Activities Therapist

Requisition Number: 6339-1

Position Title:

External Description:

Nuvance Health is a family of award-winning nonprofit hospitals and healthcare professionals in the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut. Nuvance Health combines highly skilled physicians, state-of-the-art facilities and technology, and compassionate caregivers dedicated to providing quality care across a variety of clinical areas, including Cardiovascular, Neurosciences, Oncology, Orthopedics, and Primary Care.

 

Nuvance Health has a network of convenient hospital and outpatient locations — Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, Norwalk Hospital and Sharon Hospital in Connecticut, and Northern Dutchess Hospital, Putnam Hospital Center and Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York — plus multiple primary and specialty care physician practices locations, including The Heart Center, a leading provider of cardiology care, and two urgent care offices.  Non-acute care is offered through various affiliates, including the Thompson House for rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, and the Home Care organizations. For more information about Nuvance Health, visit www.nuvancehealth.org.

Purpose: Provides a therapeutic environment for patients through intake assessments, individual and/or group psychotherapy and crisis intervention. Population served based on scope of services in the department.

Essential Responsibilities: 

1. Facilitates intake assessments, individual and group psychotherapy sessions, and crisis intervention.
2. Documents outcomes in the medical record.
3. Assesses the patient’s therapeutic and recreational activities needs.
4. Carries out the plans for activities therapy as designed, evaluates the patient’s response to the planned interventions, and makes decisions regarding the continuation or revision of the treatment plan.
5. Provides for an on-going and active schedule of leisure time activities for the patient population.
6. Initiates crisis interventions to address recipient’s acute distress and associated behaviors and documents outcomes.
7. Communicates and collaborates with all members of the treatment team regarding recipients.
8. Maintain and Model REACH Values (Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Compassion, Honor).
9. Demonstrates regular, reliable and predictable attendance.
10. Performs other duties as required.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Activities/Recreational Therapy.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in a psychiatric setting.

 

• PREFER: Master’s Degree in Activities/Recreational Therapy

 

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Requirements:

• Knowledge of psychological methods aimed to help individuals change and overcome unwanted behaviors.
• Knowledge of interpersonal communication, and relationships, human behavior, prevention and crisis intervention for treatment and rehabilitation, and to enhance clients’ physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Knowledge of statistics and analytical methods as they relate to the systematic collection of data as a way to monitor the success or failure of a treatment plan or program.
• Knowledge of the confidential relationship(s) between client and therapist, as well as cultural, individual and role differences including those based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status.
• Knowledge needed to conduct scientific research and teach students and other professionals the latest therapeutic methods of art therapy.
• Broad knowledge of art techniques and forms, with an ability to encourage participation, creativity, and imagination.
• The ability to personally create art, and direct the creative process through thoughtful encouragement, in an effort to improve communications, allow expression of feelings, improve coordination, and increase cognitive and social function.
• The ability to actively conceptualize, analyze, apply, and/or evaluate information gathered from observation, experience, reasoning, or communication.
• The capacity to empathize with and teach clients with various communication or behavioral deficits, learning disorders, emotional problems, mental retardation, and physical disabilities.
• The ability to juggle multiple tasks, prioritize projects and focus on desired outcomes.
• Time management, setting reasonable goals, and systematically working to ensure positive outcomes and results.
• The ability to effectively listen and communicate, whether verbally, non-verbally, written, or visually through art media.

 

License, Registration, or Certification Requirements:

• NYS Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT).

 

• PREFER: Certification from the National Therapeutic Recreational Society.

 

Environmental Factors:

Factors affecting environment conditions may vary depending on the assigned work area and tasks. Potential environmental exposures include, but are not limited to:

• Bio-hazardous Waste
• Blood Borne Pathogens. Job may require performance or tasks that involve potential for exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues.
• Chemicals/Commercial Products
• Experiencing challenging conditions where a professional attitude will be required
• Exposure to Latex
• Fumes or Airborne Particles
• Interacting with a Diverse population
• May be requested to work overtime or weekends for coverage
• Noise Level – Varies from Moderate to Very Loud
• Patient Care/Handling Duties
• Radiation
• Repetitive Motion
• Required to use personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to hazardous materials.
• Risk of Electrical Shock
• Shift Work

 

 

Location: Carmel-PHC 670 Stoneleight Avenue

Work Type: Part-Time

Standard Hours: 15.00

FTE: 0.375000

Work Schedule: DAY 7.5

Work Shift: Every Other weekend/holidays

Org Unit: 935

Department: Psych Unit

Exempt: No

 

EOE, including disability/vets.

 

We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact Human Resources at 203-739-7330 (for reasonable accommodation requests only). Please provide all information requested to assure that you are considered for current or future opportunities.

City: Carmel

State: New York

Community / Marketing Title: Activities Therapist

Company Profile:

Health Quest and Western Connecticut Health Network have combined to form a new nonprofit health system. The name for the new health system will be Nuvance Health. The new health system was created to provide communities across New York’s Hudson Valley and western Connecticut with more convenient, accessible and affordable care.

EEO Employer Verbiage:

Location_formattedLocationLong: Carmel, New York US

Job Number: 45166