Motor Development Specialist Jobs in Appleton, WI

Pediatric Physical Therapist

This is a limited term position for the Fall of 2026. Summary under the general direction of the Children's Support Services Supervisor, to provide pediatric physical therapy services to promote sensorimotor functions through the enhancement of musculoskeletal status, neurobehavioral organization, perceptual and motor development, cardiopulmonary status, and effective environmental adaptation. All Birth to 3 staff follows the primary provider approach to team. Using this approach, this team of professionals work together to provide assessment, intervention, consultation, and education in order to support children, families, and caregivers. Performs related duties as required.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Administer and interpret standardized developmental evaluations and informal assessments providing families with additional education materials on specific developmental topics.
• Complete visits in the home or the community to address development and assess gross motor skills. Participate in joint visits with other team providers to assess other areas of development. Provide hands on manual techniques to enhance motor function.
• Coach parents on education, overall development, and home programming for the child. Collaborate with and instruct parents, caregivers, and other Birth to 3 team members during visits on child's development and home program to carry over.
• Complete physical therapy (PT) evaluation reports and discharges including the plan of care with specific short-term goals, treatment strategies and frequency of treatment. Obtains the physician's signature on evaluations and discharges. Sends reports to insurance companies as needed.
• Document progress of therapy every 90 days and obtains the plan of care recertification by the physician.
• Attend eligibility determination evaluation visits, Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meetings (initial/ongoing), Transition Planning conferences, and IEP meetings with the schools. Review and add information to the IFSP.
• Make therapeutic recommendations for equipment and complete letters of medical necessity when required. Collaborate with Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers, pediatrician, and specialists as needed for the child.
• Decide on outside referrals and recommendations as child is showing signs of a diagnosis, needs added therapy or medical testing.
• Participate in weekly team meetings and provide updates on progress towards meeting goals. Discuss new strategies and supports to help family that can be incorporated in upcoming visits.
• Collaborate and come up with a plan on ways to overcome any barriers, update team on any recent medical changes or recommendations for additional evaluations, examine ways to support child/families social and emotional needs, discuss any upcoming transitions.
• Identify family concerns, individual family priorities, activity settings, routines, and unique characteristics when identified as the primary coach for a child/family for the purposes of incorporating the families' desires and goals into intervention/coaching strategies. Engage children and families in interested based family and community learning center.
• Determine the need for and complete prior authorization requirements based on the health insurance/medical assistance available to the child.
• Confer with other agencies or institutions serving clients to monitor and coordinate assigned cases.
• Monitor and complete ongoing training requirements to maintain license, including client specific training on medical conditions, etc. Keeping up to date on new research and assessment tools, etc.
• Provide community education/consultation/intervention regarding Department services.
• Maintain case records containing pertinent, accurate and current information; prepares correspondence, reports and other records as required. Completes these requirements in a timely manner.
• Works a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the families and meet families in their natural environment (home and community settings).
• May develop ideas and create educational posts for social media.
• It is unlikely an employee will perform all the duties listed on a regular basis, nor is the list exhaustive in the sense it covers all the duties an employee may be required to perform. The examples are merely indicative, not restrictive.
• Supervisory Responsibilities
• This job has no supervisory responsibilities, but contributes to the oversight and guidance to professional and para-professional staff of the Health & Human Services Department, in accordance with the organization's policies, procedures and applicable laws.

Qualifications to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Masters or Doctorate degree in physical therapy; two years as a pediatric physical therapist preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from supervisors, clients, and the general public.

Ability to communicate tactfully, clearly, concisely, accurately and to establish a therapeutic relationship with clients.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, proportions, and percentages.

Ability to calculate and understand standardized testing scores and measurements (for shoe size, orthotics, device heights etc.) Ability to calculate chronological age.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete and abstract variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Internet, spreadsheet, Word Processing, and State and County data systems software.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Licensed to practice physical therapy in the state of Wisconsin and certified under Ch. 448 Statutes. Ability to bill private insurance and medical assistance.

Other Skills and Abilities

General knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of physical therapy.

Good knowledge of materials and equipment utilized during physical therapy treatments, and their proper care and maintenance.

Knowledge of community based human services delivery system and resources available in the community.

Ability to make independent decisions.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other agencies, and the public.

Ability to provide complex services in accordance with principles common to the specialty of the employee.

Ability to apply laws of confidentiality appropriately.

Ability to perform job duties using the primary provider approach, and able to provide and accept colleague to colleague coaching.

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods of time and be safely independently mobile on all surfaces and situations; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach below and above shoulders, bend, squat, twist, and kneel; and occasionally required to climb steps, ladder and ramps the employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds, have full active range of motion of all extremities and ability to physically transfer client from a wheelchair/adaptive equipment in a safe manner. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus. Physical stamina to work at least 8 hours per day.

Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to weather conditions; hazards of driving; unclean inside environmental conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.