MSOT Community Practice Course

Each spring semester, CPL Primary Lead Dr. Ryan Lavalley leads a M.S. in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Community Practice course. Teams of four students are introduced to practice oriented toward community change through an experiential learning opportunity in which they contribute to and/or design a real-world transformative initiative alongside a community partner.

Dr. Lavalley teaches the class through a lens of justice and critical perspectives. The course examines the everyday unfolding of groups, communities, and social systems, including their impact on wellbeing and occupation.

Student teams meet with and engage with local organizations to develop initiatives or resources that support the organizations’ work. Deliverables often include a well developed strategic plan for operationalizing the program, including proposed funding options, and initial materials such a resource packet or brief training for community partners to jumpstart the process.

Examples of community-partnered projects have included:

• OT in the House: A Role for Occupational Therapy in Habitat for Humanity of Orange County
• Planting Habits: An Ergonomics Initiative
• The Ackland Access Initiative
• Project Connect!

Projects such as these not only advance community partners’ initiatives but also support graduate students’ academic growth. In spring 2024, students produced a wide variety of deliverables, including a framework for developing multi-lingual, multi-cultural community, an accessibility and usability initiative, and an evidence-based model for a community facilitator to promote social inclusion and belonging.