Perceptions of Occupational Therapy Involvement in School Mental Health: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Mental health providers outside of occupational therapy, including those who work in school systems practice, often do not fully understand the contribution that occupational therapy practitioners can make to the delivery of mental health services. Method: The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study is to describe how instructional support staff from one special education cooperative learned about occupational therapy's role in school mental health and to explain how this education changed the instructional support staff members' perceptions regarding the involvement of occupational therapy practitioners in school-based mental health services. Results: Instructional support staff's perceptions about occupational therapy changed as a result of the training. Discussion: Occupational therapy practitioners can be viewed as valuable members of the school mental health team if other practitioners are educated about their scope of practice.

National Survey to Identify Mental Health Topics in Entry-level OT and OTA Curricula: Implications for Occupational Therapy Education

“…In many states, for example, occupational therapy practitioners are no longer recognized as qualified mental health providers (QMHP; LaGrossa, 2008) and many mental health jobs which were previously held by occupational therapy practitioners have been phased out or are now assumed by other practitioners (Gutman, 2011). Additional consequences, which are likely interrelated, include traditional mental health practitioners' limited understanding of occupational therapy's contribution to the team and the challenges occupational therapy practitioners may face when trying to reinsert themselves into traditional mental health settings after a prolonged absence (Cahill & Egan, 2017).…”