ScholarWorks > HHS > OT > OJOT > Vol. 14 > Iss. 3 (2026)
Credentials Display
Andrea LeFlore, OTD, OTR/L; Cassandra Pagliaruli, OTS; Ryan Thomure, OTD, OTR/L, LCSW
Abstract
People experiencing unsheltered homelessness (PEUH) face multifaceted barriers to daily activity performance, characterized by barriers to performing basic needs, maintaining immediate safety, and accessing resources to manage health and transition into housing. Systemic barriers further impact access to care with discrimination in health care and homeless settings. With homelessness steadily increasing in the U.S., federally-funded initiatives have prioritized street outreach as an effective approach to meeting people where they are living with contextually adapted services. Street outreach interventions bring resources directly to communities, prioritizing relationship building to facilitate transitions to more stable living situations. This article presents a case analysis integrating occupational therapy in street outreach programming to promote meaningful occupational engagement to improve health outcomes and housing transitions. An example of integrating occupational therapy in a community-based organization with ongoing academic partnerships is presented to demonstrate a process for design and standardization of homeless service programming to meet identified needs. Radically client-centered approaches are necessary to facilitate community member goal attainment, particularly regarding health and disability management, systems advocacy, functional mobility, management of living space, and home establishment upon housing transition. This article sets forth evolving evidence of the impact of occupational therapy on interdisciplinary street outreach teams.
Recommended Citation
LeFlore, A., Pagliaruli, C., & Thomure, R. (2026). Integrating Occupational Therapy in Homeless Street Outreach. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 14(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2493
Comments
The authors declare that they have no competing financial, professional, or personal interest that might have influenced the performance or presentation of the work described in this manuscript.