Title: Recreational Therapist
State Role Title: Therapy Assistant/Therapist I
Hiring Range: $52,711 - $72,741
Pay Band: 4
Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop
Location: Catawba Hospital
Agency Website: https://dbhds.virginia.gov/facilities/catawba/
Recruitment Type:
Job Duties
Adult and Geriatric Programming:
Recreational Therapists will be responsible for:
• Will complete PSR assessments on individuals within 96 hours of admission, and annually.
• Plan therapeutic groups in advance of offering the group, for all groups as assigned per their facilitation schedule
• Implement therapeutic program planning and make adaptations as needed
• Evaluate offered programs based on feedback from the group participants, as well as yearly evaluations of all programs as instructed by the Patient Engagement and Recovery Subcommittee
• Redirect patient behavior, as needed, to ensure a positive environment.
• Maintain a therapeutic environment that is free of safety hazards, daily.
• Reports accurate daily feedback on changes in patient behavior to unit staff, the assigned treatment team and PSR Director.
• Provide group coverage as assigned by the PSR Director, daily.
• Understand and complete functions of the daily Treatment Mall in the absence of the Mall Coordinator/Hall Monitor, as assigned
• Provide 1:1 Recreational Therapy consults/sessions, upon request
Treatment Team Coordination:
• Serves as Treatment Team coordinator for the assigned team
• Attend and participate in treatment team daily, prompting team members to be timely and fostering a positive/collaborative team environment
• Creating and updating a Treatment Team calendar and providing regular updates to treatment team members.
• Communication in person and via email regarding daily treatment team agendas
• Creating and updating Treatment Mall and On Unit schedules based on treatment team feedback
• Monitor 24-Hour Report and attend interdisciplinary morning report in an effort to update the treatment team daily agenda. Specifically, the team coordinator will update the agenda related to behavioral changes, aggression, 1:1 for suicide, CSO, elopement, restraint episodes, falls, and special hospitalizations.
• Communicate with the Chief of Staff in order to schedule clinical case conferences at the request of the treatment team, and will attend/give input during the scheduled case conference
• Will verbally contribute during treatment team meetings based on observed behaviors during group/on the unit and will assist in the formulation of treatment plans (eg. goals, objectives, and interventions).
• Present assigned treatment plan cases during the team and record feedback on progress.
Maintain Quality Documentation:
• Complete daily group notes on the progress the individuals referred to your group have made in regard to their personalized objectives.
• Document after completing assessments on both the PSR initial assessment sheet and the significant findings form.
• Complete interdisciplinary notes as needed related to behavioral changes, as well as patient events (eg. Pink hospital event form)
• Create and maintain treatment plans on assigned case load (Initials, 14-day reviews, and monthly reviews, based on length of stay.)
• Meet with individuals on 1:1/CSO daily (M-F) while they are on observation precautions and document about observed behaviors.
Minimum Qualifications
-Demonstrable experience working with behavioral health populations
-Must possess initiative & be able to work with minimum supervision.
E-xperience conducting, organizing, and planning meetings and special events
-Previous group facilitation experience
-PSR-Specific Discipline credential eligibility required, but certification/licensure needed within six months of hire.
-Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a PSR-related field
Education/Training
• Enhances professional development through attending in-services and ongoing continuing education
• Fulfills requirements to maintain CTRS certification.
• Maintains current CPR certification per facility training guidelines.
• Maintains current TOVA certification per facility training guidelines.
• Attends scheduled mandatory/pertinent in-services related to job duties.
Additional Considerations
-Certification/Licensure is highly preferred.
-The ideal candidate will have inpatient psychiatric hospital experience.
-Previous group facilitation experience preferred.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
(Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 540-375-4200 for assistance. Minorities, Individuals with disabilities, Veterans, and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY)
Contact Information
Name: Austin Grasty
Phone: 540-375-4368
Email: austin.grasty@dbhds.virginia.gov
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.