Quality in mental health care: A peer provider’s perspective

Quality of care is more than what we do; it includes how we do it. I am an occupational therapist living with a bipolar condition and working in the mental health field. As such, there is a special place in my heart surrounding quality of care in mental health. Quality of care in mental health is more than just symptom management. Often times symptoms do not fully go away. Instead, it is about decreasing the intensity of symptoms into a manageable range and working with them so that one can successfully engage in meaningful activities to experience a desired quality of life. As such, occupational therapy practitioners must think beyond treating a diagnosis. Think about the skills, tools, and structures that can be put into place to support a client’s success in meaningful activities during times of internal chaos.