, although there doesn’t seem to be any significant competing programs for students

with Down syndrome specifically, ensuring that we have the adequate funding for the program

as well as therapists with experience working with this population may present as a potential

challenge. In addition, monthly community outings may not always be feasible, as they may

place increased financial demands on the school program and may not work with the students’

after school schedules.

Likelihood of Success

This program is likely to succeed because of the syndrome-specific emphasis placed on

the curriculum. It also provides students the opportunity to not only learn new and essential life

skills, but allows them to practice them in a variety of settings. This carryover of skills from

setting to setting provided through community outings and in class activities will enhance a

student’s ability to recall specific life skills and utilize them appropriately outside of the

classroom. After discussing transition programs with key informant Jack Kirby, it is apparent

that schools have taken steps to better suits the needs of those with intellectual and

developmental disabilities but there is still room for improvement. Life Skills for Young Adults

is a program that will assist in meeting the underserved needs of students with Down syndrome

by providing them with an appropriate educational curriculum and catering to the needs of their

specific syndrome. A syndrome-specific transition program allows students to focus only on the

areas in which they are experiencing deficits, rather than a generalized program that may address

areas that these students do not particularly need to work on. Additionally, incorporating the


program into a regular school day allows students to gain essential experiences that their same-

aged, typically developing peers do. In sum, the likelihood of success for this program has great

potential despite the minor barriers mentioned above that may hinder program development.


References

American Occupational Therapy Association. (1998). occupational therapy for individuals with

learning disabilities! (Statement). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52(10),

874-880.

Bazyk, S., & Bazyk, J. (2009). The meaning of occupation-based groups for low-income urban

youths attending after-school care. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63,

69–80

Kielhofner, G. (2009). Conceptual foundations of occupational therapy (4th ed.). Philadelphia:

F.A. Davis.

Spencer, J. E., Emery, L. J., & Schneck, C. M. (2003). Occupational therapy in transitioning

adolescents to post-secondary activities. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57,

435–441.

Needs Assessment Part II Final

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