ADE/ESS is pleased to announce a series of workshops designed for Related Service Providers, including OTs, PTs, and SLPs. The series will be presented throughout the 2022–2023 school year.

Registration is now open for our kick-off summer presentation. 

Every Moment Counts: Promoting Participation and Mental Health Throughout the Day

Presenter:                   Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA 

Date/Time:                 June 3, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Format:                       Virtual (Zoom Meeting)

Fee:                              Free 

Participants:              Geared toward related service providers, however educators and administrators are welcome to attend

Description:

Small moments make a big difference in how children feel and function in school. Research confirms that positive interactions and experiences (e.g., enjoying lunch, having fun during recess) help children to feel positive and connected to school. Every Moment Counts is a mental health promotion initiative developed to help all children/youths become mentally healthy in order to succeed in school, at home, and in the community. Participants will learn about a multi-tiered public health approach to mental health involving promotion, prevention, and intervention and will be introduced to Every Moment Counts’ activity-based programs: Comfortable Cafeteria, Refreshing Recess, Calm Moments Cards, and Making Leisure Matter.  Practical examples of collaborative services (OT, PT, SLP, teachers) integrated in academic (classroom) and non-academic (cafeteria, recess, art, etc.) settings will be shared. Creative strategies for helping youths to participate in meaningful, community-based leisure will be provided. An overview of website resources will be provided as well as strategies for building capacity of school personnel to do this work.

About our Speaker:

Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is Professor Emerita of the Occupational Therapy Program at Cleveland State University, where she taught for 34 years. She is the founding director of Every Moment Counts, which was launched in 2012. This multi-pronged mental health promotion initiative focuses on helping all children and youths to participate successfully throughout the day in academic and non-academic settings (www.everymometcounts.org). In addition to authoring the book, Mental Health Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention with Children and Youth: A Guiding Framework for Occupational Therapy (2011), Dr. Bazyk has authored over 30 journal articles and several book chapters in leading OT textbooks. Recent awards include the 2016 Crain’s Cleveland Business Health Care Hero Award, the 2017 Outstanding Research Award for the College of Sciences and Health Professions at CSU, and the 2018 Award for Innovative and Emerging Practice from AOTA.  As a Fulbright Specialist (2019–2024), Susan presented on Every Moment Counts in five New Zealand regions in February 2020.

Questions regarding this professional learning opportunity can be sent to atinfo@azed.gov.