Every Moment Counts: Occupational Therapy’s Distinct Value in Mental Health Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention
February 9, 2024 | Time: 1 p.m. | TWU T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences - Dallas Center
Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, an occupational therapy researcher and practitioner, is the founder of Every Moment Counts, a multi-pronged mental health initiative to help children and youth feel good emotionally and succeed at school, at home, and in the communities where they live. Her presentation will focus on the application of a public health approach to mental health and occupational therapy’s distinct value in mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention in diverse settings.
The lecture is open to OT practitioners and TWU OT students
TWU does not provide CEU for this lecture. Licensees are responsible for documenting their continuing education. Be sure to check the OT Rules in Texas to verify that the activity falls under one of the categories of education in §367.2, Categories of Education. Licensees are responsible for choosing CE that meets requirements as per Chapter 367. [ptot.texas.gov/OT-Decision-tree-for-CE]. Attendees may be able to use the program and/or email confirmation as partial evidence of attendance—a signature from another on-site attendee is often helpful, or perhaps a screenshot if attending online.
Speaker
Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is Professor Emerita of the Occupational Therapy Program at Cleveland State University and founding director of Every Moment Counts: Promoting Mental Health Throughout the Day – a multi-pronged mental health promotion initiative. She is nationally recognized for her research and leadership in building capacity of occupational therapy practitioners and interdisciplinary school professionals to address the mental health needs of children and youth.
In addition to authoring the book, Mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention with children and youth: A guiding framework for occupational therapy (2011), Bazyk has authored over 40 journal articles and book chapters in leading OT textbooks.
As a Fulbright Specialist, Bazyk has presented on her work in New Zealand (2020) and will serve as a Specialist in Ireland in October 2023. Her recent awards include the 2023 NBCOT Innovation Award, the 2018 Award for Innovative and Emerging Practice from the American Occupational Therapy Association, the 2017 Outstanding Research Award for the College of Sciences and Health Professions at CSU and the 2016 Crain’s Cleveland Business Health Care Hero Award.
Signature Events
The events described below are signature events hosted by the School of Occupational Therapy:
The Vanderkooi Endowed Lectureship was established in 1994 by Roland and Virginia Chandler Dykes to honor the first program director of occupational therapy at Texas Woman’s University, Fanny B. Vanderkooi. It celebrates the School of Occupational Therapy’s legacy of commitment to vision, professional values, and leadership development in occupational therapy education, practice and research. The event is typically held in February and has become known as a favorite homecoming event for alumni of the TWU School of Occupational Therapy.
Community Building Workshops
The School of Occupational Therapy Community Building Workshops were established in 2001 to celebrate the professional community that surrounds and supports the School, showcase emerging and established area expertise, and to provide a vehicle for networking to foster collaborations between the professional resources of this regional occupational therapy community. The workshops are generally held in conjunction with the Vanderkooi Endowed Lectureship.
Bridging The Gap
Bridging the Gap is an annual event hosted by the Pi Theta Epsilon honor society in Denton. A researcher from a related field is invited to address students, alumni, and guests and then a panel of occupational therapy experts discuss the topic to help ‘bridge the gap’ between research and occupational therapy practice. The event provides continuing education for occupational therapy practitioners.
The award was established to honor Mary Joyce Newsom for her professional contributions, her personal qualities, and to honor and promote student excellence at the Houston Center. Mary Joyce Newsom received both her BS and MA degrees in occupational therapy from Texas Woman’s University. She served as Director of Occupational Therapy at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston for 20 years, until she resigned in 1980 because of ill health. Donald and Harriett Davidson, following Miss Newsom’s death, established the Newsom Award fund in 1982. This fund was transferred to the Mary Joyce Newsom Endowment Fund for Occupational Therapy in 1994. The Newsom Award was first given at the Houston Center in 1982, at the time of a recognition ceremony for students leaving the center to go to their Level II fieldwork experiences. In 1994 a separate ceremony was begun, in which the awardees from the prior year returned to TWU to present a lecture to current students. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to the lecture; light refreshments to follow.
The criteria for the award are based on Miss Newsom’s concept of the ideal occupational therapist. Specifically, these include scholarship, professional/community service, and personal characteristics including an ability to see things in perspective, a genuine sense of humor, a commitment to finding better ways to do things, a commitment to the theoretical base of occupational therapy, and a genuine interest in and concern for people.
