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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc
Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.
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OTHA-2309-001 Mental Health in Occupational Therapy
Prerequisite: OTHA 1415
Promotion of mental health and wellness through occupational therapy. Topics include theory and intervention strategies to enhance occupational performance.
Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website
Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:
Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.
(3 sem hrs; 2 lec, 3 lab)
On Campus Course
Mental Health Practice for the Occupational Therapy Assistant, Manville, Keough
Developing Clinical Competence, A Workbook for the OTA, 2nd Edition, Morreale, Marie J.
The OTA's Guide to Documentation: Writing Soap Notes, 4th Edition, Morreale, and Borcherding
Occupational Therapy Practice: FRAMEWORK: Domain & Process, 4th edition, AOTA
Supplemental Reading:
Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy, 5th Edition, Cole
Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants, 2nd Edition Mahle & Ward
Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy, Reed
Microsoft PowerPoint Software access
Computer access including print capability
Supplies for student preferred method for note taking
Supplies to prepare presentations, assignments as determined by student
Competencies-Given the learning methods, course textbooks, personal notes, handouts and other course materials, the student should be able to do each of the following on written examination with accuracy of not less than 74.5% as evaluated by the course instructor.
1. Discuss the OT Practice Framework as it relates to occupational therapy in the mental health setting.
2. Be knowledgeable of healthcare laws, historically and current, and how the impact on mental health care and occupational therapy services.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of mental health diagnoses, including signs and symptoms and the impact on occupational performance.
4. Be familiar with job descriptions and role delineation of OTR, COTA, aides, and volunteers in in the mental health setting.
5. Research and discuss frames of reference in occupational therapy as they relate to the mental health setting.
6. Explore assessments in the mental health setting, as well as the psychosocial components of assessment applicable to occupational therapy intervention in all settings.
7. Participate in learning activities to develop group intervention skills and therapeutic use of self for occupational therapy intervention in the mental health setting.
8. Understand the importance of effective communication skills with clients, caregivers, and other professionals.
9. Demonstrate effective communication skills during practice of implementation of therapeutic group.
10. Demonstrate knowledge of leadership styles used in facilitating an occupational therapy group intervention.
11. Understand the importance of supervision, the reciprocity of the relationship with the OTA supervisor, and the impact on the client’s progress in the mental health setting.
12. Understand the importance of and utilize evidence-based practice in the mental health setting.
Goals – Given the course textbooks, personal notes, handouts, and other course materials, the student should accomplish each of the following course goals as evaluated by the course instructor.
1. Describe the meaning and dynamics of occupation and activity, including the interaction of areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, activity demands, context(s) and environments, and client factors.
2. Understand and be able to apply the functions of activity analysis as it relates to therapeutic intervention.
3. Understand the inherent qualities of purposeful activity and be able to adapt/modify for successful performance and intervention.
4. Understand and be able to problem-solve based on the occupational performance areas of life tasks in which clients engage as an integral part of therapeutic intervention through assessment, activity analysis, problem-solving and adaptation/modification.
The student will know that these goals have been completed when he/she earns a final grade of "C" or higher as evaluated by the department faculty.
ACOTE standards (effective July 31,2020) incorporated in this course:
(B.1.3) Demonstrate knowledge of the social determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions. This must include an understanding of the epidemiological factors that impact the public health and welfare of populations.
(B.2.1) Apply scientific evidence, theories, models of practice, and frames of reference that underlie the practice of occupational therapy to guide and inform interventions for persons, groups, and populations in a variety of practice contexts and environments.
(B.2.1) Apply scientific evidence, theories, models of practice, and frames of reference that underlie the practice of occupational therapy to guide and inform interventions for persons, groups, and populations in a variety of practice contexts and environments.
(B.3.2) Demonstrate knowledge of and apply the interaction of occupation and activity, including areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, context(s) and environments, and client factors.
(B.3.4) Demonstrate knowledge of scientific evidence as it relates to the importance of balancing areas of occupation; the role of occupation in the promotion of health; and the prevention of disease, illness, and dysfunction for persons, groups, and populations.
(B.3.5) Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of disease processes including heritable diseases, genetic conditions, mental illness, disability, trauma, and injury on occupational performance.
(B.4.1) Demonstrate therapeutic use of self, including one’s personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments, as part of the therapeutic process in both individual and group interaction.
(B.4.3) Utilize clinical reasoning to facilitate occupation-based interventions that address client factors. This must include interventions focused on promotion, compensation, adaptation, and prevention.
