Occupational Therapy Enrichment Groups

Not exactly. Individualized occupational therapy services include specific steps like evaluation, treatment and progress monitoring. In individualized therapy, OTs also share your child's progress with their doctor. Occupational therapy enrichment groups may look similar to individualized services applied to a group setting, but the OTs leading the group are not actively tracking specific goals each session and sharing their progress with your child's doctor. This also means that you do not need to have an occupational therapy evaluation before enrolling in an OT enrichment group. Before the group starts, we will connect with you and learn your child and your general goal areas for them in joining the group. Just know that this won't be tracked specifically and shared like what happens in individualized OT services.

OT enrichment groups have so many benefits! Most importantly, they allow kids to practice skills (including sensory processing, emotional regulation, gross and fine motor skills, social skills, problem solving, etc.) in a natural and supported environment. We find that many children are more motivated to participate in OT enrichment groups than other forms of individualized indoor occupational therapy services since the context feels more like playing outside with friends than "having" to do or learn something. Our OTs are great at setting up activities to promote skill building - while first and foremost having fun.

OT enrichment groups are a great place for kids to work on social skills. Following the lead of neurodiverse self-advocates, Canopy Kids uses a neurodiversity-affirming approach to social skill development. This means that instead of using traditional methods of sitting down and teaching kids how to match neurotypical communication styles (such as forcing eye contact and small talk that encourage masking), we support and encourage all forms of communication functionally while children are engaged in activities together. We don't follow a social skills curriculum that teaches kids to memorize what to do in situations. Instead, we teach social skills in the moment, focusing on giving kids practice playing and working together. So, in short, yes we do teach social skills! While also creating a space where all children can feel safe to be their true selves and thrive.

Before you officially sign up for an OT enrichment group, new potential clients will have a screening phone call with our occupational therapist. We will discuss together your child's strengths and needs areas, as well as safety skills, to determine if the nature-based group setting is a good fit for your child at this time. If we decide that the group setting is not a good fit at this time, we will provide you with other options that would work with your child's strengths and needs areas, such as possible individualized therapy services. 

Yes, it is possible to do an OT enrichment group while continuing individualized OT services at another clinic. Since OT enrichment groups are not the same as individualized OT services, joining an enrichment group would not interfere with other services. 

Unfortunately insurance companies don't offer realistic reimbursement options for OT groups, so all OT enrichment groups are private pay at this time. However, we do try to price our groups to be as accessible as possible and similar to other extracurricular activities your child may be involved in. 

Canopy Kids has a long term goal of being able to offer scholarships and/or financial assistance for OT enrichment groups. While we are not able to offer these at this time, please know that it is a part of our long-term plan.