An important action for the profession of occupational therapy in the future of community mental health is:
A) Advocacy
B) Ignoring it as an occupational therapy practice area
C) Infusing mental health into the medical model
D) Garnering grant funding for community mental health

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heavy reliance of CMH programs on public funding can significantly limit services if legislative bodies do not recognize their value (Palanker et al., 2018). Similarly, a lack of understanding about occupational therapy's role in CMH can constrain practice opportunities. Thus, practitioners must recognize the "dynamic nature of contemporary health and human services delivery systems . . . to advocate for the profession and the consumer" (ACOTE, 2017, p. 1). Practitioners in states who receive SAMHSA Block Grants can volunteer to serve on their state-mandated mental health advisory planning council, which gives input on how grant money is spent (SAMHSA, 2017). These councils provide a forum for promoting occupational therapy's cost- effectiveness and efficacy and advocating for its inclusion in CMH programs. All can support the advocacy efforts of the NAMI and other mental health rights organizations to obtain funding to increase the availability and quality of CMH services.

An Important Action for the Profession of Occupational Therapy in the Future