(B.4.10) Provide direct interventions and procedures to persons, groups, and populations to enhance safety, health and wellness, and performance in occupations. This must include the ability to select and deliver occupations and activities, preparatory methods and tasks (including therapeutic exercise), education and training, and advocacy
(B.4.29) Demonstrate knowledge of various reimbursement systems and funding mechanisms (e.g., federal, state, third party, private payer), treatment/diagnosis codes (e.g., CPT®, ICD, DSM® codes), and coding and documentation requirements that affect consumers and the practice of occupational therapy.
Documentation must effectively communicate the need and rationale for occupational therapy services.
Consistency with and connection to the OTA curriculum
The curriculum design of the OTA program incorporates both developmental and adult education models of learning. In planning and implementing the curriculum, courses progress from easier to harder, general to specific, limited time observing to full time practicing. The program focuses on adult education concepts of self-directed learning, an increasing responsibility for one’s own learning, as well as establishing one’s own learning goals and objectives. The curriculum design incorporates the philosophy of the profession in that human are active beings and so students enrolled in OTA courses are actively learning not passively listening to lecture or viewing power point presentations. OTA students create the power point presentations from which they learn.
Therapeutic Use of Occupation I is a first semester course. This course builds knowledge of the student in the form of language which will be used across all courses and increases in complexity between Therapeutic Use of Occupation I and the next semester course Therapeutic Use of Occupation II. Students begin learning abbreviations in the first course and those abbreviations are utilized again in the next semester in written notes based on the first clinical course observations. Basic healthcare concepts are taught in course I such as hand washing, protective equipment use, and workplace safety. The second course in the second semester builds on knowledge from the first course by requiring treatment plans which include safety and precautions.
In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .
If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".
ACADEMIC CIVILITY & INTEGRITY
The faculty member teaching this course seeks to have a civil and high integrity learning environment for the benefit of all learners, guests and instructors. Any act of incivility or lack of academic integrity may result in a number of actions including being asked to leave the classroom up to dismissal from the college.
Civility includes:
1. Respect. Respect is demonstrated in verbal and non-verbal ways. Be sure your voice conveys respect as well as all body language. Respect is expected between instructors, between instructors and learners and between learners.
2. Advocate for yourself. Speak up when you have a question or don't understand something. Please ask the instructor rather than your table mates. If you have a question, perhaps others in the room have the same question. Let the faculty answer your questions rather than getting wrong information from a classmate.
3. Make the best use of your class time. You're paying for it! Arrive on time. Wait to pack up until the instructor dismisses class. Be prepared for class by bringing ALL MATERIALS and completed assignments in the format they were asked for. Take your turn in discussions and don't interrupt. Let others answer ahead of you who might be shy or quiet about answering. You don't always have to be the first one to answer. Listen carefully to other learners questions so you don't repeat what has already been asked. This is another reason to limit learner to learner conversation - the number one reason learner questions are repeated is due to side conversations. However, your classmates will view it as not paying attention. Speaking of paying attention...
4. Stay awake and attentive in class. Take a 10 minute power nap during breaks if needed. Stand up in the LAB doorway or at the back of the classroom without distracting others. Stay alert and ready to participate if you are standing. A tired student can be confused with one who is bored or apathetic. It's better to let me know you had a rough night than to look like you're not paying attention in class or are disinterested. Sleeping in class may result in being asked to leave class which counts as an absence and reduces your grade in the Professional Development category.
5. Have courage. When you have a concern, speak up. If it's conflict with a classmate, talk to that classmate NOT others in the cohort. When it's an issue with a faculty member/instructor, take the concern to the faculty member involved NOT other instructors.
If AFTER talking with either a classmate or an instructor you feel the issue is not resolved, please visit with the program director. In the event the program director does not resolve your issue, the program director will direct to concern to the Dean of Health Sciences, a resolution committee may be appointed, the VPAA office might become involved as well as the President of AC. This is the sequence or order of resolution an AC learner is expected to follow. If it is not followed, the person who you have contacted will refer you to the person you should be engaging with.
6. The instructor is open to amending this syllabus to include additional suggestions regarding civility using a collective learner contract process.
Grading Policies: Any grade disputes must be addressed within one week of receiving the grade; otherwise, the grade stands and will not be changed. Grades will not be given over the telephone. An appointment must be made with the instructor for a conference if a question over a grade arises. The issue will not be discussed during class time.
