Occupational Therapy Groups for Addressing Mental Health Challenges in School-Aged Populations

Brad E. Egan, OTD, PhD, CADC, OTR/L, is a tenured associate professor of occupational therapy at DePaul University and former founding site coordinator and associate professor of occupational therapy at Lenoir-Rhyne University's Columbia, South Carolina campus. He has worked extensively in community-based mental health with adults and children. He currently enjoys using chess in after-school programming to promote mental well-being for at-risk youth. Dr. Egan has been an occupational therapist for 20 years and a certified alcohol and drug counselor for 7 years. His research interests include homelessness, substance use, after-school programming, the impact of occupation-based interventions on building resilience, and protective factors. Dr. Egan received his bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of South Carolina, master’s degree in health studies from the University of Alabama, a doctoral degree in occupational therapy from Creighton University, and a PhD in education from Northcentral University. He enjoys coffee around the clock, faux taxidermy, podcasts, and skylines. Cindy Sears, OTD, MA, OTR/L, BCP, is an assistant professor and director of curriculum at Hawai'i Pacific University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Prior to this role, she was an assistant professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Columbia, South Carolina campus. Cindy has more than 30 years of clinical practice in pediatric occupational therapy with 20 years devoted to school systems therapy. She received her American Occupational Therapy Association board certification in pediatrics in 1999 and again in 2021. She received her undergraduate and doctoral degrees in occupational therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in business from Webster University. Dr. Sears is passionate about occupational therapy, mental health, person-centered measurement, and the science of hope. She loves yoga, running, trips to Walt Disney World, and time spent with her family, her husband, Jeff, and her twin Maltipoos, Tyler and Sophie. Allen Keener, OTD, MS, OTR/L, ATP, was a fifth-grade classroom teacher before becoming an occupational therapist. He has practiced occupational therapy in a variety of settings, including outpatient adults and pediatrics, skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, acute care, inpatient mental health, home health, and rehab management. He became certified as an assistive technology professional through the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America in 2017 and maintains assistive technology as a scholarship interest. Dr. Keener also holds specialty certifications in online course development and teaching and physical agent modalities. Before joining the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University, Dr. Keener was tenured faculty and director of the occupational therapy assistant program at Wallace State Community College. In 2016, he received the Alabama Community College System Chancellor's Award of Excellence for his work in the occupational therapy assistant program at Wallace State and service to the college. In 2019, he was awarded a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Award of Excellence for Teaching and Leadership at the annual National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development conference in Austin, Texas. His interests in occupational therapy include but are not limited to occupation-based practice, teaching and learning, and enabling occupation through assistive technology across the lifespan.

Contents Dedication About the Editors Contributing Authors Foreword by Jeaneen M. Tucker, BS, MEd, EdS Introduction How to Use This Book Section 1: Case Examples Introduction to the Cases Tier 2 Elementary School Case #1: Annie Sarah Nielsen, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Janet S. Jedlicka, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; and Bobbi Carrlson, PhD, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #2: Robert Jorge Ochoa, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #3: Shiloh Kelsey Helgesen, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #4: Natalia Andrea Thinnes, OTD, OTR/L, FNAP and Anna Domina, OTD, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #5: Amena Christine Kivlen, PhD, OTR/L and Jenna L. Heffron, PhD, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #6: