Melissa Smith, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, CHAMP recently joined ATF Medical as clinical specialist/adaptive housing. In this role, Smith assesses injured workers and their homes and recommends ways to address barriers to accessibility, mobility and independence.

“Melissa has dedicated her OT practice to adapting home environments to the meet the accessibility and mobility needs of injured people,” said Erin Zablocki, CDME, Master C.E.A.C., ECHM, ATF Medical’s executive director of rehab technology.

Most recently, Smith was the founder and CEO of LiveAble LLC, which modified home environments to enable people to remain in their homes after they experienced disabilities. The State of Oregon contracted with the company to provide environmental modification consulting services for its Department of Human Services clients. In addition, LiveAble consulted with workers’ compensation payers and patients.

Previously, Smith was an occupational therapist for Kaiser Permanente Home Care Services. Earlier she worked in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, and as a traveling OT.

An article about OTs in home modifications inspired her to specialize. “I’d always been interested in interior design and architecture, and blending those with my medical interests made this a perfect fit,” Smith said.

She holds two degrees, one in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington and the other in psychology from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Smith took supplemental courses in architecture, interior design, and building programs and earned several relevant certifications. Among them are the Executive Certificate in Home Modifications, Certified Home Assessment and Modification Professional, and Certified Aging in Place Certificate I and II). Smith is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Occupational Association of Oregon.