Georgia State Receives Grant To Graduate More Therapists Focused on Young Children With Disabilities

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions $1.25 million to fund the specialized training of occupational and physical therapy students to care for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and for their families.

The program, called Georgia Advancing Service Training for Early Rehabilitation, or ASTER, will offer students in the occupational therapy or physical therapy degree programs a one-year specialty training in the care of children with disabilities, ages newborn to 3 years.

“Our project will increase and improve early intervention services by increasing the number of occupational therapy and physical therapy personnel who are fully qualified to serve these children,” said Sutanuka Bhattacharjya, an assistant professor of occupational therapy in the Lewis College who is heading up the ASTER program.

The program expects to train 40 students over four years, with five occupational therapy (OT) and five physical therapy (PT) students each year. The cohort will have three interdisciplinary courses, specialized field experiences, and supplemental workshops and mentorships with interdisciplinary experts.

This program will distinguish itself from other pediatric training by focusing students on trauma-informed, family-centered care.

“PT and OT programs train generalists. They can jump in with any population,” Bhattacharjya said. “The biggest hurdle when working with infants and toddlers with disabilities is the lack of providers and the lack of providers with training and experience.”

Students will focus on the psychosocial and developmental delays in infants and young children, how to coach parents in the care of their child and how to have difficult conversations with families.

“This program will help occupational and physical therapists look at their patients with a more holistic viewpoint,” said Karen Wortham McWaters, a clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy who is the co-director with Bhattacharjya on the program.

Students will also learn to identify signs of exhaustion and stress for both the families as well as themselves. PTs and OTs who specialize in treating children with disabilities have high burnout rates, Wortham McWaters said.

Bhattacharjya added, “We want the students to practice family-centered care. They are not just working with the child. Services must be inclusive of the family. We want to make sure the family is ready and capable to care for the child.”

Students will receive a stipend of at least $15,000 for educational costs, including travel to professional conferences, from the grant and, in exchange, will be expected to work for two years post-graduation with young children with disabilities. Students can complete the training concurrently with their degree program. Applications for the program will open to Georgia State PT and OT students in spring 2026.

“This grant exemplifies the spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration within Lewis College, led by Dr. Bhattacharjya and her team,” said Kinsuk Maitra, professor and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy. “The Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy departments strongly support and encourage such initiatives, as they directly advance one of the key pillars of Georgia State’s strategic plan, student success.”

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