Allegheny County school districts’ occupational, physical therapists in jeopardy
The change will take place Sunday and the AIU is waiting to hear how many of the therapists will return to work under their new terms of employment.
The annual independent audit of the agency's
Executive director
Several school administrators said they hope the program continues because it fills a distinct need in their districts.
"The need is usually attached to students who have a special education plan and that need may increase or decrease. Because it fluctuates we can't hire our own staff but we contract through the AIU," said
As employees, the full-time occupational therapists were paid
Under the new arrangement, the therapists will keep their health insurance through the end of the school year.
Occupational therapists will be paid
Physical therapists will be paid
Part-time physical and occupational therapists have always been paid an hourly rate, but in the past also were permitted to bill for their drive time.
She said the decision may have been made by supervisors in the division of educational services and operations who believed "it would be easier to manage."
But she said a review of that decision has shown that staffing the program with full-time therapists would always produce a deficit in the budget because the rates charged to school districts didn't include driving time, administrative time or benefits.
She said auditors last year noticed a
"I don't think that was the problem. A detailed review now shows that even if all of the districts paid on time, it was not set up to break even,"
The
"But we can't do it indefinitely," she said.
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