ILOTA Communique December 2017 Communique | Page 7

UIC’s Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, continued from Page 6
modules also yield CE credits to four additional professions:
medicine, nursing, pharmacy and social work. These CE
courses will be available at no cost until July 1, 2018. ILOTA
members who want to build their expertise in geriatrics are
encouraged to utilize the ENGAGE-IL modules, and all are
welcome to spread the word about the availability of the
online program!
For details about the free CE modules offered by
ENGAGE-IL (e.g., contact hours, authors, AOTA
classification codes, module completion require-
ments, module objectives), please visit engageil.com
References
Case-Smith, J., Page, S. J., Darragh, A., Rybski, M.,
& Cleary, D. (2014). The Issue Is—The professional
occupational therapy doctoral degree: Why do it? American
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, e55–e60. http://dx.doi.
org/10.5014/ajot.2014.008805
Dow, A., & Thibault, G. (2017). Interprofessional
Education — A Foundation for a New Approach to Health
Care. New England Journal of Medicine, 377, 803-805. doi:
10.1056/NEJMp1705665.
World Health Organization. (2010). Framework for
action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice.
Geneva: World Health Organization.
About the Authors
Dr. Elizabeth Peterson is a Clinical Professor and Director
of Professional Education in the Department of Occupational
Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She
is a Co-Investigator of UIC’s HRSA-funded ENGAGE-IL
project.
Dr. Michael Koronkowski is a Clinical Assistant Professor
in Geriatric Medicine in the Department of Pharmacy
Practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He
is a Co-Investigator of UIC’s HRSA-funded ENGAGE-IL
project.
Dr. Memoona Hasnain is a Professor and Associate
Department Head for Faculty Development and Research in
the Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine,
University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Hasnain is ENGAGE-
IL’s Co-Project Director.
Dr. Valerie Gruss is a Clinical Associate Professor, in
the College of Nursing, at University of Illinois at Chicago.
Dr. Gruss is the Project Director for the HRSA funded
ENGAGE-IL project.
*The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement
of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by
AOTA.
Debora A. Davidson, PhD, OTR/L
Opinion: The Distinct Value of OT as MH Team Members
In September of this year I was fortunate to attend the
AOTA Mental Health Specialty Conference in Indianapolis.
This was the first time in 20 years that mental health was the
central theme for such a meeting, and the turnout was beyond
all expectations: over 250 occupational therapy practitioners
participated!
To mingle with so many colleagues who identified themselves
as specializing in mental health was absolutely wonderful.
As someone who has watched our already small minority
progressively shrinking over the course of 40 years, it was
uplifting and energizing just to be among so many like-minded
people. The diversity, quality and depth of the presentations
gave me further cause for optimism that our profession has so
much to offer people with mental health needs, and that we can
serve as unique and valuable team members.
Nevertheless, even in the enriched company of the specialty
conference, I heard some colleagues expressing concern
about defending occupational
therapy’s “distinct value” as mental
health team members. They had
interacted with colleagues from
other professions who may have
felt competitive or defensive about
admitting occupational therapy
into the mental health team.
Perhaps this was a reflection of
professional pride or chauvinism.
I can understand that; health care
professionals work hard to achieve
their educations and credentials, and we each feel proud to
belong to our various professional “clubs”. Sometimes our
enjoyment of our professions gets a bit overwrought, though,
especially when it results in disregard or disdain for the expertise
of other disciplines.
Continued on Page 8
Page