JUGGLING MULTIPLE VIEWS IN MENTAL HEALTH CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Over the last decade, mental health service delivery has changed considerably. This has resulted in the need for ongoing modifications to occupational therapy curricula to ensure that students are prepared for these new... [ view full abstract ]

Over the last decade, mental health service delivery has changed considerably. This has resulted in the need for ongoing modifications to occupational therapy curricula to ensure that students are prepared for these new practice environments. The Australia and New Zealand Occupational Therapy Mental Health Academics (ANZOTMHA) network established two quantitative complementary studies to examine educational priorities for mental health in occupational therapy schools. These studies targeted two groups:
1. Practicing therapists: to identify and prioritise “educational topics” in mental health practice.
2. Mental health academics from Australia and New Zealand universities: to identify if and how priority areas were covered in their degree.
Results from Study 1 identified a list of 98 priority areas, while results from Study 2 demonstrated that most university programs covered all essential and important priorities in their courses.

In this workshop, the design and outcomes of the initial priority-setting process will be described. Participants will then discuss the challenges of juggling multiple stakeholder views in curriculum development, reflect upon the appropriateness of identified priorities in current curricula, identify gaps in the priority list, and consider their relevance to health and education settings in the Northern hemisphere.