Heidi L. Plach, MS, OTR

Education

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Speaker Topics

• Mental Health Needs of Veterans
• Mental Illness and Families
• Group Process
• Careers in Occupational Therapy

Interests & Expertise

Heidi Plach is passionate about improving the lives of people affected by mental illness and helping students emerge into professionals who can make a difference in health care. She has been an occupational therapist since 2000 and has spent her clinical years working in community mental health practice, specializing in advocacy and group occupational therapy.

Since completion of her master’s thesis on the occupational performance needs of young veterans in 2009, she has become a voice for this population in Wisconsin with TV coverage and presentations at national and local conferences. She serves on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Veteran’s Advisory Council to improve the campus environment for student veterans.

Additionally, Plach is enthusiastic about teaching students how to be compassionate, skilled and service-minded clinicians. This is accomplished through positive community relationships, such as Dryhootch, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and various OT clinics.

Other activities in which Plach has engaged are teaching freshmen about health care and adjustment to college life (UWM’s Healthcare LLC) and re-connecting alumni to campus through the CHS Alumni Association.

Selected Publications

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Presentations

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Honors & Awards

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