Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is an occupational therapy (OT) researcher and practitioner who has devoted her career to addressing child & youth participation and mental health in schools, home, and community. At a national level, she has been a leader in building capacity of OT practitioners and interdisciplinary professionals in promoting positive mental health in youth with and without disabilities and mental health challenges. In addition to authoring the book, Mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention with children and youth: A guiding framework for occupational therapy (2011), she has authored over 40 journal articles and book chapters in leading OT textbooks. Since 2010, she has given over 100 state, national, and international presentations. 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 Cleveland State University (CSU), and the 2018 Award for Innovative and Emerging Practice from the American Occupational Therapy Association. In January 2020, she served as a Fulbright Specialist in New Zealand, presenting on Every Moment Counts throughout the country. She also served as a Fulbright Specialist in Ireland in October 2023. In addition to being the Founding Director of Every Moment Counts, she is also Professor Emerita of the Occupational Therapy Program at Cleveland State University (CSU) where she taught for 34 years.

• • • Positive mental health in children and youth
    • Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS)
    • Pediatric OT practices

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts: Promoting Mental Health Throughout the Day. Featured Speaker: Texas Occupational Therapy Association OT & PT Service Delivery in Schools: Policy, Research, & Best Practices. June 2, 2023.

Bazyk, S. An Introduction to Every Moment Counts: Occupational Therapy’s Distinct Value in Mental Health Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention with Children and Youth. Virtual. Instituto de Terapia Ocupacional, Mexico. 2023.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts: Occupational Therapy’s Distinct Value in School Mental Health. (virtual) New York State OT Association Desert & Dialogue, April 11, 2023.

Bazyk, S. Introduction to Every Moment Counts. The AMI School, Karachi, Pakistan, Virtual, 2 hours, Nov. 10, 2022.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts Introduction. Metro ECSU, Minnesota. Virtual, October, 2022.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts – Foundations and Comfortable Cafeteria and Refreshing Recess. Two 2-hour virtual sessions for OT, PT, SLP. North Ireland, Regional Integrated Support for Education (RISE NI). Virtual, September and October, 2022.

Bazyk, S. ESSA: Promoting participation and health in schools. Arkansas DOE schoolbased conference. August 2022. Virtual

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts. LADSE Conference, Chicago, October 28, 2022. Full day, in-person.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts. Wisconsin. State-wide OT/PT conference, November 2022.

Bazyk, S. Promoting participation and health during lunch and recess. STAR Institute, virtual, September, 2022.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts, Oregon Department of Education related service providers. Keynote and sessions throughout day (virtual), April, 2022.

Bazyk, S. Introduction to Every Moment Counts. 47th Learning Disabilities Institute Conference, Canada. March 18, 2022.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts. Arizona Department of Education related service providers (OT/PT). Full-day Virtual, June 2, 2022.

Bazyk, S., Coopersmith, A., Stephenson, Pam. ESSA OT Advocacy Network, webinar, Launched on November 16, 2021. Over 250 OT attendees from across the US. 2-3 meetings/year.

Bazyk, S. Every Moment Counts: Promoting Mental Health Throughout the Day.

Bazyk, S. (2019). Occupational Therapy’s Role in School Mental Health. In C. Brown, V. Stoffel, & Munoz, J. (eds.) Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Vision for Participation. F. A. Davis.

Bazyk, S. (2019). Best practices in supporting mental health: Promotion, prevention and intensive services. In Gloria Frolek Clark, Joyce Rioux, & Barbara Chandler (eds.). Best Practice in School Occupational Therapy (2nd edition), AOTA Press

Bazyk, S. (Ed.). (2011). Mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention with children and youth: A guiding framework for occupational therapy. Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press

Bazyk, S., Demirjian, L., Horvath, F., & Doxsey, L. (2018). The Comfortable Cafeteria program for promoting student participation and enjoyment: An outcome study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74 (3), 1-9, https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot2018.02379

Bazyk, S., Demirjian, L., LaGuardia, T., Thompson-Repas, K., Conway, C., & Michaud, P. (2015). Building capacity of occupational therapy practitioners to address the mental health needs of children and youth: Mixed methods study of knowledge translation. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69, 6906180060p1–6906180060p10

Bazyk, S., Goodman, G., Michaud, P., Papp, P., & Hawkins, E. (2009). Integration of occupational therapy services in a kindergarten curriculum: A look at the outcomes. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63, 160-171.

Bazyk, S., Pataki, K., & DeBoth, K. (2020). Building Capacity of Occupational Therapy Students to Address the Mental Health Needs of Children and Youth during a Level II Fieldwork in a School Setting, Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2020.1776186

Bazyk, S., & Winne, R. (2013). A multi-tiered approach to addressing the mental health issues surrounding obesity in children and youth. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 27, 84-98.

Cahill, S., & Bazyk, S. (2019). School-Based Occupational Therapy. In Jane Clifford O’Brien & Health Kuhaneck (eds.). Case-Smith’s Occupational Therapy for Children & Adolescents (8th edition).

Sue is the Founder of Every Moment Counts