Occupational therapy in Ann Arbor: everyday skills and sensory support

In Ann Arbor, occupational therapy is available through University of Michigan clinical programs, private pediatric therapy clinics, and multidisciplinary autism centers across Washtenaw County. Some private clinics specialize in sensory-focused OT and have dedicated sensory gyms, and U-M outpatient rehabilitation services provide OT as well.

Funding follows familiar lines: most state-regulated private insurance plans cover medically necessary OT, and Michigan Medicaid covers it for eligible children. For Medicaid families, some OT may be coordinated in connection with the Autism Benefit and Washtenaw County CMH, while medically-based OT can also be accessed through Medicaid-enrolled providers. Separately, eligible students can receive school-based OT through their IEP at no cost, focused on skills needed to access their education — which may look different from the broader, sensory-and-daily-living focus of clinic-based OT. As with speech, many families use both school and clinic services together.