Activity Therapist PRN

About the Role

Haven Behavioral Healthcare, an Oceans Healthcare Company, is a behavioral healthcare system providing high-quality, specialty behavioral health services for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues. The Activity Therapist provides therapeutic group and individual interventions using discipline-specific modalities (art, music, or occupational therapy) in accordance with professional standards, regulatory requirements, and hospital policies. All duties are performed according to Joint Commission, Federal and State Regulations, the Oceans' Mission, policies and procedures, and Performance Improvement standards.

Responsibilities

• Conduct assessments to determine patients’ emotional, cognitive, and social needs and develop individualized therapeutic activity plans.
• Lead and facilitate therapeutic groups and individual sessions using art-, music-, or occupational-therapy–based modalities.
• Create a supportive, safe, and engaging environment that promotes patient participation.
• Evaluate patient participation and progress, adjusting therapeutic approaches as needed, and document all services per policy.
• Encourage patients to participate in activities that support emotional expression, social interaction, education, and skill development.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary treatment team to implement treatment plans and communicate changes in patient status.
• Seek supervision or clinical support when challenges arise in individual or group sessions.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation, including assessments, sessions, and updates to treatment plans.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Three (3) years’ clinical practice experience in inpatient acute care preferred.
• Must hold and maintain current certification/licensure appropriate to discipline:
  • Music Therapist: Board Certified (MT-BC)
  • Art Therapist: Registered or Board-Certified (ATR, ATR-BC, ATR-P (LPAT))
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant: Certified (COTA), with valid state license if applicable

Skills

• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care that meets age-, disability-, and culturally related needs of the assigned patient population.
• Understands principles of growth and development across the lifespan and applies this knowledge in assessment and treatment.
• Assesses and interprets patient data to identify individual needs and deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions for adolescent, adult, geriatric, chemically dependent, and dually diagnosed populations.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of mental illness, chemical dependency, and associated family dynamics.
• Demonstrates understanding of evidence-based clinical therapy modalities relevant to activity therapy.
• Communicates effectively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary team members; exhibits strong group facilitation and process skills appropriate to patient needs.
• Demonstrates adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to perform effectively in stressful or rapidly changing situations.
• Exhibits strong organizational and time-management skills; able to coordinate multiple priorities efficiently.
• Functions effectively both independently and under supervision as required.
• Must successfully complete Basic Life Saving (BLS) certification and an Oceans approved behavioral de-escalation program.

Work Environment

• Subject to many interruptions and pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries.
• This position can be highly paced and stressful; must be able to cope mentally and physically with the atmosphere.
• May experience disagreeable odors, sights, and/or unpredictable patient behavior.
• Work requires spending approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.