Community Programs
The mission of Spalding University includes a strong emphasis on student awareness of issues revolving around culture, diversity, and service for the promotion of peace and justice. The vision of the occupational therapy faculty in ASOT is to create learning environments that occur not only within the confines of the University campus but also out in the community. These learning experiences provide students opportunities to apply problem solving and critical thinking skills in real life situations while also providing needed services to the Metro Louisville community.
The faculty members in collaboration with students have cultivated many partnerships since the beginnings of the occupational therapy program. Recent partnerships include service learning and collaborative practice partnerships with agencies such as KIPDA (Kentuckiana Planning and Development Agency), GuardiaCare, Dismas Charities, TARC (Transit Authority of the River Cities), , Maryhurst, Pitt Academy, Harbor House of Louisville, Kosair Charities, WHAS Crusade for Children, New Directions Housing Corporation , Vocational Rehabilitation and the Center for Accessible Living.
Community Initiative Highlights
TARC
The Transit Authority of the River Cities (TARC) and ASOT have a partnership for collaborating on providing functional assessments for individuals in the community applying for eligibility for paratransit services. This is a unique model in the nation as these functional assessments take place in the natural environment of the consumer and will provide valuable information to TARC as eligibility decisions are made in the area of public transportation.
GuardiaCare
The Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy at Spalding University in conjunction with GuardiaCare has received grants from the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency years to address needs of caregivers within our community. The grant focus had three major outcomes. The second aspect of the programming consists of corporate care giving seminars. The third aspect of the KIPDA grant is aimed at impacting care giving within the home space. Caregiving in the Home Space: Environmental Aging in Place Services assists care givers by evaluating their family member's aging in place needs through home environmental assessment and consultative services.
For more information about ASOT's role in these caregiver programs, please contact:
Laura Schluter Strickland, Ed.D., OTR/L
Associate Professor
502-585-9911 ext. 2324 lstrickland@spalding.edu
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