Evaluation: The final course grade will be computed as follows:
Professional Development 10%
Content Exams 30%
Lab Activities 25%
Portfolio 10%
Final Examination 25%
100%
The following grade scale applies throughout this course:
A = 92.5 – 100
B = 83.5 - 92.4
C = 74.5 – 83.4
F = 74.4 and below
Note: A grade of “D” is not possible in this course. A student receiving a final grade of less than a “C” will be required to repeat this course and may not continue the next curriculum courses. This course may only be repeated once and must be done in curriculum sequence.
The following information details the policies of expectations and missed exams/ assignments:
A. Content Exams –Each exam will cover the information presented since the previous exam (or the start of the semester for the first exam) and will be announced in advance. If an exam is missed, for any reason, that exam will be made up during the week of final examinations. Detailed information for the make-up time and place will be given out the week before finals. The format for the make-up exam will be at the discretion of the instructor and may differ from original exam format. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain test information –no review will be given. The maximum achievable score will be 95. Bonuses will be answered but will not be factored into the exam grade.
B. Quizzes- Quizzes will test knowledge of any/all previous lectures/readings. They may or may not be announced and may be given at anytime during the course of the class. A quiz cannot be made up for any reason.
C. Portfolio Assignments – All in-class, out-of-class, or presentations must be completed on time. They will not be accepted late for any reason. Any written portion of an assignment may be handwritten as long as it is legible.
D. Lab Activities – All effort will be made to keep assignments to a level that can be completed during lab times. Assignments given for each lab will be turned in at the end of lab, unless the instructor gives approval to complete it outside of lab. In the event of lab homework, it will be due at the beginning of the next lab. There will be no make-up of lab assignments.
E. Final Examination – One final exam will be given and will cover any/all material presented throughout the course. The date and time of the final will follow the schedule set forth by the occupational therapy assistant instructor.
Attendance Policy:
At the beginning of each lecture and lab, students will be expected to sign the roster provided by the instructor. Failure to sign in will result in the student being marked absent for attendance purposes even if a student is present in class and seen by the instructor.
Each student will be allowed only one absence for lecture or one for lab in the course. After the first absence, a penalty of three (3) points will be deducted from the student's final course grade for each subsequent absence. For example, a student who misses three (3) lectures will have six (6) points deducted from the final grade for the course.
Full attendance of class time is also expected. A student will be counted as "absent" if the student is out of class more than 20 minutes of a class time. For example, if in a given day a student arrives 10 minutes late to class, takes an extra 5 minutes for break and leaves class for 5 minutes for any reason (phone calls, appointments, bathroom breaks, illness), that student is then considered "absent" for the day. This type of absence counts in the total number of absences resulting in lowering of the final course grade.
Week 1 - Class and Text Overview; Scope of Practice in Mental Health OT; Standards of Practice in Mental Health OT (MH Ch. 1 & 2)
Week 2 - OT Intervention: Promoting Occupational Participation; Use of Therapeutic Groups in OT (MH Ch. 5 & 13)
Week 3 - Cultural Competence (Gr.D); Therapeutic Rapport and Use of IRM (MH Ch. 12, DCC pgs. 17-18)
Week 4 - Synthesis of Learning (DCC); Exam 1
Week 5 - The Early Lifespan: Mental Health Diagnoses, Assessment, Intervention (MH & DCC)
Week 6 - Occupational Environment Mid-Lifespan and Late Lifespan: Occupational Participation and MH Diagnoses (MH & DCC)
Week 7 - Mental Health Diagnoses, Assessment, Intervention (MH & DCC); Exam 2
Week 8 - Client Centered Groups; Intervention Strategies; PARC Site Visit; 8 Dimensions of Wellness in Action (observation of instructor's facilitated group)
SPRING BREAK
Week 9 - Client Centered Groups; Intervention Strategies, cont. (MH & DCC)
Week 10 - Use of Therapeutic Groups in OT; The Group Leader
Week 11 - Writing a Group Protocol: 6 Thinking Hats; Exam 2
Week 12 - Group Practicals/Feedback on campus
Week 13 - Group Planning based on Feedback; Experiential Learning in the Community
Week 14 - Experiential Learning Synthesis (MH & DCC); Exam 3
Week 15 - Clinical Off Campus PLUS debriefing; schedule TBA
Week 16 - Final Exam Week
One final exam will be given and will cover any/all material presented throughout the course. The date and time of the final will follow the schedule set forth by the occupational therapy assistant instructor.
THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR DEEMS NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE COURSE OBJECTIVES.
01/15/24 3:51 PM
01/10/25 1:31 PM