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Download Poster (1.3 MB)
Description
The purpose of this capstone was to promote preparedness of occupational therapy (OT) students for mental and behavioral health practice through the creation of a learning module. This project was completed in collaboration with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing Behavioral Health and Wellness Environments for Living and Learning (BH WELL) research team. Recently, OT students reported a perceived lack of preparedness for level II fieldwork (Bergstresser-Simpson et al., 2023). The literature review and SWOT analysis highlighted a gap between the needs of the mental and behavioral health populations and OT student preparation for level II fieldwork. Though the roots of OT are in mental health, the profession has not consistently or effectively addressed the mental health crisis, which has been growing since the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis, and other sociopolitical contexts (Keptner et al., 2024). Didactic education of mental health is often limited, typically accounting for one course in doctoral programs. In response, I developed a learning module on the role of OT in Mental and Behavioral Health. OT students may benefit from the learning module, which includes overviews of evidence-based assessments and interventions, common diagnoses, advocacy resources, pre- and post-knowledge checks, and more to promote preparedness for fieldwork and encourage professional development. While pronounced in mental health settings, mental and behavioral health challenges exist across all practice settings. OT is well-positioned to support mental and behavioral health, but only if our educational pathways prepare students to meet this growing demand.
Graduation Date
2025
Keywords
mental health, behavioral health, occupational therapy, fieldwork preparedness
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
Degree Type
Open Access Capstone
Document Type
Poster
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Occupational Therapy
Site Mentor
Amanda Lykins, DNP, RN, PMH-BC, NPD-BC
Comments
Link to poster presentation:
https://youtu.be/lpywiR_qB34