Maya’s Quick Reference Guide:

Mental Health
Help clients readjust
to their everyday
lives after
experiencing a
Evaluate triggers mentally& Help clients
and barriers emotionally discover and
demanding event.
within the client's explore
school, home, healthy ways
and community.
to express
themselves

Role of
Occupational
Therapy
Determine the Assist clients
client's ability in engaging
to reintegrate in their
into their
activities of
communicty
daily living

Create care Educate clients

plans that are and their families
focused on on what they are
the client's going through and
goals and how OT can help
values

Educate & Advocate

Occupational Therapists can provide individualized assessment, treatment, and prevention services for any
person experiencing a Mental Health condition that impedes their engagement in day-to-day activities (Gillen
& Schell, 2014).
Occupational Therapists use a client centered approach to evaluate and create a treatment plan that works to
relieve or decrease symptoms of mental conditions. They also promote safety, good health, and well-being in
techniques that are used to manage the struggles of negative mental conditions.
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Some of the Main Interprofessional Team Members

Occupational The OT can assist the client with:
Therapist  Planning and managing their time on a daily basis
 Exploring and implementing leisure activities
 Expressing feelings, emotions, and thoughts to other in positive yet
effective ways
 Enforcing new healthy sleep routines and habits
 Practicing self-care habits
 Recognizing triggers and influencing factors on negative thoughts or
behaviors.
 Improving their fine motor skills
 Learning to use new durable medical equipment or assistive devices
 Improving their communication and social skills
 Management of pain, stress, and anxiety.
 Seeking external services from community programs or local organizations
Method of communication:
 In person sessions
 Telehealth
Physical Therapist The PT can assist the client with:
 Improving their gross motor skills
 Managing acute and chronic pain with Nerve Stimulation tool.
 Focusing on exercise and manual therapy to reduce pain and promote
healing
 Restoring optimal lower extremity function for ambulation
Method of communication:
 In person sessions
 Telehealth
Psychiatrist The Psychiatrist can assist the client with:
 Acquiring the appropriate medication for managing pain and discomfort.
Method of communication:
 In person sessions
Physician The Physician can assist the client with:
 Getting a referral to see a specialist of a particular issue
 Assessing the client’s physiological functions
 Acquiring prescribed medication to treat a condition or illness
 Recognizing the causes and effects of different conditions or illnesses
Method of communication:
 In person sessions
 Telehealth
Most effective method to communicate with this interprofessional team: While telehealth has grown
more popular in giving and receiving medical services (due to the Covid-19 pandemic), it does create some
barriers for achieving fully effective treatment results in professions such as Occupational Therapy. In OT,
face-to-face and hands-on treatment sessions positively impact the way that clients perceive and use
services. Telehealth has also enhanced the way that medical professionals and clients communicate by
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decreasing the amount of time and effort it takes to get in contact with each other. For many, It is easier to
dial into a meeting on a mobile device then it is to travel to the physician’s office and wait for an
appointment time.

Models [M] and Frames of Reference [FOR]

Person- This model emphasizes occupational performance influenced by the person, their
Environment- environment, and their meaningful occupations. This transactional model uses 3
Occupation [PEO] key concepts (person, environment, occupation) to analyze the relationship
between an individual and their life. These 3 concepts include:
Person: skills; knowledge; uniqueness; experience
Environment: social; physical; cultural; physical
Occupation: Productivity; self-care; leisure
Psychodynamic This Frame of Reference focuses on Freudian concepts that an individual has the
Frame of Reference emotions and energy available to use for the purpose of understanding their self
and their illness. A person’s ability to understand and then express who they are
and what matters to them can be translated into OT treatment sessions via
creative/leisure therapy (art, pet, poetry). Mental Health conditions can have
major negative impacts on the mind. Using different forms of expressive therapy
under this FOR can serve as a healthy outlet for those who have difficulty finding
out.

Variables that Influence Practice

Healthcare  Managing the pain, discomfort, or chronic conditions related to mental
illness or disorder.
 Insurance coverage on services provided in MH settings varies by the
kind of service, the length of service, and documentation. (OT treatment
session and summary notes).
Education  Teaching the client and their family about their MH condition.
 Teaching the client how to recognize and manage their MH condition
symptoms.
 Providing information on de-escalation techniques.
 Researching the MH condition that the client lives with and using
evidence-based practice to justify success of treatment plans.

Community  Seeking and receiving support from local organizations or programs

 Encouraging client integration in community-based occupations
(employment) without being a danger to their self or others

Political Systems  The policies and laws vary by state and district which apply directly to
some services available for people with MH conditions versus others.
 Advocating for continued funding opportunities related to MH care in
different states is the responsibility of the interprofessional team
members, family, and loved ones who care for and support a person with a
MH condition.
Social Systems  MH conditions may affect the communication and interactions within any
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social system negatively. OT plays a role in building better social

environments through improved social and communication skills between
people with MH conditions and others.

Specialists external to the setting:

 An OT that specializes in MH can refer a client to services from a Dermatologist for a skin
condition brought to their attention.
Specialists internal to the setting:
 A general OT can refer a client to an OT that specializes in Mental Health (BCMH) for
services that derive from specific skill sets in an experienced OT in this setting.
Specialists/community services external to the setting:
 An OT that specializes in MH can refer a client to services from a local Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) group to connect with others dealing with similar Alcoholism issues.

Care Coordination and Case Management

A case manager for a client with mental health condition(s) manages the overall care provided to the
client through coordinated efforts with interprofessional teams. OTs, PTs, Physicians, Psychiatrists and
other professionals in this setting may collaborate to treat, educate, and assist the client and their family.
One case management need could be for a client who is not sure what services her insurances cover. In
this scenario, a case manager can assist the client in negotiating for coverage of services and ensuring that
their providers are within insurance reach. The case manager may also organize or facilitate patient care
by communicating with other interprofessional team members and informing them of concerns that are
appropriate to their scope of practice. For example, a case manager may organize an interprofessional
meeting with the OT, PT, and Physician to address a back pain that the client has been experiencing in
order to ensure they receive the appropriate treatment for it.
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References

Schell, B., Gillen, G., & Scaffa, M. (2014). Willard & Spackman's occupational therapy (12 ed.).
Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.