Building skills, strengthening community

In January 2023, The College of St. Scholastica’s occupational therapy (OT) department was awarded a $3.9 million grant over five years to support mental health service providers (MHSP) in schools. This exciting opportunity offered a unique way to demonstrate the important role occupational therapists play in student mental health through OT student fieldwork placements in local and regional public schools.

According to Dr. Kaisa Syväoja, program co-director, the initiative perfectly aligned with the traditional core of the St. Scholastica OT program, further enabling both existing and future students to gain practical experience by working with children needing mental health services. This blend of classroom learning and community involvement is anticipated to broaden student exposure through enhanced placement opportunities and the introduction of a fellowship program for advanced practice. As a result, an increased number of children in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin will have access to necessary mental health services now and in the future.

This project has led to more opportunities for licensed occupational therapists and recent graduates to gain essential skills in mental health. With support from the grant, the OT department is launching the first AOTA-approved pediatric mental health fellowship program in Minnesota in 2025. The fellowship is designed to develop advanced skills specific to addressing mental health needs in a pediatric population in any practice setting and will include opportunities to participate in research and evidence-based projects as well as placement within school settings to provide direct supervision to Level II fieldwork master’s students.

Behind the scenes with Allison Gruenes

Two years into the master’s program, current student Allison Gruenes ’25 is excited to share her experience in the field. She had an eye toward an Occupational Therapy career during her movement science and psychology minor undergraduate studies at Winona State University, hearing about the program through Saints alumni. “While shadowing OTs during undergrad, I learned that many of them graduated from St. Scholastica,” Gruenes said. “They all recommended the program, and I wanted to continue my studies in a beautiful city in Minnesota! The opportunity to practice at maurices Community Clinic at the Health Science Center was also a big selling point.”

Gruenes was drawn to occupational therapy because of its people-centric work, especially supporting kids, and its focus on a healthy, active lifestyle. She also embraces the need for continuous learning in a dynamic, growing, and flexible field like occupational therapy, saying, “Being an OT also means I am called to be a creative problem solver every day, which I love to do!”

For her fieldwork, Gruenes was placed at Duluth Edison Charter School. “My role was to promote positive mental health school-wide,” she explained. “This unique experience was wonderful: I spent a large portion of my time researching, creating evidence-based programs and then working directly with classes and students to implement the programs. I also had a chance to evaluate students in the typical school-based model and learn about the inner workings of school-based OT, speech, special education classrooms, and mainstream classrooms.”

The challenge and growth of fieldwork

Gruenes shared that her biggest takeaway centered on connection and flexibility. “As an OT, gaining trust from clients is important to make progress. Relationally connecting with staff and students at the school was especially important because the work in mental health was unfamiliar and new to many. Connecting with other professional staff and teachers was key to smoothly implementing programs and for learning about students. Being flexible was also extremely important, as students would be absent, class schedules changed, snow days happened, and on any given day a student session may run longer or take place in a different location than usual.”

Ultimately, Gruenes ended her MHSP grant placement excited for her final fieldwork experience and feeling equipped to advocate for mental health. “I am ready to continue creating strong relationships with clients and coworkers and eager to become a full-fledged occupational therapist,” she said. To aspiring OT students, she encouraged, “Fieldwork will challenge you and lead to growth that helps you gain confidence in the skills learned in didactic coursework. Take every opportunity offered, even if it is a little uncomfortable. The goal is to learn in a supported environment, so seize the opportunity.”