Connecting occupational therapy and 988

Crisis begins earlier than our system has been set up to acknowledge and continues long after an emergency is resolved.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Act early using core values. Draw on our core values and beliefs in occupation. We are skilled in identifying those who are emotionally struggling. We can focus on early intervention to make an impact in people’s lives through our knowledge and expertise.

Shift the crisis response away from law enforcement and the criminal justice system and to our public health, medical, and mental health systems.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Think globally. Act locally! Address the population’s mental health needs in every practice setting. 1 in 4 adults experience a mental health issue, 1 in 6 young people experience a major depressive episode, and 1 in 20 people live with a serious mental illness (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022). Mental health affects everyone and we have a duty to react on a local level!

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2022). Mental Health Myths and Facts. Mentalhealth.Gov. 

Establish a commitment to equity for underserved communities and inclusion of those with lived experience.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Community focused. Create a community focused approach that welcomes, understands, and encourages people to share lived experiences. Focus on occupations that support wellness and mental health promotion.

Integrate partnerships with law enforcement, courts, medical/mental health systems, and the public-at-large.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Collaboration and exploration. Make an impact in underserved areas by capitalizing on the training and perspectives of all practitioners. Your input is needed to change the stigma surrounding mental health and implement our approach to care. Integrating occupational therapy in health and legal systems benefits the community through our holistic person-centered practices.

Enforce parity to prevent individuals from escalating to crisis and prevent those re-entering the community after stabilization from repeated emergency-only treatment.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

A seat at the table. Influence policy and continue knocking at the big doors to pass behavioral health workforce and mental health initiatives. Channel interest and make the connection with occupational therapy training and mental health focused roles.

Improve the quality of treatment at all stages of the continuum of care and invest in infrastructure through evidence-based structures and practices that remove barriers to standards of care.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Occupational therapy value in mental health and wellbeing. Transition occupational therapy research to bigger context of mental health research for people to see value in our services. We can apply our care and treatment approach to mental health in all practice settings.

Cultivate and train workforce and provide resources that meet individuals’ needs.

Occupational Therapy Connection:

Small steps make a big impact! Meet mental health needs by cultivating our training and workforce to fill in the gaps. Knowing the signs during assessment and treatment, recognizing early identification, and providing resources for intervention can all contribute to better mental health for the community.