Occupational Therapist

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Low Vision Occupational Therapist (OT)

REPORTS TO: Director Independent Living Services

STATUS: Full Time, Exempt

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Specialist II

UNION ELIGIBLE: Yes

WORK ARRANGEMENT: Hybrid, 3 days/week in-person, servicing the Greater

Bay Area

LOCATION: Santa Rosa, CA

SALARY RANGE: $72,905.20-$104,005

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open Until Filled

*Blind/visually impaired strongly encouraged to apply.

*Please note the terms and conditions of this position may be subject to change, once a Union Collective Bargaining Agreement is in place.

Founded in San Francisco in 1902, the LightHouse's vision is a world where blind and low vision people flourish, and its mission is to promote independence, community, and equity created by and with blind and low vision people.

• Blindness Positivity: We take pride in our ability to navigate our lives as blind and low vision people.
• Disability Justice: We recognize the inherent worth of every person and commit to advancing equity and interdependency.
• Inclusion: We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to belong and live to their full potential, encompassing their identities, backgrounds, and abilities.
• Excellence: We provide the highest-quality services and products, and we continuously learn, improve, and innovate.
• Empowerment: We encourage self-determination, independence, and autonomy.
• Compassion: We make efforts to understand one another, and we treat every person with dignity and respect.

The Low Vision Occupational Therapist (LVOT), provides in-person and virtual low vision training with clients (youth to older adults) from LightHouse Headquarters in San Francisco, within LightHouse sites, academic/work sites and home. The Low Vision Occupational Therapy assessment focuses on the functional challenges experienced by the client due to their vision condition and other concomitant health conditions. The training goals of the service are to work with the client in the use of living skill strategies, low vision tools, optical devices, lighting and environmental enhancements, providing the client opportunities for maximizing functional vision to complete daily activities in home, academics and employment. While the low vision occupational therapist emphasizes training the client to use vision efficiently and effectively, the LVOT will also ensure clients are educated in blind skills that may enhance such efficiencies, safety and independence. Low Vision Occupational Therapy assessment and training services are supported by medical billing, fee for service and grant funding.

• Graduate of an accredited Occupational Therapy program
• CA State occupational therapy licensure or eligibility for CA licensure.
• Three (3) years of community/clinical working experience with low vision/blind persons;
• Low Vision Therapist certification required (CLVT or SCLV), or proof of participation in Low Vision Rehabilitation certification program to be received within 6 months of employment.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with the medical community regarding LVOT services required.
• Experience in working with Medicare, Medi-Cal or other third-party billing entities and their requirements for documentation is essential.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification required.
• Strong computer and database experience essential.
• Preference given to candidates with experience in working with people who are visually impaired; bilingual (Spanish/English).
• Ability to travel throughout the LightHouse service area (private vehicle or public transit)

• Conduct occupational therapy evaluations for clients with low vision.
• Develop goal-oriented plan of care and provide intervention in daily living skills, the use of assistive devices and other relevant rehabilitation activities.
• Collaborate and work with U.C. Berkeley Low Vision team and community ophthalmologists and optometrists regarding referrals and providing information about low vision occupational therapy.
• Provide individualized lighting recommendations based on the client's varied needs for increased safety and independence in home, school, or work environments.
• Conduct electronic video magnification assessment and training.
• Grow and maintain electronic video magnification training and loan program.
• Provide training on adapted equipment and magnification devices to achieve client goals based on Low Vision optometry or ophthalmology prescriptions.
• Provide visual skills assessment and training to maximize client's efficient use of their available functional vision.
• Provide individualized task or environmental modification recommendations and training to improve function with appropriate adaptive devices.
• Promote a healthy and satisfying lifestyle ensuring clients actively engage in their desired occupations, including but not limited to activities of daily living skills and leisure and social participation activities
• Collaboration with LightHouse training staff (Orientation and Mobility, Independent Living and Access Technology) to ensure all supportive training services are incorporated into client recommendations for developing blind and low vision skills.
• Educates clients on Lighthouse programs and services.
• Actively participate in CEUs to maintain CA state licensure in addition to CLVT or SCLV certification and to update professional knowledge.
• Timely documentation and client record management.
• Ensuring all documentation, record management and billing comply with Medicare and other third-party billing standards.
• Billing preparation to LightHouse Medical Billing Contractors.
• Ensure entry of all student service data into Salesforce and other relevant systems within 5 days of service date.
• Submit monthly reporting, billing, and reimbursements accurately and timely by the 5th business day of preceding month.
• Willingness to perform other related duties as assigned.

• Physical stamina and the ability to work indoors and outdoors.
• Ability to frequently carry and/or transport 25lbs, up to 50lbs on an occasional basis with the assistance of another person as needed
• Sit/Stand at a desk and perform computer-intensive work for long periods of time, as needed.
• Operate standard office equipment

• Ability to independently travel to all LightHouse physical locations and events, as well as throughout Northern California up to Eureka, to provide services as needed.

LightHouse is an equal opportunity employer. LightHouse policy and the law prohibit discrimination and harassment based on an individual's race, ancestry, religion or religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, age (40 and over), sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin (including language use restrictions), marital status, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS), military or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions, denial of Family and Medical Care leave, height and weight, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. Our policy and the law prohibit co-workers, third parties, supervisors, and managers from engaging in such conduct.

LightHouse personnel are employed on an at-will basis. Employment at-will means that the employment relationship may be terminated, with or without cause and with or without advance notice at any time by the employee or the Agency.

We strive to maintain a scent-free environment and a drug-free workplace. Employees are expected to behave in accordance with these objectives.

All employees at LightHouse are hired for an indefinite and unspecified duration and consequently, no employee is guaranteed employment for a specified length of time. Employment is at the mutual consent of the employee and LightHouse. Accordingly, either the employee or LightHouse can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause ("employment at will").

Please submit a resume as a Word attachments (no PDF's please), along with the completed employment application (can be found on the intro of our career page - downloads in a Word document), to HR@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. To fill out the application, please enable editing in the document. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints, we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest, thanks for your understanding.