Occupational Therapy

The occupational therapy profession shares many objectives across the communities, clients, and families they serve. Some of these aims include: “Developing the field of occupational therapy and enhance the professions capabilities to meet the needs of the entire population, providing evidence on the efficacy of occupational therapy. This includes working with organizations and local communities, incorporating education, research, and practices as a complete whole. In addition, developing a team of professionals that innovates and adapts to the developing health needs of the population” (AOTA, 2013). This includes advocacy efforts with policymakers to ensure continued funding to provide care to individuals (AOTA, 2013). Occupational therapy is a distinctive profession that helps

The Mental Health Services Act is designed to accumulate and distribute funds to county mental health programs (upon program plan approval). There are five different areas that the act helps with funding in mental health. The first is Community Services & Support (CSS) which helps fund the pairing of mental health care with primary health care settings. CSS also provides mental health support services to people that aren’t able to receive the services elsewhere (Dchs.ca.gov 2015). CSS has some main objectives including reduction of homelessness, justice and child welfare system

The name of the society changed in 1923, due to hospitals wanting a national directory of qualified occupational therapists. There now was a minimal standard of training that had to be met before an individual was put in the directory (AOTA, 2009). The name was changed to the American Occupational Therapy Association. The American Medical Association worked with the American Occupational Therapy Association starting in 1933 on getting improved education programs for occupational therapists (AOTA, 2009).

An interesting finding by Huskamp and Iglehart (2016) is that between the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there should be a rise in people with mental illness seeking services, however, services are underutilized more than ever (Huskamp & Iglehart, 2016). According to Bendant (2014), in 2013 a total of 47 million people uninsured and 25% of those suffer mental illness (Bendant, 2014). These numbers are staggering for a service that is more inclusive now more than ever. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) site indicates that the MHPA is regulated differently depending on the state (CMS, n. d.). The Department of Labor (DOL) has identified a few problems with the MHPA and addressed these issues to Congress via a 2017 report (DOL, n.

Occupational Therapy has played a role in helping those with Mental and physical disabilities in the United States since 1917. Before that time, Occupational Therapy was used solely in mental institutions to help people that were "more normal" and able to function in a social status. These patients enjoyed things like arts and crafts. It seemed that those who engaged in such activities where perceived as "more healthy". These findings lead Drs. to encourage patients to engage is such activity to improve there overall health. (http://quoccupationaltherapy.weebly.com/history-of-occupational-therapy.htmlhistory-of-occupational-therapy.html)

Within four weeks of fieldwork, occupational therapy students got to know most of the residents at Ruth’s House (dementia unit). The residents have various medical conditions that limit their physical and mental capabilities. Anita, one of the residents in the facility exhibited a range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Based on direct observation, Anita demonstrated fluctuating alertness periods. With no evident trigger, Anita had multiple acute episodes of confusion, irritability, and agitation. In a several group sessions, she was restless and was very difficult to redirect. She kept standing up despite being told to take a seat so she does not fall. She was verbally disorganized. In addition, during the 2-week fieldwork,

According to California legislature, Bill AB-470 Medi-Cal: specialty mental health services: performance outcome reports was passed by the Senate in September 2017. California Pan Ethnic Health Network is sponsoring this bill, and offer full support. It is currently on the state of California’s Governor's desk for completion. This Bill proposes to offer and enhance mental health screenings for medicare eligible patients 21 years and younger. The Bill requests that there be a performance outcome system in place for those with mental illness.

My two objectives for this meeting were to gain an understanding of the process of how a Behavioral Health is discussed at the state level and to analyze the effect that Medicaid and long term care has on governmental issues. These objectives related

Lower income populations have been categorized with high rates of being uninsured and as mentioned in this brief earlier, mental health and substance use disorders are more prevalent among lower income populations. The changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) regarding mental and behavioral services increased the ability for people with these health concerns to gain insurance coverage and acquire the appropriate services needed (Beronio, K., Frank, R., Glied, S., 2014). Along with these changes to coverage, the ACA emphasizes the integration of services among healthcare agencies. With the passing of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in 2004, funding was provided to counties in California. San Francisco’s Department of Public Health (SFDPH)

In 1946, President Truman signed the National Mental Health Act, allowing federal funds for education and research in mental health. By the time of the Great Depression and the World War II, asylums’ were in unsustainable conditions and traumatized veterans were returning home needing psychiatric attention. Also in a federal extent, Congress passed the Mental Health Study Act in 1955, establishing a commission to check policies and propose reforms in psychiatric treatments. Around that time the deinstitutionalization movement started changing the mental health picture.

I completely support the Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act, I believe mental health in the student population is an issue that should not be taken lightly. As stated on Congress.gov, “A national survey of college and university students living with mental health conditions, conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Health, found that

In today’s society there is a greater awareness of mental illnesses. With this greater awareness one might assume that there would be a substantial increase in government involvement or funding in the area of mental illness treatment. Unfortunately this isn’t the case in the U.S. today. There are hundreds of thousands of people with mental illness that go untreated. These potential patients go untreated for many reasons. These reasons are discussed in the Time article “Mental Health Reform: What Would it Really Take.

1.6. Target Goal: A total of 220 clients per year will be served for a total of 660 clients over three year. Under SAMHSA funding, 14 clients per year are expected to receive expedited psychiatric services. Each of the 14 clients is expected to have an initial consultation and up to 6 medication checks over the course of their participation in the program. A total of 42 clients a year will receive access to culturally appropriate Native American Treatment. A total of 15 clients per year will be placed on SCRAM at some point as a recovery support. A total of 150 clients per year are expected to receive case management services over the course of their participation in the program. Finally, a total of 14 clients per year will receive access to Medically Assisted Treatment. A total of 50 per year CVC clients will be served with Veteran Mentor Services. As a part of BJA funding, a total of 40 clients per year will receive access to seeking safety curriculum. In addition, 50 clients per year in the Veterans Treatment Court will have a screening assessment tool incorporated into the program and an incorporated drug testing system.

I am currently getting my bachelor’s degree in exercise science with an emphasis in physical education. Eventually, I want to go into occupational therapy (OT) as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). OT involves helping people of all ages participate in everyday activities. The assistant is the one who works one on one with the patients instead of administrative work (“About Occupational Therapy, 2017). I felt that an exercise science major coincided with well with OT since it fulfilled a lot of the prerequisites. Kinesiology was one class that caught my eye. I did not really know what kinesiology was or what the class would entail. Throughout the course of the semester, I learned that what we learned and did in class closely relates to

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience how treatment of mental illness in America has changed.