This project describes a proposal for leve I fieldwork for occupational therapy assistant students. To address the iddue of scarcity of fieldwork placements in mental health, the proposal suggests a protocol for addressing clients’ mental health needs in non-mental health settings and community-based programs. The program proposal is based on evidence from the occupational therapy literature and provides the foundation for further development of fieldwork experiences to meet the needs of individual sites. Current models and frames of references from mental health and occupational therapy inform the proposal. The proposal incorporates feedback from professionals from prospective fieldwork sites. Future applications of the program and ways in which it might contribute to the profession of occupational therapy are considered.
