Applying Entrepreneurial Skills in MH Practice

Entrepreneurship

Recognize opportunities; gather their resources; and apply their creativity,
knowledge, and skills to develop something that creates social, economic, or some
other type of value

• OTPs demonstrate when they develop services in new services where O doesn’t exist

Social Entrepreneur

An individual with the passion and focus to address a significant social challenge and the capacity to respond to a pressing societal need

Common Issues by Social Entrepreneurs

Fighting poverty

Empowerment of vulnerable groups

providing health care or education for children in poor countries

Organizing shelters for the homeless

History of Entrepreneurship in MH OT

Founders like Dunton, Dix, Slagle

Woven into MH intervention

Practitioners are often challenged to find positions within community or emerging practice settings

Directors of community MH centers/legislators often unfamiliar with the skill sets of OTPs

Why be an entrepreneur in MH OT?

• Aligns with AOTA vision 2030 statement

• Yerxa → we as OTs have a responsibility to create the future climate of care

• shift between individually based perspectives to socially focused ones that
  promote occupational justice for all populations, but especially those that may
  be marginalized in our communities

Private Practice

Could have started a practice that covers a broad range of settings, including MH/BH. Could function as either a direct hire or consultant.
▪ Examples: provide consultation to school systems and health and wellness clinics, rent space and time in an optometrist’s office to provide low vision services, contract with home health agencies, or conduct lectures and seminars

Community Based Services

OT is often excluded from funding sources providing community level services, which may promote an OT to develop new community mental health services and programming

Emerging, reemerging, and nontraditional practices

These types of practices typically occur outside of the more traditional medical or school-based settings in places such as day programs, drug courts, transitional housing programs, or jails.
▪ Practice in these settings are often focused on occupational injustices from the social level
▪ MUCH less focus on pathology, rather focus shifts to facilitating and strengthening ability

Entrepreneurial Skills

Motivation

Creativity and cognition

Self regulation/Self knowledge

Social side of entrepreneurship

Effective decision making/Avoiding cognitive traps

Personal Characteristics

Dealing with adversity and failure

Becoming an Entrepreneur in MH Practice

Identify your passions → reflect on your interests and complete self assessment → perform a needs assessment → develop a network of resources → create marketing plan and pitch idea → write proposal and follow up