Health Policy Perspectives-Realizing the Potential of Occupational Therapy in Supporting Postsecondary Student Mental Health and Success.

Authors

Eithne Hunt, Clodagh Nolan, Jeanne Eichler, Karen Keptner

Published in

The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Volume 80. Issue 5. Pages 969-977. Epub Jul 11, 2026.

Abstract

Postsecondary institutions around the world are grappling with how best to respond to what is described as a crisis in student mental health, with urgent calls for evidence-based advocacy, campaigning, and global action. In response to this call to action, in this article we advocate for a stronger role for occupational therapy in supporting student mental health in postsecondary settings through the enactment of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2025. We share examples of innovative occupational therapy services and developments from the United States and Ireland specifically addressing the growing mental health needs of postsecondary students; highlight advocacy efforts and international collaborations and offer suggestions for how occupational therapy practitioners can work to consolidate and expand this vibrant and necessary emergent practice area through the basic tenets of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges.

PMID:
42698319
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Sep 2026.

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