Occupational Therapy Department Offers Free Pediatric Clinic

Students and faculty in the Occupational Therapy department at Samuel Merritt University (SMU) will offer a free therapy clinic to children who have difficulty performing self-care, school-related tasks, or engaging in play, starting on Monday, September 28, 2015.

The nine weekly sessions are open to children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years.

“Under supervision from SMU professors, our second-year students will get a chance to engage hands-on with children who will benefit from their occupational therapy treatment,” said Associate Professor Ginny Gibson, OTD, OTR/L, CHT. “Part of our educational mission is to treat underserved patients, and often times the children and families who enroll in our free clinic do not have the resources to receive professional occupational therapy.”

Children enrolled in this clinic typically have difficulty performing at age level in one or more of the following areas: Self care skills such as dressing, self-feeding, grooming, bathing, or toileting; play skills such as manipulation of toys, initiation of independent play, and engaging in play with other children; and preacademic skills such as writing, cutting with scissors, and organizing work space and materials. Additionally, students will work with children to develop fine motor skills that will help improve performance in daily activities.

The 2015 clinic will take place on Mondays, and children will be scheduled for a 50-minute therapy session each week. Sessions will start at 1:30, 2:30, or 3:30 p.m.

As part of the enrollment process, parents and children new to the clinic will be asked to attend an in-person appointment with Gibson or Adjunct Professor Domenique Embrey, MS, OTR/L. This appointment will be scheduled after you have submitted the required forms. 

Who: Children ages 6 months to 16 years who seek occupational therapy

What: Free nine-week clinic offered by SMU students and faculty

When: Enroll now, sessions begin Monday, September 28, 2015

Where: SMU Occupational Therapy department, 450 30th Street, 4th Floor, Oakland, CA 94609

SMU Contact: Ginny Gibson, ggibson@samuelmerritt.edu, 510.869.6511x4873

Watch the OT program video here.