STAIRS Program Overview
STAIRS (Specialized Training of Occupational
and Physical Therapists in
Early Intervention and Related Services) is a training program supported by the
Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education 2008-2012. It
is designed to increase the number and quality of occupational and physical
therapists providing services to infants, toddlers, and school-aged children
with disabilities and their families. STAIRS provides academic training to
better prepare occupational and physical therapists for employment in pediatric
environments. It also aims to increase the number of therapists who are
culturally and linguistically diverse and/or have disabilities to serve children
with special needs.
Under federal law, states are required to provide multidisciplinary early
intervention (EI) services to infants with disabilities (birth to three) and
their families (Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004- Public Law 108-446). Further, Part B of the
IDEIA provides for physical and occupational therapy services for school-aged
children with special needs. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for
occupational and physical therapists trained to work with children 0-21 and
their families. The STAIRS program offers that specialized training, focusing on
the various needs of children with disabilities during their lifespan. Further, foundational courses
are provided to enhance the professional education of licensed occupational and
physical therapists, bridging the gap in their entry-level educational program
and the current professional preparation for a Doctor of Physical Therapy
degree. We are unable to admit Occupational Therapists into program at this time.
On-line t-DPT Program
The Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Texas Medical
Branch–Galveston (UTMB) and the University of Texas TeleCampus (UTTC)
collaborate to provide an online t-DPT program for physical therapists with experience in pediatric settings,
including early intervention settings, NICUs and school-based programs.
Courses that contribute to the t-DPT degree:
- Therapy Intervention in the NICU (3 credits)
- Therapy Intervention in Early Intervention Settings (3 credits)
- Therapy Services in Educational Environments (3 credits)
- Assistive and Adaptive Technology (3 credits)
- Family-Centered and Community-Based Intervention (3 credits)
- Investigative Studies in
Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
- Imaging (1 credit)
- Pharmacology (1 credit)
- Medical Spanish for Rehabilitation Specialists
(2 credits)
- Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy
(2 credits)
- Management (2 credits)
Students may take the Investigative Studies
in Evidence-Based Practice course at any time in
the program cycle if they are working in a pediatric setting. Otherwise that
course should follow the successful completion of the other pediatric-content
courses.
Cost per 3 credit course: Approximately $1,100 for in-state students;
approximately $1,950 for out-of-state students. Costs are less for 1 and 2 credit
courses.
Awarding of the DPT degree has been approved by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board. Each course is taken for graduate credit. The official
transcript and course syllabus may be submitted by the student to their
professional licensing agency for CE (continuing education) consideration.
Please see your state licensing agency's website for details.
Methods of instruction include:
- Independent study and review of relevant literature and web sites
- Discussion board postings and interactions
- Videos of early intervention and school-based service provisions
- Observations of children, families, and therapists providing intervention
services
Advantages
- Diverse training program faculty include physical and occupational
therapists experienced in providing services to children
- Active involvement from families of infants and children that have received
early intervention and school-based services
- Supportive STAIRS Advisory Board comprised of area therapists, early
intervention program directors, state early intervention and public education leaders, and parents of children with disabilities
- Solid educational program with reputation for producing outstanding clinicians
and professional leaders
- Job placement network accessed from STAIRS homepage to assist course
participants seeking employment in pediatric settings
- Listing of pediatric continuing education courses that provides current
professional development opportunities that can be accessed from STAIRS homepage
