Advocating for the Role of Occupational Therapy in a Community-based Setting Through the Use of Journaling for Individuals with Chronic Mental Illness

Individuals who battle severe mental illness (SMI) experience a range of deficits that affect various aspects of daily life, including activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), social participation, sleep and rest, education, work, leisure, and play. Research suggests that journaling can help individuals with SMI express their emotions and provide a healthy outlet for coping with symptoms. This doctoral capstone project aimed to identify the unique needs of individuals with SMI and explore how journaling and other occupational therapy (OT) interventions could expand the scope of practice within Boley Centers' assertive community treatment (ACT) teams in Pinellas County, Florida, under the guidance of my mentors, Chantale Adkins, MHC, and Christina Kane, Ed.D., MS, OTR/L. This project focused on program development and advocacy, as identified by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The capstone project included an initial evaluation, the implementation of a journaling project, and other occupation-based interventions tailored to the individual's needs. The results, gathered through qualitative feedback, indicated that the project was beneficial not only in providing healthy coping mechanisms but also in improving self-esteem, independence, and overall well-being. Future research should continue to explore the role of OT within ACT teams to further expand OT practice in community mental health settings.