OTD Capstone Projects

Abstract

Dismas House is an approved Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), 501(c)(3) non-profit residential re-entry program serving men who are returning to the community from state and county jails and prisons. The purpose of this capstone experience is to collaborate with Dismas House staff and residents to create sustainable resources for community dinner and programming engagement through a recreation and leisure lens. At Dismas House, the goal is to support these men as they navigate a variety of challenges that come with transition from prison back into society, whether this is through providing basic needs, focusing on health & well-being, employing life skills, or aiding in legal support. These four areas are described as Dismas House’s “Four Pillars of Programming.” The project outcomes include compiling interest survey data to create central community dinner evening themes that align with the resident’s feedback and areas of interest. A 12-month community dinner calendar was created with nightly themes such as Self Care, Speakers/Ted Talks, Game Night, and Special Topics. Furthermore, an online database with variable topics, prefabricated documents, and handouts were created to ensure sustainability and re-use. In addition to these project goals, group protocols on Hobbies & Recreation and Implicit/Explicit Bias were trialed and evaluated with Dismas House residents.

Publication Date

Spring 4-23-2024

Faculty Mentor

Katy Schmidt, OTD, OTR/L

Department

Occupational Therapy, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Poster

Degree

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

post-incarceration; re-entry; transitional living; community outreach; leisure; recreation; community engagement; programming

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