Education and practice collaborations: a pilot case study between a university faculty and county jail practitioners

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Public Health
• Criminal Justice

Background:

• Newly developing occupational therapy programs require robust evaluation methods.
• A lack of data on occupational needs exists for incarcerated populations.
• Community-university partnerships can bridge this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a faculty-practitioner collaboration for systematic evaluation in occupational therapy.
• To support program development and practice in a correctional setting.
• To identify occupational needs of jail inmates.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach detailing a partnership between Duquesne University's Occupational Therapy department and Goodwill Industries.
• Implementation of a systematic evaluation process within the Allegheny County Jail.
• Pilot descriptive study using the Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) with 67 inmates.

Main Results:

• The partnership successfully established a systematic evaluation process.
• The Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) identified key occupational performance areas of concern for inmates.
• Inmates' perceptions highlighted environmental impacts on occupational adaptation, including finances, responsibilities, and productive living spaces.

Conclusions:

• Faculty-practitioner collaborations are vital for implementing effective evaluation in occupational therapy practice.
• Systematic data collection enhances intervention and provides valuable professional insights.
• This model demonstrates embedding evidence-gathering in practice for community reintegration programs.