Understanding Therapy Minutes: Direct, Consult, and Integrated Services: A Guide for School Administrators & Educators

In today’s schools, related services including Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) play a vital role in ensuring students can access, participate in, and make progress in their educational programs. For administrators and educators, one of the most misunderstood elements of related services is therapy minutes.

How minutes are written in an IEP directly impacts scheduling, staffing, compliance, and ultimately, student outcomes. Understanding the difference between direct, consult, and integrated services is essential for building strong, collaborative supports within your school.

At Austill’s Educational Therapy Services, we partner with districts to ensure service delivery is not only compliant, but also educationally relevant and aligned with best practices in school-based OT, PT, and SLP. Keep reading for a clear, practical guide designed specifically for school leaders. (Read the full article for a PDF resource to share with your team!)

Why Therapy Minutes Matter

Therapy minutes outline how school-based therapists support a student’s IEP goals. They determine:

• Where and how services occur
• Who is involved in the intervention
• How often support is provided
• How collaborative the approach will be
• How the student’s progress is monitored and documented

For administrators, clarity around minutes leads to better scheduling, more efficient staffing, and supportive collaboration between related services and educational teams.

1. Direct Services: Hands-On, Skill-Building Support

Direct therapy minutes are the most traditional model of school-based service delivery. In this model, the OT, PT, or SLP works directly with the student to address specific IEP goals.

What Direct Services Look Like

• One-on-one or small-group intervention
• Instructional activities targeting skill development
• Structured practice embedded in the student’s school day
• May occur inside the classroom, in the school, or in a therapy space

When Direct Services Are Used

Direct minutes are recommended when a student needs:

• Explicit instruction in motor, communication, or sensory-processing skills
• Frequent therapeutic repetition
• Immediate feedback and skilled intervention
• Targeted support not achievable through classroom routines alone

2. Consultative Services: Supporting the Team Supporting the Student

Consult minutes involve the therapist providing guidance to educators, support staff, and families, rather than working hands-on with the student.

What Consult Looks Like

• Collaborating with teachers to modify tasks or materials
• Coaching staff on assistive technology or classroom strategies
• Reviewing data and progress to adjust interventions
• Problem-solving around student engagement, participation, or behavior

When Consult Is Appropriate

Consult is ideal when:

• A student has established skills but needs help generalizing them
• Teachers need support embedding strategies across the day
• Classroom routines can effectively support the student’s goals with therapist guidance

Consultation strengthens for School Teams:

• Teacher confidence implementing strategies
• Whole-class inclusion and accessibility
• Consistency across settings

This model aligns strongly with educational relevance, MTSS practices, and collaborative school culture.

3. Integrated Services: Therapy Embedded Into the Classroom

Integrated services, also called push-in services or in-class support, bring the therapist into the classroom environment to work alongside teachers.

What Integrated Therapy Looks Like

• An OT supporting handwriting during writing workshop
• A PT reinforcing posture and seating during morning meeting
• An SLP joining a literacy lesson to support vocabulary and communication
• Co-leading activities with the teacher
• Coaching staff in real time

When Integrated Services Shine

This approach is highly effective when:

• Goals naturally align with classroom routines
• Students benefit from timely, in-class support
• Staff need modeling of strategies within authentic tasks
• Inclusion is a priority

Integrated therapy supports:

• Skill generalization
• Increased participation
• Strong collaboration
• Classroom-based data collection

How Administrators Can Support Effective Service Delivery

To make the most of school-based OT, PT, and SLP services, administrators can:

✔️ Promote collaboration time

Protected time encourages alignment between therapists and teachers.

✔️ Encourage flexible scheduling

Therapists often need access to classrooms, transitions, and routines.

✔️ Understand service delivery nuances

Knowing when direct, consult, or integrated minutes are appropriate builds trust and better IEP decision-making.

✔️ Use data-driven conversations

Therapists can provide progress monitoring and recommendations that help teams choose the right level of support.

✔️ Partner with experienced service providers

Austill’s Educational Therapy Services provides support to districts with consistent, high-quality, school-based clinicians who understand educational relevance and compliance.

Building Strong, Student-Centered Support

Understanding therapy minutes is more than a scheduling task, it’s a key component of supporting equitable access to education. Whether therapy is direct, consultative, or integrated, each model plays an important role in helping students thrive.

When educators, administrators, and therapists collaborate effectively, students receive well-rounded, evidence-based support aligned with their IEP goals, classroom expectations, and long-term growth.

If you’re looking to strengthen related services delivery in your district, Austill’s Educational Therapy Services is here to help with experienced school-based OT, PT, and SLP professionals who understand the unique needs of educational environments!

Contact Victoria Kiely for more information. victoria@austills.com

Download our Snapshot Guide for School Teams: Understanding Therapy Minutes >