Episode 49: The Role of Occupational Therapy Within the Homeless Population

Quinn Tyminski, OTD, OTR/L is an instructor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She earned her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2012 and a post-professional occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) from Saint Louis University in 2017. Quinn’s scholarly work focuses on clinical research and assessment development in community-based mental health practice. Prior to joining the program at Wash U as an instructor in fall of 2017, she gained clinical experience practicing with individuals living with mental illness in both inpatient and community-based settings, as well as individuals experiencing homelessness and incarcerated individuals. Her current research interests focus on occupational therapy program development and assessment within a local homeless shelter, and as part of that effort she is working to more clearly define the role of occupational therapy within the homeless population through the use of a student-run clinic as a means to provide services and the importance dark/non-sanctioned occupations in occupational therapy practice within community-based populations.

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Stephanie's Recommendations:

• The Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress
• Blog: Homeless Man Speaks 
• Website: http://www.povnet.org/

Quinn's Recommendations:

• Website: Understand Homelessness 
• Article from the St. Louis Post Dispatch: Please Don't Give to Panhandlers 
• Article: Dark Side of Occupation
• Article: The Development of a Role-Emerging Fieldwork Placement in a Homeless Shelter
• Michelle Obama's book On Becoming

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Connect with Quinn:

• Email: tyminskiq@wustl.edu
• Twitter: @QuinnMHYoungPro