Understanding and Enhancing Community Function in Serious Mental Illness

Supported by a generious donation from Bonita Kraft and Florence Stattel, the first Planning Grant Collective focused on promoting research relevant to occupational therapy’s role in mental health care.  

A select group of twenty-six occupational therapy researchers, psychologists, social workers, health policy specialist and others, representing mental health professionals from the U.S. and Canada gathered to establish several research teams in order to generate and worked on specific research projects together. Several funding agencies (NIMH, NCMRR, NIDILRR) were invited, both as a way to identify potential funding opportunities and as a way to educate the agencies about the focus of occupational therapy. 

Three groups were formed and agreed to pursue the following projects:

Group 1:  Action over Inertia; OT Consultation on ACT Teams; and Active Living.
Group 2:  Improvement of community living outcomes for persons with serious mental illness wit the inclusion of OT assessment/intervention.
Group 3:  College students with serious mental illness (SMI).

View OTJR article for summary and recommendations: Promoting Occupational Therapy Mental Health Research: Proceedings From the 2017 AOTF Mental Health Planning Grant Collective

Participants (*Committee Members)

Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, OTR, CPRP, Director of Practice Innovation and Wellness, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ) & Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care

Antoine Luc Bailliard, PhD, OTR/L, Assitant Professor, Div. of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Skye Pamela Barbic, PhD, OT, Assistant Professor, Occupational Science and Occupatoinal Therapy, University of British Columbia

M. Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR/L FAOTA, Elias Michael Executive Director, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine

Bette Bonder*, PhD, FAOTA, Fermer Dean, College of Sciences & Health Professions, Professor Emerita, Cleveland State University

Catana Brown*, PhD, OTR, Professor, Occupational Therapy Program, Midwestern University – Glendale

Katherine A. Burson, MS, OTR/L, CPRP, Independent Consultant

Leslie J. Caplan, PhD, Rehabilitation Program Specialist, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Wendy J. Coster*, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Director, Behavior & Health Program, Director, Patient/Clinician Reported Outcomes Care, Boston Rehab Outcomes Center, Boston University

Theresa Cruz, PhD, Program Director, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation

Elizabeth Francis-Connolly, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Dean, Westbrook College of Health Professions, University of New England

Judith A. Cook, PhD, Professor & Director, Center on Mental Health Services, Research, & Policy, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago

Lisa Dixon, MD, MPH, Professor & Director, Division of Behavioral Health Services and Policy Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Insittute (NYSPI)

Adam J. Haim, PhD, Chief, Treatment and Prevention Interventions Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health

Sharon A. Gutman*, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Professor of Rehabilitation & Regenerative Medicine, Programs in Occupational Therapy, Columbia University Medical Center

Bonita Kraft*, OTR/L, Benefactor

Jeffrey Krolick, MA, Director of Special Projexts, Oregon Center for Excellence for Assertive Community Treatment, Options for Southern Oregon

Terry Krupa, PhD, MEd, BSC(OT), Professor & Associate Director, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queens University

Nadine Lariviere, erg, OT(C), PhD, Director & Associate PRofessor, OT Program, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Sherbrooke

Mary Lawlor, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Profesor, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California

Susan McGurk*, PhD, Senior Researcher, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Professor, Occupational Therapy, Boston University

Penelope A. Moyers, EdD, OT/L, FAOTA, Dean of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health and Graduate College, St. Catherine University

Kim. T. Mueser, PhD, Professor, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Sargent College, Boston University

Susan Noyes, PhD, OTR/L, Chair, AOTA Mental Health Special Interest Section, Assistant Professor, Master of Occupational Therapy Program, University of Southern Maine

Heather Parson, MSOT, Director of Federal Affairs, AOTA

Nadine Rebheim, PhD, OTR/L, Program Director – Psychologist, St. Joseph’s Medical Center

Mark Salzer, PhD, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple University

Virginia (Ginny)Stoffel, PhD, OT, BCMH, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee