Enabling Occupational Therapy: Moving beyond the Generalist vs Specialist Debate in Community Mental Health

Abstract

Occupational therapists working in community mental health teams continue to debate their role within a case management model of service. They are caught between a service system, requiring them to work as generalist care coordinators, and a profession working to distinguish itself in a multi-disciplinary context. This opinion piece moves beyond the debate of generalist/specialist roles to propose that occupational therapists can define their role and increase awareness of the profession's value by demonstrating leadership in everyday practice. The Leadership in Enabling Occupation Model is presented as a reflective tool for enabling occupational therapy contributions within community mental health care.