My mother died from a cerebral hemorrhage, due to an aneurym that ruptured from increased blood pressure during childbirth, one hour after I was born. She had PKD - polycystic kidney disease - and aneurysms are one of the symptoms.

My father and grandmother raised me until the age of 2 1/2, when my father remarried. My grandmother then went back to her home (about 25 miles away). I gave her my Raggedy Andy doll to keep her company. For the rest of her life, my grandmother kept that Raggedy Andy doll resting and sitting upright against her bed pillow.

I grew up in the small rural community of Winsted. My father was a banker and volunteered as Treasurer on the Gilbert High School Board. He was also in the Kiwanis and on the town's economic development commission.

I married a "little French girl" (as my father referred to her) and we now have two delightful daughters - Martha and Monica - both with red hair (my wife, who is also a red-head, got her wish).

I worked for almost two decades in the electronics and computer support fields. After an outsourcing of technical support at Pfizer, I went back to school and studied occupational therapy at Manchester Community College.

I am now a licensed COTA (certified occupational therapy assistant) in Connecticut. I have a particular interest in assistive technology, stemming from my prior careers in electronics and computer support.

Here is my current resume:

Steven Price
8 Wellington Way
Amston, CT 06231
860-228-2895
eMail: sgpcota@comcast.net

Objective

Apply my education, experience, and skills in occupational therapy as a COTA.

Credentials

Licensed as a COTA/L in the State of Connecticut, certified by the NBCOT, and have an Associates of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy from Manchester Community College (3.97 GPA).

Experience Summary

I have experience working with clients of all ages with a wide variety of debilities in school and sub-acute rehab settings. With Futures, I work with DMR clients with developmental delays to improve their well-being and health by engaging them in therapeutic activities, monitoring feeding, and implementing habilitative equipment. With AllStar and at the St. Joseph's Living Center, I assist geriatric clients to reach their highest level of independence with self-care by developing their ADL skills, using adaptive equipment, and teaching therapeutic exercises to improve strength, endurance and ROM. At the Hartford Public Schools, I worked with children (pre-K through high school) to reach their IEP goals - often related to improving fine motor abilities, self-care skills, class participation and using assistive technology.

I have 19 years of experience caring for my oldest daughter, who is legally blind, has cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, and severe mental retardation, and helping her to learn self-care skills, working on her IEP goals, and engaging in leisure activities.

I have 20 years of technology experience with a special interest in assistive technology.

Employment

COTA/L, Chestelm Nursing and Rehab Center, Moodus, CT., 7/2007 to present
• Assist clients to reach their highest level of independence with ADLs and IADLs
• Engage clients in therapeutic activities to improve balance, ROM and strength
• Develop and teach HEPs to improve strength, balance, endurance and ROM

COTA/L, Futures Healthcore, 136 William Street, Springfield, MA., 6/2006 to present
Assignment with DMR:
• Engage clients in therapeutic activities to improve balance, ROM and strength
• Use adaptive equipment and assistive technology to improve client independence
• Monitor feeding and food consistency, and implement habilitative equipment

COTA/L, AllStar, 21 Waterville Road, Avon, CT., 6/2006 to present
• Assist clients to reach their highest level of independence with ADLs
• Teach clients how to properly and safely use adaptive equipment
• Develop and teach HEPs to improve strength, balance, endurance and ROM

Team Leader, Pfizer Inc., Groton, CT., 11/97 – 7/2003
• Supported technologies used by scientists and administration
• Managed a team of ten technicians

Information Technology Manager, Dutch Point C.U., Wethersfield, CT., 11/83 – 9/97
• Supported technologies used by staff and management
• Recommended, implemented and maintained technologies to improve client service
• Managed a team of six support staff

Clinical Experience

Saint Joseph’s Living Center, Windham, CT., winter of 2006
• Assisted clients with skills to reach highest level of independence with ADLs
• Trained clients on the safe use of adaptive equipment
• Taught exercises to improve strength, endurance and range of motion
• Conducted home evaluations and recommended modifications and AE to address client needs and safety

Hartford Public Schools, Hartford, CT., fall of 2005
• Engaged students in therapeutic activities to improve classroom skills
• Taught students how to use assistive technology and adaptive equipment

Volunteer work

NEAT Marketplace, Hartford, CT., summer of 2005
• Demonstrated assistive technologies to teachers, therapists and clients
• Wrote a 60 page report on assistive technology funding sources

Webmaster of http://familyfunabilities.com, 1997 – present
• Developed an Internet resource and community for families with special needs

Education

Occupational Therapy Assistant, GPA 3.97
A.S., Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT.

Occupational Therapy, Masters Degree in progress
Bay Path College, East Longmeadow, MA., 2003 - present

Political Science - Psychology and Computer Science concentrations, GPA 3.57
B.A., Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT., 1980

Professional Affiliations

AOTA and ConnOTA membership