Rehab Med students' call for occupational therapy supports answered by graduate student group

As the final exam season approaches, students can become inundated with studying, school work and preparing for the next chapter of their lives.

Adding health and wellness management to their already full plate can drum up extra stress-but thanks to Department of Occupational Therapy students Heather Capel, Jaclyn Hutchison and Kailey Owens, students have one less thing to worry about.

Effective October 1, 2018, graduate students were granted occupational therapy (OT) service coverage under their University of Alberta Graduate Students' Association (GSA) Health and Dental Plan.

In spring 2017, with the help of Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine occupational therapy assistant professors Christine Guptill and Shu-Ping Chen, the students began advocating for occupational therapy services to be included under graduate student health benefits. With Jaclyn being a GSA councilor, she took on the role as department representative to push the initiative forward.

"I was the GSA councilor for the Department of Occupational Therapy for the 2017-2018 school year, meaning I represented the department at the monthly GSA council meetings," explained Jaclyn. "I thought I would make the most of having this position by initiating the process of advocating for OT services to be included under the GSA health plan."

By September 17, graduate students learned that they would soon have full access to the many supports offered by occupational therapists-just in time for Occupational Therapy Month.

"Our team worked to gather general information about occupational therapy, what services occupational therapists can provide to students, and the cost of sessions," said Heather. "One key aspect of our initiative was the need for improved access to mental health resources for graduate students."

Occupational therapists provide a wide range of services in many different areas outside of mental health including physical rehabilitation, chronic pain, addictions, pediatrics, return to work, sleep, and traumatic brain injuries.

"Access to occupational therapy services under the GSA Health and Dental Plan means that students who are experiencing mental and/or physical obstacles during their degree will now have extra support and will be able to succeed during stressful times throughout their schooling," Kailey said.

For more information about the Graduate Students' Association Health and Dental Plan, visit their website.