Occupational Therapy to Address Role Competence and Advocacy in a Mother-Child Unit in a Women's Prison

Abstract

This occupational therapy doctoral capstone experience focused on program development and advocacy. This paper includes a literature review of occupational therapy within the prison system, the nature of incarceration within the United States, and the impact the prison system has on the individuals who are incarcerated. Following the completion of the literature review, a consultation with an emeritus professor whose scholarship focuses on the role of occupational therapy within the criminal justice system, as well as an interview with local prison staff was conducted. It was determined that occupational therapy programming to improve role competence among mothers who are incarcerated has the potential for positive outcomes. A provisional program was developed for women who would be enrolled in a mother-child unit at a women’s prison with an emphasis on role competence, self-efficacy, and advocacy for self and child. Due to COVID-19 protocol, implementation of the program was not completed. The developed program and corresponding manual were evaluated based on standards of health literacy, as well as with a rubric developed from human-centered design principles. Outcomes are needed to determine overall effectiveness, and it is recommended for a registered occupational therapist and/or occupational therapy capstone student to implement this program as a pilot study within a women’s prison.