Department of Education Personnel Preparation Grants

Meeting the Early Intervention Needs of Young Children and Families in Hawaiʻi 

This is a five-year, $1.1 million grant from the US Department of Education, under the Office of Special Education (OSEP) Personnel Prep Grant program (award # H325M230026) 

Purpose 

The HPU-DPT grant is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of the early intervention physical therapy workforce in Hawaiʻi, specifically for young children with developmental delays and their families through the preparation of Doctors of Physical Therapy who will be educated to provide early intervention to children and families in Hawaiʻi. 

The grant will provide support to HPU DPT student scholars to help address identified needs for physical therapists from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and physical therapists who are multilingual with the knowledge and skills to promote high expectations and provide effective evidence-based interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including children of color with disabilities and children with disabilities who are multilingual. 

Scholars Receive 

The grant provides scholarship funding to DPT students towards tuition and fees over a 6-month period. During this time, scholars (program participants) will take specially designed early intervention focused graduate courses, participate in mentored clinical education experiences, take a Hawaiian language course, and complete the requirements to become an early intervention provider in Hawaii.    

Coursework 

There are two online graduate courses offered through the Graduate College of Health Sciences at HPU. DPT 8651 and DPT 8652 will be taught concurrently with other DPT course work in Spring and Summer semesters. These courses are required for all grant scholars and occur prior to and simultaneously to the mentored clinical education experiences. 

Timing 

Application opens (Spring – Term 3 or 4 of 1st year) 

Application deadline (TBD) 

Scholars selected and notified by (Summer – Term 5 of 1st year) 

Scholars begin: January each year through 2028 

Scholarship Amount 

Approximately $30,000 will be granted to each scholar for DPT Program tuition and fees. Funding for travel and professional development opportunities may also be available. These funds will be disbursed from HPU’s Office of Sponsored Projects beginning in January each year through 2028. 

Commitment of Scholars 

All scholars will be required to register in the Federal Personnel Development Program Data Collection System (PDPDCS) and fulfill the service obligation following graduation and licensure. The service obligation requires that the scholar be employed in a position in which  (1) At least 51 percent of the infants, toddlers, and children to whom the individual provides services are receiving special education, related services, or early intervention services from the individual;  (2) The individual spends at least 51 percent of his or her time providing special education, related services, or early intervention services to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities for a minimum of 2 years following graduation and licensure. 

Scholar Qualifications 

• Current HPU DPT-Honolulu student. 

• Interest in early intervention services and becoming an EI provider in Hawai’i. 

• In good academic, clinical and professional standing in the DPT program. 

• Willing to participate in additional targeted DPT course requirements, two Early Intervention graduate courses, Hawaiian language course and mentored clinical education in an early intervention setting for the final 16-week full time terminal clinical experience.   

• Willing to commit to the PDPDCS service obligation following participation in the grant as a scholar.    

• Willing to participate in follow up communication following participation in the grant as a scholar. 

• Completion of the online application by the published deadline.  

Project Staff
	TRICIA CATALINO, PT, DSC Project Director Email: tcatalino@hpu.edu
	Mary Jane Rapport, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA Co-Project Director Email: mjrapport@hpu.edu
	Amanda Arevalo, PT, DSc Project Faculty and Scholar Mentor Email: amarevalo@hpu.edu
	Steffanie Dube, BA Project Staff Email: sdube@hpu.edu
	Ted Burke Project Consultant

Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities with High Intensity Needs in Hawai‘i  

This is a five-year, $1.2 million grant from the US Department of Education, under the Office of Special Education (OSEP) Personnel Prep Grant program (award # H325R240040) 

Purpose 

The HPU OTD-Honolulu grant is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of the occupational therapy workforce in Hawaiʻi serving children with disabilities with high intensity needs and their families. The OTD Scholars program will prepare scholars to help address identified needs for occupational therapists prepared to work in Early Intervention (EI) and Preschool Special Education settings in Hawaiʻi.  

