Occupational therapy continues to demonstrate its important role in supporting individuals with behavioral health needs and helping people participate more fully in their communities.

Danielle Amero, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, an occupational therapy professor at MCPHS, was recently awarded a grant from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation to expand occupational therapy services within community behavioral health centers in New Hampshire.

The project builds on a successful pilot program launched in 2024 with Network4Health. The pilot placed an occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant in two community behavioral health centers. Following the pilot, one center was able to hire the OT practitioners as full-time employees. The new grant-funded project will expand services to a third behavioral health center.

OT practitioners bring a unique perspective to behavioral health care by considering the whole person, including their environment, daily routines, skills, resources, and personal goals. Interventions may help individuals develop strategies for managing everyday tasks, improving independence, and participating more successfully in their communities.

Dr. Amero hopes the project will not only expand access to OT in New Hampshire, but also provide strategies that other states can use to integrate occupational therapy into community behavioral health settings.

Read the full article from MCPHS: Occupational Therapy Professor Wins Prestigious Grant to Support Behavioral Health Care

Read the full article from AOTF: Grant Recipients