Mindy Garfinkel
- Assistant ProfessorOccupational Therapy
Dr. Mindy Garfinkel is an Assistant Professor in Mercy College's Graduate Occupational Therapy Program. She has more than 30 years of clinical experience, primarily in the area of pediatrics. Prior to accepting her current position, Dr. Garfinkel was a part-time faculty member and doctoral capstone mentor in Quinnipiac University's Post Professional Doctoral Program.
Dr. Garfinkel presents nationally, and, together with colleagues, has created continuing education products for the AOTA; and developed websites that provide practitioners with school-based and literacy resources.
Dr. Garfinkel engages in service to the college. She currently serves on the Mercy College Graduate Curriculum Committee, and on the Technology Committee for the SHNS. She is a member of the Head Start Committee, is a member of the Westchester ARC Technology Conference Committee, and serves as the faculty liaison to the Mercy College Student Occupational Therapy Association (MOTSA).
Dr. Garfinkel engages in service to the profession in several ways. Having been certified in assistive technology (ATP) by the Rehabilitation, Engineering, and Assistive Technology Association of North America (RESNA), Dr. Garfinkel is on the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Children and Youth Special Interest Section Standing Committee, as the Technology Coordinator. Prior to that appointment, Dr. Garfinkel served on the Technology Special Interest Section as a Professional Development Coordinator. She is a facilitator/leader for the AOTA School-Based Community of Practice, and the Literacy Community of Practice.
OTD, Quinnipiac University
MA, New York University
BA, Queens College (CUNY)
Research interests include pediatric and school-based occupational therapy practice, focusing on: the paradigm shift from a caseload to a workload approach, current trends in school-based practice, telehealth as a supplemental service delivery model, technology for struggling learners, and literacy across the lifespan.
The primary focus of the courses that Dr. Garfinkel teaches is in the area of pediatrics and adolescence. Courses taught:
- HLSC 420: Introduction to Occupational Therapy
- OCTR 505; Child & Occupational Therapy Practice
- OCTR 506: Level I Fieldwork- Pediatric Therapy
- OCTR 507: Problem Based Learning- Child Health
- OCTR 510: Adolescence Occupational Therapy Practice
- OCTR 511: Level I Fieldwork- Older Child
- OCTR 512: Problem Based Learning - Adolescent Health
- OCTR 515: Occupational Therapy Assessment/Treatment I - Childhood & Adolescence
- OCTR 516: Occupational Therapy Assessment/Treatment II- Assistive Technology
- OCTR 525 Qualitative & Quantitative Research Methods
- CAPSTONE in the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program
Carpenter, M. & Garfinkel, M. (2021, in press). Home and parent training strategies for pediatric feeding disorders: The caregiver's perspective. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy
Garfinkel, M. & Maynard, C. (2021, in press). Supporting occupational balance in students using everyday technologies: The distinct value of occupational therapy. AOTA SIS Quarterly Practice Connections, February.
Mueller, C. & Garfinkel, M. (2021, in press). Collaboration between occupational therapists working with children birth to three years in different practice settings. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy
Seruya, F.M. & Garfinkel, M. (2020). Caseload and workload: Current trends in school-based practice. American Journal of Occupational Therapy (74) 5.
Carpenter, K.M. & Garfinkel, M. (2019). Telehealth as a supplemental service to treat pediatric feeding delays and disorders. SIS Quarterly Practice Connections (4), 4 p. 2-4.
Garfinkel, M. & Seruya, F.M. (2018). Therapists' perceptions of the 3:1 Service Delivery Model: A workload approach to school-based practice. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2018.1455551
Seruya, F.M. & Garfinkel, M. (2018). Implementing contextually based services: Where do we begin? SIS Quarterly Practice Connections (3) 3 p. 4-6