The OTD Scholars (program participants) who are funded under this grant will be well-qualified to provide services for infants, toddlers, and preschool children with high intensity needs, work as members of an interprofessional team, work in either EI and Preschool Special Education settings in Hawaiʻi, while focused on culturally and linguistically responsive services. 

Scholars Receive 

The grant provides scholarship funding to HPU OTD-Honolulu students towards tuition and fees over a 12-month period. During this time, scholars will take specially designed early intervention and preschool-focused graduate coursework, take a Hawaiian language course, complete the AOTA Early Identification Badge and requirements to become an early intervention provider in Hawaiʻi, and participate in mentored clinical education and a capstone experience in an early intervention or preschool setting. 

Coursework 

There is additional coursework required for all OTD scholars. In Fall A & B, students complete OTD 8651 Early Intervention & Preschool Practice I, a 0.5 credit hour course designed to introduce scholars to service delivery and evidence-based practice for children with high intensity needs in Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education settings. OTD scholars will also complete an additional learning module in OTD 8320 Occupational Therapy for Children and Youth and OTD 8250 Assistive & Complex Rehab Technology focused on applying course concepts to children with high intensity needs. In the Spring B term, OTD scholars will complete the AOTA Early Identification Badge, a 5-hour independent study focused on early intervention, fostering the caregiver-infant relationship, screening for autism and neuromuscular disorders, and enhancing cultural competency. In the Summer A & B terms, OTD Scholars will complete OTD 8652 Early Intervention & Preschool Practice II, an interprofessional seminar-style course occurring simultaneously with Level II fieldwork in an EI or preschool special education setting in Hawaiʻi.  Additionally, OTD scholars will complete a doctoral capstone project specific to EI or Preschool Special Education in Hawaiʻi. 

Timing 

Application opens (Summer A – Term 3 of 1st year) 

Application deadline (TBD) 

Scholars selected and notified by (Summer B – Term 4 of 1st year) 

Scholars begin: Fall A each year through 2029 

Scholarship Amount 

Approximately $34,000 will offset tuition costs for each scholar accepted into the OTD Scholars Program. Funding for travel and professional development opportunities may also be available. These funds will be disbursed from HPU’s Office of Sponsored Projects beginning in August each year through 2029. 

Commitment of Scholars 

All scholars will be required to register in the Federal Personnel Development Program Data Collection System (PDPDCS) and fulfill the service obligation following graduation and licensure. The service obligation requires that the scholar be employed in a position in which  (1) At least 51 percent of the infants, toddlers, and children to whom the individual provides services are receiving special education, related services, or early intervention services from the individual;  (2) The individual spends at least 51 percent of his or her time providing special education, related services, or early intervention services to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities for a minimum of 2 years following graduation and licensure. 

Scholar Qualifications 

• Current HPU OTD-Honolulu student. 

• Interest in early intervention or preschool special education services and becoming an EI pr preschool special education OT provider in Hawai’i. 

• In good academic, clinical and professional standing in the OTD program. 

• Willing to participate in additional targeted OTD course requirements, OTD 8651 Early Intervention & Preschool Practice I (Fall A & B), two learning modules embedded within OTD 8320 & OTD 8250 (Fall A), AOTA Early Identification Badge (Spring B), OTD 8652 Early Intervention & Preschool Practice II (Summer A & B), Hawaiian language course, and mentored clinical education in an early intervention/preschool setting (one Level II fieldwork and capstone experience/project). 

• Willing to commit to the PDPDCS service obligation following participation in the grant as a scholar.    

• Willing to participate in follow up communication following participation in the grant as a scholar. 

• Completion of the online application by the published deadline. 

Project Staff
	JANA CASON, DHSC, OTR/L, FAOTA Project Director Email: jcason@hpu.edu
	PATTY COKER-BOLT, PH.D., OTR/L, FNAP, FAOTA Project Faculty and Scholar Mentor Email: pcokerbolt@hpu.edu
	Cindy Sears, OTD, MA, OTR/L, BCP Co-Project Director Email: clsears@hpu.edu