Montgomery County Public Schools

School Psychology

A psychologist whose specialty is concerned with the science and practice of psychology with children, youth, families; learners of all ages; and the schooling process. The basic education and training of school psychologists prepares them to provide a range of psychological diagnosis, assessment, intervention, prevention, health promotion, and program development and evaluation services with a special focus on the developmental processes of children and youth within the context of schools, families and other systems. School psychologists are prepared to intervene at the individual and system level, and develop, implement, and evaluate preventive programs. In these efforts, they conduct ecologically valid assessments and intervene to promote positive learning environments within which children and youth from diverse backgrounds to ensure that all have equal access to effective educational and psychological services that promote healthy development

Nursing (Registered Nurse)

A registered nurse is a person qualified by graduation from an accredited nursing school (depending upon schooling, a registered nurse may receive either a diploma from a hospital program, an associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.) or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (B.S.N.), who is licensed or certified by the state, and is practicing within the scope of that license or certification. R.N.'s assist patient in recovering and maintaining their physical or mental health. They assist physicians during treatments and examinations and administer medications. (2) A provider who is trained and educated in a formal nursing education program at an accredited school of nursing, passes a national certification examination, and is licensed by the state to practice nursing. The individual provides nursing services to patients or clients in areas such as health promotion, disease prevention, acute and chronic care and restoration and maintenance of health across the life span.

Occupational Therapy (OT Assistant)

An occupational therapy assistant is a person who has graduated from an occupational therapy assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the accredited occupational therapy assistant program, has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapy assistants, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapy assistant provides interventions under the supervision of an occupational therapist which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapy assistants address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

Physical Therapy

Montgomery County Public Schools is a Physical Therapy practice in Christiansburg, VA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in reducing patient pain and increasing mobility lost due to injury or illness. Physical Therapists at Montgomery County Public Schools perform exercise therapy, endurance exercises, and pain and mobility assessments. Physical Therapy is a medical specialty focused on reducing or eliminating patient pain and increasing mobility without surgery or medication. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Physical Therapy practices include loss of mobility due to traumatic or post-operative injury, chronic conditions like arthritis or spinal injury, congenital birth defects, athletic injury, or disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Physical Therapy practices include mobility and pain assessment, medical massage, physical exercise therapy, endurance training, and acupuncture.

Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles. PTs: 1.Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. 2.Restore, maintain, and promote not only optimal physical function but optimal wellness and fitness and optimal quality of life as it relates to movement and health. 3.Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries. 4.Treat conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems. 5.Address the negative effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors as they relate to human performance. 6.PTs provide care for people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes. State licensure is required in each state in which a PT practices.

Speech-Language Pathology

Montgomery County Public Schools is a Speech-Language Pathology practice in Christiansburg, VA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in preventing, assessing, diagnosing, and treating speech, language, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders arising from illness, injury, deficiency, or congenital birth defect. Speech-Language Pathologists at Montgomery County Public Schools perform testing, evaluation, and treatment of disorders relating to how patients form words, communicate, and process the speech of others. Speech-Language Pathology is a medical specialty that deals with disorders related to how patients form words, speak, and understand what others are saying to them. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Speech-Language Pathology practices include speech disorders like stuttering and dysarthia, language disorders like articulation and phonological processing disorders, social communication disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, voice disorders, and swallowing disorders that may arise from conditions like stroke, dementia, brain injury, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, autism, hearing loss, or congenital birth defects. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Speech-Language Pathology practices include speech and language assessment, hearing assessment, developing treatment plans based on assessment and test results, developing communications strategies for patients and caregivers, working with patients to achieve communication goals, and providing patient and parent education.

The speech-language pathologist is the professional who engages in clinical services, prevention, advocacy, education, administration, and research in the areas of communication and swallowing across the life span from infancy through geriatrics. Speech-language pathologists address typical and atypical impairments and disorders related to communication and swallowing in the areas of speech sound production, resonance, voice, fluency, language (comprehension and expression), cognition, and feeding and swallowing.