Frequently Asked Questions

What is Occupational Therapy?
What is Social Work?
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT?)
What is the referral process?
What language provisions do you provide?
What is case management?
What is an assessment?
What is HIPAA? Is OTTP HIPAA Compliant?
What is a non-profit organization?

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health care profession which uses goal directed activities to promote independence in function.  Occupational therapists involve their clients in activities to promote the learning of skills necessary to function independently.  OT is implemented in a variety of places including but not limited to schools, hospitals, community settings, prisons and homes.  Through group and individual sessions occupational therapists first assess and evaluate clients' performance levels in three major areas; independent living skills, vocational skills, and social skills.  In order to develop realistic educational, personal and vocational goals the therapist identifies the client's personal interests, abilities, strengths and growth areas.  The ultimate goal of occupational therapy is to assist individuals with overcoming barriers and developing the skills and compensatory strategies necessary for achieving self-sufficiency.

What is Social Work?

    Social work addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society. It responds to crises and emergencies as well as to everyday personal and social problems. Social work utilizes a variety of skills, techniques, and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environments. Social work interventions range from primarily person-focused psychosocial processes to involvement in social policy, planning and development. These include counseling, clinical social work, group work, social pedagogical work, and family treatment and therapy as well as efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the community. Interventions also include agency administration, community organization and engaging in social and political action to impact social policy and economic development. The holistic focus of social work is universal, but the priorities of social work practice will vary from country to country and from time to time depending on cultural, historical, and socio-economic conditions.
   The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.

What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)?

The cognitive behavioral approach is based on the theory that thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes determine emotion and behavior.  That is, the way we perceive or evaluate the situation influences our emotional and behavioral response.
    Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a didactic approach that involves teaching youth about the thought-emotion-behavior link.  The therapist works with the youth to modify their thinking patterns in a way that will lead to better, more adaptive behavior in challenging situations.  The cognitive-behavioral approach is effective for youth in the juvenile justice system because it is highly structured and focuses on the triggers for their disruptive or aggressive behavior.

What is the referral process?

    Youth and young adults may refer themselves to OTTP, as may their families, mentors, counselors, social workers, probation officers, or other invested individuals in their lives.  OTTP accepts referrals on an ongoing basis, however clients must meet the criteria of at least one of OTTP's funded programs.

What language provisions do you provide?

    Upon special request OTTP can accommodate translators for Russian, Mandarin, Spanish and French speaking individuals.

What is case management?

    Case management refers to a service that helps people arrange appropriate and available service and supports.  As needed, a case manager makes sure that the child's and family's changing needs are met. (This definition does not apply to managed care.)

What is an assessment?

    An assessment is a battery of tests comprised of standardized and non-standardized sections that are utilized to evaluate an individual's interests, abilities, strengths and growth areas.

What is HIPAA? Is OTTP Compliant?

  HIPAA, which stands for the American Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a set of rules to be followed by doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. HIPAA took effect on April 14, 2003. HIPAA helps ensure that all medical records, medical billing, and patient accounts meet certain consistent standards with regard to documentation, handling and privacy.  Yes, OTTP is HIPAA certified.  To find out more visit http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/.

What is a non-profit organization?
   

    A nonprofit organization (abbreviated "NPO", or "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is an organization whose primary objective is to support some issue or matter of private interest or public concern for non-commercial purposes. Nonprofits may be involved in an innumerable range of areas relating to the arts, charities, education, politics, religion, research, sports or some other endeavor.