Mental health assessments in work rehabilitation programs

Within work rehabilitation programs, the distinct role of occupational therapy is to provide interventions that address both mental health and physical health, and their impact on return to work following an injury. A variety of factors can influence an individual’s return to work, including the work environment, type of injury, presence of kinesiophobia, length of time off work, and financial situation, among others (Voss & Homa, 2023). Each of these factors requires effective management by the work rehabilitation team to support each individual on their journey through injury recovery and toward resumption of work tasks. The gap in current research on mental health factors in work rehabilitation presents a valuable opportunity for practitioners to highlight their knowledge and skills.