Colby Anna Brown, MS, OTR/L and Kathryn M. Loukas, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA Tier 2 Elementary School Case #7: Dinah Paula Cook, OTD, OTR/L and Ashley Fecht, OTD, OTR/L, BCP Tier 2 Elementary School Case #8: Jacob Kelsey Helgesen, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #9: Sam Molly Bathje, PhD, MS, OTR/L Tier 2 Elementary School Case #10: Lucas Marcela De La Pava, MS, OTR/L and Laurette Olson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Tier 2 Middle School Case #1: Summer Toymika LeFlore, MEd, OTR/L Tier 2 Middle School Case #2: Ronnie Susan Friguglietti, DHA, MA, OTR/L and Mark Bumgarner, MS Tier 2 Middle School Case #3: Yael Paula Cook, OTD, OTR/L and Ashley Fecht, OTD, OTR/L, BCP Tier 2 Middle School Case #4: Jason Bobbi Carrlson, PhD, OTR/L; Sarah Nielsen, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; and Janet S. Jedlicka, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Tier 2 Middle School Case #5: Jeremiah Karen Stornello, OTD, OTR/L and Renee Harris, COTA/L Tier 2 Middle School Case #6: Richie Gina Rainelli, OTD, OTR/L Tier 2 High School Case #1: Zoey Teri K. Rupp, MOT, OTR/L, C/NDT and Patricia Bowyer, EdD, MS, OTR, FAOTA, SFHEA Tier 2 High School Case #2: Ben Andrea Thinnes, OTD, OTR/L, FNAP and Anna Domina, OTD, OTR/L Tier 2 High School Case #3: Jack Allen Keener, OTD, MS, OTR/L, ATP Tier 2 High School Case #4: Sarah Ryan Thomure, OTD, OTR/L, LCSW and Ray Cendejas, COTA/L Tier 2 High School Case #5: Cathy Linda M. Olson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Tier 2 High School Case #6: Hailee Aubrey Sejuit, PhD, LISW-CP, LCAS, MEd, GCDF and Jerry Dye, Jr., MA, MEd, NCC, LCMHCA-NC Section 2: Screening and Assessment Tools Screening Tools Assessment Tools Section 3: Occupational Therapy Groups Group #1 Pam Stephenson, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA Group #2 Anne Kiraly-Alvarez, OTD, OTR/L, SCSS and Nashauna (Neki) Richardson, EdD, MS, OTR/L Group #3 Susan Friguglietti, DHA, MA, OTR/L and Mark Bumgarner, MS Group #4 Meaghan Smeraglia, MOT, OTR/L, CCA Group #5 Wanda Mahoney, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA and Brad E. Egan, OTD, PhD, CADC, OTR/L Group #6 Toymika LeFlore, MEd, OTR/L Group #7 Theresa Carlson Carroll, OTD, OTR/L Group #8 Gina Rainelli, OTD, OTR/L Group #9 Christine Kivlen, PhD, OTR/L and Jenna L. Heffron, PhD, OTR/L Group #10 Ashley Hettlinger, MSOT, OTR/L and Susan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Group #11 Brad E. Egan, OTD, PhD, CADC, OTR/L and Stephanie Brauch, MSOT, OTR/L Group #12 Caitlin Esposito, OTD, OTR/L Group #13 Ryan Thomure, OTD, OTR/L, LCSW and Ray Cendejas, COTA/L Group #14 Patricia (Patee) Tomsic, OTD, MS, OTR/L and Anthony (Tony) Mesiano, Jr., MSW, LCSW, BCD, NCAC-1 Group #15 Anna Brown, MS, OTR/L and Kathryn M. Loukas, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA Group #16 Ashley Hettlinger, MSOT, OTR/L and Susan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Group #17 Jorge Ochoa, OTR/L Group #18 Andrea Thinnes, OTD, OTR/L, FNAP and Anna Domina, OTD, OTR/L Group #19 Paula Cook, OTD, OTR/L and Ashley Fecht, OTD, OTR/L, BCP Group #20 Marcela De La Pava, MS, OTR/L and Laurette Olson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Group #21 Ashley Stoffel, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA and Jane Clifford O'Brien, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Group #22 Jessica Weiler, OTD, OTR/L, CTRP and Megan Eads, BSHS, OTD, OTR/L Group #23 Ingris Treminio, DrOT, OT/L, BCP Group #24 Kelsey Helgesen, OTR/L and Brad E. Egan, OTD, PhD, CADC, OTR/L Group #25 Teri K. Rupp, MOT, OTR/L, C/NDT and Patricia Bowyer, EdD, MS, OTR, FAOTA, SFHEA Group #26 Meghan Suman, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, SCSS Group #27 Ashley Stoffel, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA and Lesly Wilson James, PhD, MPA, PMP, OTR/L,FAOTA Group #28 Molly Bathje, PhD, MS, OTR/L Group #29 Karen Stornello, OTD, OTR/L and Renee Harris, COTA/L Group #30 Erin Schwier, EdD, OTD, OTR/L Group #31 Sarah Nielsen, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Bobbi Carrlson, PhD, OTR/L; and Janet S. Jedlicka, PhD,OTR/L, FAOTA Group #32 Cindy Sears, OTD, MA, OTR/L, BCP Group #33 Brad E. Egan, OTD, PhD, CADC, OTR/L and Susan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Section 4: Data Collection Tools Section 5: Additional Resources Sample Tier 2 Letter to Parents Case Study Template Client Case Report Financial Disclosures Index