The Occupational Performance Center (OPC) is located at The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis ans is staffed by faculty from the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine. This team has partnered with HealthSouth to create the Occupational Performance Center as a model and training site for HealthSouth facilities across the county.
This innovative program introduces the role of "work" in the early stages of rehabilitation so that persons with a disability can begin to recognize that they have a capacity to work and be productive. This serves to enhance clients' level of self-confidence early in their recovery. In the typical rehabilitation program, work or vocational pursuits are not addressed until much later, usually after inpatient and outpatient therapy has been completed.
The OPC staff works with inpatient, day treatment and outpatient clients with physical, cognitive and mental health impairments across the continuum of transition to work and productive community reentry. This includes initial career exploration for the young person who had not yet worked facilitating return to a career with or without accomodations, as well as preparation for an alternative job, volunteer work, or return to school or vocational training.
A unique centerpiece of the OPC is structued work activity groups (SWAGS). This approach provides clients with the experience of simulating real life job activities in an atmosphere that mimics the demands of the work environment. Each client is also guided in identification of appropriate equipment or modifications needed for successful return to work, driving and computer use as well as the skills to be addressed in order to pursue or resume productive work. The OPC staff has addressed the needs of workers from a cross-section of vocations; including medical and nursing personnel, corporate, administrative and clerical staff, construction workers, janitorial staff, those employed in technical and service industries, as well as students. Additionally, staff can work with clients in their actual work environment, performing on-site evaluations and job-coaching.
The OPC integrates "work" with OT, PT, and Speech services as part of the entire rehabilitation process, both for TRISL inpatients and for outpatient referred from community phsicians.
For further information, or to schedule a tour, please call: 314 / 658-3829.
