Achievements

Haley Harris, a graduate occupational therapy student, and Dr. Tina A. Mankey, have been accepted for a poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association conference.

The presentation is entitled, Producing Roots: A Therapeutic Gardening Experience in a Rural Community Environment.

Producing Roots was an intergenerational gardening program designed to bring a rural community together to increase socialization and opportunities for leisure exploration and participation among its members.

The program was implemented with approximately twenty-five participants who were of varying ages and abilities throughout the summer one day a week. Participants were responsible for planting, plowing weeding and general care of the plants.

Participant feedback indicated opportunities for increased knowledge of gardening, greater socialization with peers in the community, broaden perceptions of other generations, increased physical levels of activity, and access to the produce. Overall, the program was a great success and was meaningful to the rural community.

Dr. Tina A. Mankey also recently published an article entitled, Exploring Funding for Occupational Therapy in Transition Services, in the Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention. This article discusses funding sources in transition services with the state of Arkansas as an example. It also discussed the available occupational therapy services within school environment and adult services, as well as the surrounding reimbursement issues.