Referral Process
1. Placing Agency writes or calls OT-FA office or one of our couples directly to discuss the youth being referred. A Referral Form and program information is mailed or faxed by OT-FA upon request. OT-FA forms may be copied by referring agency for ongoing use to expedite referrals.
2. Placing agency faxes or mails INITIAL INFORMATION to OT-FA for Teaching-Parent couple to review:
OT-FA Referral Form
Social History, description of problems making placement necessary and specifying what the agency wants us to do. Comprehensive information is most helpful.
Psychological Evaluations and any pertinent reports related to the youth’s problems and that will help us with treatment planning.
School information regarding IQ, special education needs, ability, grades, social problems. This may be in the Social History.
Medical and Psychiatric information that is relevant to treatment planning.
3. Reviewing Teaching-Parent Couple will respond to placing agency in a timely manner to expedite placement.
4. If OT-FA and Placing Agency feel placement is appropriate we need the following:
Court Order or other legal document placing youth in agency custody or placing a youth with OT-FA couple. The Court Order or other legal document specifies which school district is responsible for tuition and is necessary for payment of school tuition by home district and is required for enrollment in the district in which the student will attend school if different from the home district.
A Social Security card is necessary for school enrollment. A Xerox copy of the card is acceptable.
Birth Certificate is necessary for school enrollment.
School Record. We prefer that a copy of the school record be sent to us so we can work more effectively with the youth. The school record can be sent to school if youth is not in special classes and we do not need to do anything special.
Recent IEP and MFE if youth is in special education classes (an Individual Education Plan is required annually and a Multi-Factor Evaluation is required every three years for children in special education classes)
Immunization Record (School must have Immunization Record to enroll)
Medical Records (particularly psychiatric information, can be sent to our MD and psychiatrist)
Court Records, Police Reports (particularly for sex offender treatment)
Physical within 30 days prior to placement if one is available. ODHS rules specify that we must have a communicable disease screening within five days of placement and ODHS rules say we MUST have a physical within 30 days of placement. We can take youth for physical but we need to bill for this service unless we have a current Medicaid card upon the youth’s arrival or medical billing information. Without billing information or card we will pay for physical required by ODHS and bill the Placing Agency.
Replacement Visit Form will be filled out by youth during pre-placement visit. (Youth comes for visit, we interview, he interviews us, we exchange information, we talk about placement, we talk about working together and not being adversaries, we talk about youth goals, we answer youth questions, we check off questions on form, youth fills out form, we all sign that there was a visit and we have a clear understanding that we have met to discuss placement.)
Youth and Teaching-Parents discuss reason for placement and goals are formulated.
Youth receives OT-FA handbook and signs receipt.
Youth reads OT-FA Client Rights document and signs a statement that these rights are understood.
Call from youth after visit requesting placement, agreeing to work cooperatively with us on goals specified by placing agency and youth’s own goals.
Placement Agreements for Medical and Dental, Clothing, etc.
Financial Placement Agreement
90 Day Service Plan within 30 days of placement that OT-FA develops from materials we receive and from discussions with interested parties. Ideally, the case manager would develop a comprehensive request for services based on the reason for placement and post treatment plan.
First Day Identification / Photo ID.
First Day Description of Youth with notations regarding special needs and precautions.