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Community Integration Policy Project: The Occupational Therapist's Role in the Implementation of a Disability Policy
Author(s) -
Johnson Valerie
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.1990.tb01241.x
Subject(s) - agency (philosophy) , occupational therapy , government (linguistics) , public relations , action (physics) , business , public administration , political science , psychology , sociology , psychiatry , social science , linguistics , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics
In this paper the author examines the role of the occupational therapist as a consultant to a local government agency. A Community Integration Policy Project conducted in Melbourne, Victoria, is described. This project was an action research project, aimed at improving one agency's response to the needs of people with a disability, in the areas of access to physical facilities, programmes, employment opportunities and decision making processes. Results of the project include improved access in all areas mentioned above, as well as the adoption and implementation of a comprehensive policy on access for the disabled. It is concluded that the occupational therapist has a legitimate role to play in creating social change.