草莓传媒官网下载

Lou Ann Hintz, Texas Woman鈥檚 PhD in occupational therapy student and recipient of a Virginia Chandler Dykes Scholarship, first heard the words 鈥渙ccupational therapy鈥� when she was just 9 years old. Her sister, who had been hospitalized at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas for idiopathic scoliosis, spoke those words to her when describing her lengthy hospital stay. She shared that occupational therapy was the best thing about being in the hospital because it distracted her and made her feel better about herself.  Hintz remembers her sister showing her a leather tooled keyring, wallet and copper-tooled project, which she had made during her occupational therapy time.

鈥淔rom that day forward, I knew I wanted to do something like that,鈥� said Hintz. 鈥淚 wanted to have a job where I could help others by making them feel better despite having medical conditions and being separated from their families.鈥�

Hintz has been named a Virginia Chandler Dykes Scholarship recipient from the College of Health Sciences and will be honored on February 20 at the 草莓传媒官网下载 Dallas Leadership Luncheon, presented by Bank of Texas, Texas Woman鈥檚 University and the Texas Woman鈥檚 University Foundation, at The Belo Mansion and Pavilion. 

An assistant clinical professor for Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, Hintz is currently in the dissertation phase of her PhD studies with a 3.8 GPA and plans to graduate in either May or December. Her dissertation is a qualitative phenomenological study on teachers鈥� experiences with occupational therapy and multi-tiered systems support, also known as response to intervention.

鈥淢ulti-tiered systems support was first introduced to me at a 2004 workshop by Jean Polichino, an inspirational occupational therapist who focused on providing support to students early instead of the traditional 鈥榳ait until they fail鈥� method,鈥� added Hintz. 鈥淪eeing members of my family struggle to meet standards due to learning disabilities and other health impairments along with witnessing the damage that school failure does to a child鈥檚 sense of self-worth fueled my passion to pursue this line of research.鈥�

Traditionally, occupational therapists have provided services to students in special education only and typically in a one-on-one setting. Multi-tiered systems support offers a framework to provide solutions for many students who may be at risk for failure in public schools. Federal legislation supports this and allows school-based occupational therapists to impact many more students.

鈥淭hrough this framework, occupational therapists can support and empower teachers in whole classrooms and small groups with evidence-based interventions to promote success and wellness for all students,鈥� added Hintz.

Hintz began her first job in occupational therapy at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital in Gonzales, Texas, where she gained a strong understanding of fundamental occupation-based evaluation and foundational treatment modalities. She worked for multiple years in a skilled nursing unit and in rural home health as well as over a decade in school-based practice, including Plano ISD, where she served as occupational therapy team lead.

鈥淲hile working in Plano ISD, I realized my passion and purpose was with growing and supporting the next generation of occupational therapists,鈥� added Hintz.

Hintz, who received her bachelor鈥檚 in occupational therapy and her master鈥檚 in occupational therapy administration from 草莓传媒官网下载, had the opportunity to serve as adjunct faculty at 草莓传媒官网下载 in the spring semester of 2016. She taught clinical reasoning to master鈥檚 occupational therapy students and immediately fell in love with teaching and research. Her goal is to grow the next generation of occupational therapy students. She feels passionately about helping students understand how occupation-based practice can enhance the quality of life for patients and is enthusiastic about transforming students into therapists.

鈥淟ou Ann has been a steadfast and dedicated PhD student since she began her studies,鈥� said Tina Fletcher, EdD, MFA, OTR, associate professor of occupational therapy at the 草莓传媒官网下载 T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences - Dallas Center. 鈥淏y continuing her search for the active ingredients that build quality relationships between therapists, teachers, families and, most importantly, the children, she represents the voices of school therapists and children enrolled in special education services. Lou Ann is a reflective and considerate therapist, and her natural tendencies toward systematic, independent and flexible thinking will mark her trajectory as a researcher, teacher, leader and advocate.鈥�

Hintz is a member of the Texas Occupational Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association, where she has represented 草莓传媒官网下载 on a national level. Her dialogue on the importance of multi-tiered levels of systems of support schools was so popular among colleagues at a conference, the American Occupational Therapy Association moved her to a larger space, which was immediately filled.

鈥淭his is Lou Ann鈥檚 niche,鈥� added Fletcher. 鈥淪he speaks for others who cannot. And she will do it well.鈥�

Hintz lives in Lubbock. She has two sons in the DFW area who work in the technology and engineering industry.

Page last updated 8:31 AM, February 4, 2020