Recreational Therapist jobs in New York

Overview

The Recreational Therapist is responsible for recreational &  therapeutic activities. The position will function as a member of the treatment team and interact with patients in activities designed to fulfill individualized treatment goals within a psychosocial rehabilitative program and therapeutic milieu.

Primary Responsibilities include:

• Assure provision of  therapeutic activities through individual and group programs to attain or maintain the highest practical level of physical, mental, spiritual and psychosocial well-being.
• Participates as a member of the treatment team in order to integrate recreational activities and socialization as part of the total patient plan of care.
• Document activities that reflect services provided as the patient’s progress toward meeting treatment plan goals and objectives. Document daily group notes in patient EMR.
• Develop a schedule of recreational activities and programming that reflects the assessed needs/interests of the patients, provide culturally appropriate activities, supplies and materials.
• Develop structured programs that will offer the patient the opportunity to reduce stress, improve mood, increase activity level and social skills. 

Requirements/Qualifications

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in recreational therapy. 
• New York Creative Arts Therapist license or Certified Therapeutic Specialist preferred but not required. 
• 1 years of prior experience planning, organizing and directing therapeutic activityprograms.
• Experience working with children, adolescent and adult behavioral health population.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish is a plus.

Hospital/Program Description

The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,700-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, New York, with 10 hospitals on eight campuses spanning 6,200 square miles of the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 12,000 people and has nearly 3,000 attending physicians. From Level 1, Level 2 and Pediatric Trauma Centers, the region’s only acute care children’s hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals, dozens of specialized institutes and centers, skilled nursing, assisted living facilities, homecare services and one of the largest mental health systems in New York State, today WMCHealth is the pre-eminent provider of integrated healthcare in the Hudson Valley.

The Behavioral Health Center, located on WMC's Valhalla campus, has been a leading provider of psychiatric services since 1929, offering a full spectrum of inpatient, outpatient, community and emergency care for adults, children, and adolescents.