Introduction / Rationale: The occupational therapy lens can be used across many settings, including those in our daily lives and roles outside of the traditional clinic. It is vital that occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants demonstrate the value of occupational therapy in every setting they encounter. Occupational therapists see the world through our unique understanding of the intersection of personal factors, environmental setup, and occupations (activity demands). By utilizing this expertise in community based and naturally occuring settings we can demonstrate the value of occupational therapy practice to people who may otherwise not be familiar with our unique lens. Utilizing our skillset across a variety of settings and not just in traditional therapy models increases the health and wellness of populations and communities as well as promoting the profession to a broader audience.
Objectives:
- Participants will understand the value occupational therapy can bring to non-traditional settings, including houses of worship, community development, and advocacy.
- Participants will identify ways they can show the value of occupational therapy in their community.
Results / Practice Implications: Increased awareness of the value of occupational therapy will provide greater opportunity on a global scale for practitioners to work outside of traditional clinical models. Occupational therapists will learn how to demonstrate their value in any setting.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: Occupational therapy is an evidence-based practice with long reaching implications for a variety of community based practice settings. Demonstrating the value of occupational therapy practice in community based settings will contribute to the global population health and increased occupational performance for people across all areas of society.