PT Recreation Therapist- Living Hope Treatment Center

Position grade: 75 [ salary range: $18-20$hr commensurate with education and experience ]

Department/Program: Living Hope Treatment Center

Supervisor: Program Director

Job summary

Under the general direction of the Program Director, the Recreation Therapist actively participates as a member of the inter-disciplinary treatment team and assesses, plans, implements and evaluates therapeutic recreation activities for clients in residence; Carries out all job responsibilities with fidelity and accountability to the Agency’s Mission, Vision, Values, Guiding Principles and Strategic Plan.

Essential functions

• Exercises full compliance with Agency code of conduct, all Agency policies and procedures and Federal and State laws and regulations.
• Exercises full compliance with the Justice Center’s Code of Conduct for Custodians of People with Special Needs.
• Maintains confidentiality and security for all client and staff related materials and/or records.
• Maintains and monitors the condition of the recreation equipment.
• Performs and logs safety inspections on recreation equipment.
• Oversees use of facilities within recreation/education complex as assigned.
• Secures facilities at completion of recreation activities/programs.
• Completes incident reporting within required timeframes when residents are involved in reportable events during recreation therapy activities.
• Provides support and assistance to staff and clients in crisis situations.
• Reads and becomes familiar with program policy manual.
• Supervises department volunteers and interns as assigned.
• Logs daily progress and attendance of client’s participation in therapeutic recreation activities.
• Submits monthly progress reports on each resident to the clinical record.
• Plans and implements in-service training sessions for residential counselor staff as requested
• Leads and assists in workshops (ropes course) for therapeutic recreation specialists as assigned.
• Submits proposals for implementation of recreation activities quarterly to Director.
• Demonstrates, promotes and practices cultural competency towards clients, families and staff with respect and understanding achieved through training and Agency cultural activates.
• Develops relationships with each client conducive to promoting healthy growth and development.
• Completes service delivery documentation within required timeframes and submits progress notes to the respective Social Worker.
• Submits budgetary needs to the Program Director on an ongoing basis.
• Assists Management in the delivery of the Sanctuary Model aligning operational areas with values of the model.
• Plans, schedules, and implements youth guided therapeutic recreation activities as scheduled.
• Attends community meetings to obtain patient input on preferred recreation activities.
• Completes an initial interview, assessment, and ongoing treatment progress reports and presents a review of resident’s objectives on treatment plans according to required timeframes.
• Assists in equipment inventory on an on-going basis.
• Assists in compiling statistics for quality assurance.
• Attends weekly staff meetings and required trainings.
• Communicates concerns or problems directly to Program Director.
• Provides coverage as a Recreation Therapist to other units in the absence of other Recreation Therapists as needed.
• Perform other similar duties requiring comparable skills utilizing the Sanctuary Model Guiding Principles and Seven Commitments.

Position specifics

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in art education, drama, music education, physical education, psychology, recreation, recreation & leisure, sociology, therapeutic recreation, rehabilitation, or special education preferred.

Experience

• Three years of experience in treating those with substance use disorder preferred

Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills with youth, families, staff, and stakeholders
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to balance competing demands on time and resources
• Ability to form, lead, and participate effectively on teams
• Creative problem solving.
• Commitment to quality improvement

Travel

• Valid NYS driver’s license required

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The following lists physical demands an employee will perform on a regular basis

sitting, standing, bending, lifting, talking and hearing, and walking. Must be able to perform a variety of household tasks, climb stairs, move throughout the cottage or group home and quickly respond to emergencies. Utilizes Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. Good vision is imperative. Must be able to talk and hear well.

The following lists physical demands an employee may perform on an occasional basis: ability to stay awake during overnight hours.

Competencies

• Leading Self
• Character and Courage (Integrity and Trust)- 1. Do the right thing, because it is the right thing, even when no one is looking. Truth to Power.
• Customer Focus 1. Build positive relationships through communication and collaborative problem solving.
• Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Justice and Equity 1. Believe in the dignity and humanity of all people to reach their full potential.