Supported by a generious donation from Bonita Kraft and Florence Stattel, the first Planning Grant Collective focused on promoting research relevant to occupational therapy's role in mental health care.  

A select group of twenty-six occupational therapy researchers, psychologists, social workers, health policy specialist and others, representing mental health professionals from the U.S. and Canada gathered to establish several research teams in order to generate and worked on specific research projects together. Several funding agencies (NIMH, NCMRR, NIDILRR) were invited, both as a way to identify potential funding opportunities and as a way to educate the agencies about the focus of occupational therapy. 

Three groups were formed and agreed to pursue the following projects:

Group 1:  Action over Inertia; OT Consultation on ACT Teams; and Active Living.
Group 2:  Improvement of community living outcomes for persons with serious mental illness wit the inclusion of OT assessment/intervention.
Group 3:  College students with serious mental illness (SMI).

View OTJR article for summary and recommendations: Promoting Occupational Therapy Mental Health Research: Proceedings From the 2017 AOTF Mental Health Planning Grant Collective

Participants (*Committee Members)

• Antoine Luc Bailliard, PhD, OTR/L, Assitant Professor, Div. of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Skye Pamela Barbic, PhD, OT, Assistant Professor, Occupational Science and Occupatoinal Therapy, University of British Columbia
• M. Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR/L FAOTA, Elias Michael Executive Director, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine
• Bette Bonder*, PhD, FAOTA, Fermer Dean, College of Sciences & Health Professions, Professor Emerita, Cleveland State University
• Catana Brown*, PhD, OTR, Professor, Occupational Therapy Program, Midwestern University - Glendale
• Katherine A. Burson, MS, OTR/L, CPRP, Independent Consultant
• Leslie J. Caplan, PhD, Rehabilitation Program Specialist, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
• Wendy J. Coster*, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Director, Behavior & Health Program, Director, Patient/Clinician Reported Outcomes Care, Boston Rehab Outcomes Center, Boston University
• Theresa Cruz, PhD, Program Director, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation
• Elizabeth Francis-Connolly, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Dean, Westbrook College of Health Professions, University of New England
• Judith A. Cook, PhD, Professor & Director, Center on Mental Health Services, Research, & Policy, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Lisa Dixon, MD, MPH, Professor & Director, Division of Behavioral Health Services and Policy Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Insittute (NYSPI)
• Adam J. Haim, PhD, Chief, Treatment and Prevention Interventions Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health
• Sharon A. Gutman*, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Professor of Rehabilitation & Regenerative Medicine, Programs in Occupational Therapy, Columbia University Medical Center
• Bonita Kraft*, OTR/L, Benefactor
• Jeffrey Krolick, MA, Director of Special Projexts, Oregon Center for Excellence for Assertive Community Treatment, Options for Southern Oregon
• Terry Krupa, PhD, MEd, BSC(OT), Professor & Associate Director, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queens University
• Nadine Lariviere, erg, OT(C), PhD, Director & Associate PRofessor, OT Program, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Sherbrooke
• Mary Lawlor, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Profesor, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
• Susan McGurk*, PhD, Senior Researcher, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Professor, Occupational Therapy, Boston University
• Penelope A. Moyers, EdD, OT/L, FAOTA, Dean of the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health and Graduate College, St. Catherine University
• Kim. T. Mueser, PhD, Professor, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Sargent College, Boston University
• Susan Noyes, PhD, OTR/L, Chair, AOTA Mental Health Special Interest Section, Assistant Professor, Master of Occupational Therapy Program, University of Southern Maine
• Heather Parson, MSOT, Director of Federal Affairs, AOTA
• Nadine Rebheim, PhD, OTR/L, Program Director - Psychologist, St. Joseph's Medical Center
• Mark Salzer, PhD, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple University
• Virginia (Ginny)Stoffel, PhD, OT, BCMH, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, OTR, CPRP, Director of Practice Innovation and Wellness, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ) & Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care