Therapists’ perceptions of the 3:1 Service Delivery Model: A workload approach to school-based practice

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn recognition of their many roles, school-based practitioners have been encouraged to reframe their job-related responsibilities in terms of their workload, rather than their caseload. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore school-based therapists’ perceptions of the 3:1 Service Delivery Model, which aligns with a workload approach, and to determine if practitioners felt that when using the Model, they were able to manage their workload responsibilities, more so than when using a traditional service delivery approach. Five occupational therapy practitioners and five speech-language pathologists, working in school-based practice, with experience utilizing the 3:1 Service Delivery Model, completed an online survey and a semi-structured interview to explore their perceptions of their use of the 3:1 Model in their practice. All the interviews were recorded and analyzed for recurring themes once the data was transcribed verbatim and coded. A thematic analysis revealed that practitioners felt the 3:1 Model supported their use of differentiated service delivery that was contextually based, expanded their scope of practice, increased work efficiency, and was heavily influenced by stakeholder support. Implications for practice included the need for transparency and consistent expectations when utilizing a workload approach, including determining how time is utilized outside of direct service delivery, and the need to advocate for manageable caseload numbers, allowing for service delivery that meets the individualized needs of students and stakeholders.