ACTIVITY AIDE/COORDINATOR

Position Summary

This position provides leadership and oversight of the adventure program and all associated activities within the facility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in organizing recreational therapy sessions to interact with patients and offer recommendations for physical and mental wellness. Assist in developing and implementing rehabilitation programs to help patients adjust to a disability or illness. Assist in ensuring treatment plans are suitable for patients’ physical condition and are in accordance with the hospital policies and the patients’ preferences. 
• Assist in maintaining high quality documentation of all therapy services consistent with the hospitals’ policies. Completes all required documentation in a timely fashion and meets all deadlines as established by the hospital’s policies and procedures.
• Assists in assessing patients’ needs regularly and assists in the developing and updating of the Master Treatment Plan.
• Assists in making progress reports to, and contacts with, each referral agency representative and with each significant other as required.
• Assists other departments in the discharge, aftercare planning and aftercare follow-up of assigned patients.
• Maintains the highest professional ethical standards and all legal requirements and promptly informs supervisors of any observed violations in others.
•  Plan and lead therapeutic leisure-based and life skills focused activities for inpatient and outpatient behavioral health patients.
• In collaboration with Tier MHAs, develop and implement weekly special event activity schedules that support patient engagement and enhance overall patient experience.
• Facilitate group activities in a safe, structured, and therapeutic manner.
• Adapt activities to meet the developmental, cognitive, emotional, and physical needs of diverse patient populations.
• Observe patient participation, behavior, and response to activities, and communicate relevant observations to the treatment team.
• Encourage positive social interaction, teamwork, coping skills, and self-expression.
• Maintain activity supplies, equipment, and designated activity areas in a clean, organized, and safe manner.
• Document patient participation and activity outcomes in accordance with facility policy and regulatory standards.
• Assist with holiday events, special programs, and unit-based enrichment activities.
• Follow infection control, safety, behavioral health, and emergency response procedures at all times.
  
• Performs other duties as assigned/required by this position.
• Demonstrate all Service Excellence Standards and Principles. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must be able to orchestrate multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal; uses resources effectively and efficiently.
• Can quickly find common ground and solve problems; can represent his/her own interests and yet be fair to other groups; can solve problems with peers with a minimum of conflict; is seen as a team player and is cooperative; easily gains trust and support of peers; encourages collaboration.
• Must have strong knowledge of a variety of computer software applications in word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Proven ability to handle multiple projects under pressure.
• Ability to pay continual attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize workload and meet deadlines.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Ability to develop and maintain professional working relationships with all internal/external interface points.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
• General familiarity with the budgeting process related to adventure activities.
• Demonstrates ability to manage planning, decision making and facilitating process improvements; takes responsibility for activities.
• Understands need for and maintains appropriate confidentiality at all times when interacting with patients, residents, families, visitors, referral sources and all other contacts.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma and or GED Required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Therapy or related social service or Outdoor Education field preferred
• Preferred Certified Recreation Therapist
• Preferred 2 years of previous adventure program facilitation, residential programming, and work with the co-occurring population
• Minimum 2 years experience in a residential setting preferred.
• Wilderness First Responders Certification preferred

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Sits, stands, bends, kneels, lifts and moves intermittently during work hours.
• Must be able to lift, push, pull and/or move up to 60 pounds.
• Ability to be physically mobile, climb stairs, traverse the campus on uneven, hilly terrain.
• Ability to work outdoors in possible extreme weather conditions.
• A current, valid driver’s license and a clean driving record is required for use of company vehicles.
• Due to the 24/7 operational demands, must be available after normal working hours and on holidays to manage events/activities that may arise.