Department of Occupational Therapy

Chairperson: Leslie K. Roundtree

Graduate Faculty: Sarah L. Austin, Kermeshia Davenport, Veronica Ford

Lindsay Jones, Regina T. Smith, Stephanie Zuba-Bates

Vision

The vision of the Department of Occupational Therapy is to be widely recognized as a dynamic, community-oriented program that trains competent, diverse occupational therapists and enhances the health of underserved communities through research and service. The vision of the Department of Occupational Therapy is to provide a dynamic community-oriented program that produces occupational therapists who are change agents for underserved communities and the occupational therapy profession.

Mission

The Mission of the Chicago State University Occupational Therapy Program is to prepare a diverse student body to become competent occupational therapists who are skilled in and effective at meeting the needs of clients within rapidly changing service delivery systems. The program is designed to provide a transformative educational experience that develops entry-level therapists who possess foundational skills in the principles of the occupational therapy profession. We strive to produce graduates who exhibit the ability to integrate knowledge into practice while using evidence, critical thinking, and reflective abilities necessary to take on a variety of roles (i.e., practitioner, consultant, educator, manager, researcher, and advocate) within traditional and emerging service delivery systems.

The Department of Occupational Therapy’s mission is consistent with the University’s and the College of Health Sciences’ mission and upholds the commitment to the recruitment and education of candidates from those diverse backgrounds underrepresented in the practice of occupational therapy. The program’s purpose is to develop graduates that are compassionate and dedicated to implementing contextually relevant occupation-centered services that promote and enhance the health, participation, and quality of life for individuals and populations.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MOT program, the graduates will:

Utilize the principles supporting the theories of occupation and human development in planning, evaluation, and intervention to achieve health and wellness.

Integrate evidence-based practice and ethical decision making into all aspects of the occupational therapy process to assist individuals and populations in achieving optimal occupational performance within diverse physical, social, and cultural environments.

Appraise opportunities to deliver best practices that meet the needs of individuals and groups through occupationally centered interventions within a variety of service delivery systems.

Defend the right to engage in occupations and intervene on behalf of diverse individuals, organizations, communities, and social systems through advocacy.

Appreciate and relate to the roles required by the profession through professional development planning and participation in and support of American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) and other professional organizations.