Facility Dog Handler/Clinical Assistant
Cincinnati Children's•College Hill, TX
•$18 - $22•Onsite
About The Position
The Facility Dog Handler is responsible for integrating a professionally trained facility dog into the pediatric behavioral health setting to support patient therapeutic goals and staff wellbeing. This role delivers structured, trauma-informed interventions while maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare, safety, and clinical alignment. Initially housed within the Child Life Program, the role will transition to Spiritual Care, requiring flexibility in approach while maintaining interdisciplinary collaboration.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Divinity, Psychology, Social Work, or related field
- Experience in pediatric behavioral health or trauma-informed care
- Strong interpersonal and de-escalation skills
- Experience with animal-assisted interventions or facility dog programs
- Experience supporting staff wellbeing initiatives
Responsibilities
- Facilitate goal-directed patient interactions that support: Emotional regulation, Anxiety reduction, Engagement in care and therapy
- Partner with behavioral health clinicians to integrate the dog into care plans where appropriate
- Apply trauma-informed practices in all patient interactions
- Conduct structured staff support rounds
- Provide stress-reduction interventions and brief restorative interactions
- Collaborate with leadership on staff wellbeing initiatives
- Manage daily scheduling of visits (patient and staff)
- Triage and prioritize referrals based on need and appropriateness
- Track encounters and outcomes per program metrics
- Maintain documentation aligned with hospital standards
- Ensure the facility dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing
- Adhere to all infection prevention, safety, and risk management policies
- Monitor dog workload (visits/day, rest periods, stress signals)
- Maintain certification and ongoing training for both handler and dog
- Educate staff on safe and effective interactions with the facility dog
- Support program growth, evaluation, and reporting
- Participate in interdisciplinary committees as needed
Benefits
- Additional pay (e.g., shift, on‑call, or weekend differentials) and benefits may apply.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
