Occupational Therapy Essay

Throughout history, the treatment for individuals with mental illness has been influenced by prevailing beliefs in medicine and society. Between World War I and II, occupational therapy was seen as a crucial part of the treatment for individuals with mental illnesses. Our profession emerged from the Moral Treatment movement of the early 19th century, which advocated for individuals with mental disorders should be treated humanely and in safe environment (Gutman, 2011). In stating that, occupational therapy practitioners have a long history of providing mental health services and have a distinct value in promoting full, productive lives through mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA],

This is a result of the stigma behind mental health and the medical model dominance affecting the current application of OT in this field. History has shown us that the way we treat people with mental illnesses is influenced by the beliefs we hold. If people with mental illnesses are stigmatized as being dangerous and incapable of controlling their behavior, this could have a negative annotation in providing treatment. Occupational therapists face barriers in providing and billing for services that do not address physically related performance deficits. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding regarding the function of occupational therapists in mental health, and our presence in community settings for mental health is not ensured. Several of these barrier’s stem from the lack of knowledge from congress and Federal agencies understanding the benefits of occupational therapy in mental health. I believe having the inclusion of OT in federal, statutory definitions of “mental health profession” will help make the argument that states should recognize OT practitioners as qualified mental health professionals (QMHP). States will then follow the federal statute and make changes in their policies. In addition, in 2022, U.S. senators introduced the Occupational Therapy Mental Health Parity Act (S. 4712). By passing this legislation, more individuals with mental and behavioral health illnesses will be able to obtain OT services via Medicare and Medicaid (Parsons, 2022). I believe this will create an opportunity to emphasize the value of occupational therapy beyond addressing only physical health needs. This bill will provide the proof that including spending for occupational therapy in mental health setting will improve patient