Occupational therapy practitioners have a distinct role in supporting people experiencing homelessness, which may occur across several homeless services and settings. This course will provide an overview of the occupational needs of adults experiencing homelessness and present OT-specific interventions to support the community living and occupational needs of this population. It will also address OT's role in an interdisciplinary team.
Live Webinar
Thu, Sep 10, 2026 at 3:00 pm EDTUnder Review: AOTA/0.1 - Application has been made to the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Approved Provider Program.
Learning Outcomes
- After this course, participants will be able to identify the occupational needs and occupational deprivation encountered by adults experiencing homelessness.
- After this course, participants will be able to identify the interprofessional services and settings in which adults experiencing homelessness engage and the role of OT within these settings.
- After this course, participants will be able to describe occupational therapy interventions to support adults experiencing homelessness to address occupational deprivation and support their goals and priorities.
Agenda
| 0-5 Minutes | Introduction of speaker and experience with unhoused population |
| 5-20 Minutes | Overview of occupational deprivation and occupational needs experienced by the unhoused population, including personal and contextual contributors |
| 20-25 Minutes | Overview of homeless services and settings where people experiencing homelessness seek support and services |
| 25-50 Minutes | Overview of occupational therapy interventions and services to support the unhoused population across homeless service settings. This will also include case examples. |
| 50-55 Minutes | Interprofessional context; Reflection and barriers |
| 55-60 Minutes | Summary; Q&A |
Presented By
Caitlin Synovec
OTD, OTR/L, BCMH
Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, is an occupational therapist with clinical experience in working with adults experiencing homelessness to improve quality of life and engagement in their preferred communities. She has completed clinical research to address the intersection of homelessness, poverty, brain injury, behavioral health, and chronic conditions, and their impact on health and community living. Caitlin's experience also includes program development for collaborative and interdisciplinary care, as well as clinical education and training for health care and direct service providers. She is currently the Assistant Director of Medical Respite Care for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
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Continued and its subsidiaries provide professional education authored by qualified Subject Matter Experts for continuing education purposes. These materials are intended for educational purposes and do not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individual clinical judgment. Continued is not a clinical healthcare provider; the licensed professional is solely responsible for ensuring that the application of any techniques or information presented is within their legal scope of practice and jurisdictional requirements.
Financial: Caitlin Synovec has received an honorarium for presenting this course. Non-financial: Caitlin Synovec has no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Sponsor Disclosure: This Course is presented by OccupationalTherapy.com, a Continued site.
Content Disclosure: This learning event does not focus exclusively on any specific product or service.
Course participation information
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Passing an online exam and completing a course evaluation will be required to earn continuing education credit.
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