Integrated Clinical Educational Experiences (ICEEs)

Professor Jennifer Pitonyak leads an ICEE collaboration between the SOT and Triumph Treatment Services, a community-based behavioral health provider. Occupational therapists (OTs) are behavioral health providers, yet there are no OTs staffed in community-based behavioral health settings in the Yakima Valley or surrounding areas. The PNWU program tackled the challenge head on. PNWU was awarded a $264,000 grant from Yakima County Mental Health Sales Tax Behavioral Health Fund to establish OT services in the community. The services are focused on developing the life-management, socio-emotional, and parenting skills of pregnant and parenting women and their children while they receive residential treatment for substance abuse disorders. Under the supervision of Dr. Pitonyak, students engage in the behavioral health ICEE the summer (year 1) and fall semester (year 2) of the program.

Assistant Professor Sara Wyckoff leads an ICEE that serves children and young adults from the community. The demand for young adult transition services and early school readiness services in Yakima County and the surrounding area is greater than the supply. Dr. Wyckoff provides group-based skills training to children and young adults with a focus on developing skills needed for transitioning to the next phase of life, be it going to kindergarten or taking on more household management such as meal planning, cooking, and clean up. Those socio-emotional, cognitive, and motor skills are fostered through purposeful activity in a social setting. Students engage with children with a variety of developmental disorders as well as with their parents. Students start engaging in the ICEE in the spring of year 1 while they are enrolled in their pediatric coursework and building their initial understanding of occupational therapy with pediatric clients. They continue engaging in the ICEE over the summer as they refine and deepen their knowledge and skills.

Associate Professor and Program Director Dr. Heather Fritz leads the ICEE collaboration between the OT program and Yakima Valley Farmworker’s Clinic (YVFWC). OTs can play a valuable role in primary healthcare delivery, yet utilization of OTs in primary healthcare settings in the US is rare and there are no OTs staffed in primary healthcare settings in the Yakima Valley or surrounding area. The ICEE is establishing an occupational therapy service in one YVFWC primary care clinic. The services will focus on addressing the complex need of older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Dr. Fritz provides direct client care one day per week. Students attend the clinic with Dr. Fritz each week during the summer (year 1) semester to gain an understanding of OT’s role in this unique practice setting.