Abstract
An estimated 5.2 million veterans face mental health challenges. Cobb County’s Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), established in 2014, offers a diversion program for justice-involved veterans. This study explores staff’s and students’ perceptions of OT services.
Primary Author and Speaker: Alexis Hawkins
Additional Authors and Speakers: Mary Shotwell, Daphyne Ewings, Yolanda Young
Contributing Authors: Daphyne Ewings, Yolanda Young, Mary Shotwell, Emily Riggs, Amy Shaffer
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that 5.2 million veterans experienced mental health issues as of 2020, with many cases untreated (Owens, 2022). Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) offer a diversion program for justice-involved veterans facing mental health and substance abuse challenges, providing a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. VTCs address issues like PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and military sexual trauma, and include professionals such as judges, defense counsel, veteran outreach specialists, peer mentors, counselors, social workers, and probation officers (Lennon, 2020). While research on occupational therapists (OTs) in VTCs is limited, OTs can enhance the multidisciplinary team with their unique skill set. OTs help improve occupational performance and well-being, educate on coping strategies, facilitate engagement, and connect veterans to community resources (Ikiugu et al., 2017). The Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court (VATC), established in 2014, uses a problem-solving treatment model in place of traditional court processing (Superior Court Administration, 2023). The VATC provides treatment for mental health and substance dependency, job skills training, and legal support. In collaboration with Chattahoochee Technical College (CTC) since 2019, OTA students provide OT services as part of their Level I Fieldwork. This partnership has involved 15 OTA students and 12 veterans. In 2023, Middle Georgia State University (MGA) joined, with MSOT students working with 5 veterans. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of VATC staff and OTA students regarding the impact of OT services on veteran performance. A sample of 6 participants (2 males, 4 females) was interviewed, identifying themes such as apprehensions with OT, outcomes, student perceptions, and recommendations for OT services.
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