Recreation Therapist

Department of Veterans Affairs • Orlando, FL

81d • Remote

About The Position

The Staff Recreational Therapist may have knowledge in one to several areas of Recreational Therapy including: Whole Health, Inpatient Mental Health, CLC, HBPC, PRRC, MFH, Adaptive Sports, Creative Arts, HUD-VASH, Inpatient Mental Health, Outpatient, and DOM care. The incumbent's time is spent in clinical duties/direct patient care evaluating/treating Veterans as well as indirect patient care (Triaging Recreation Therapy consults, answering patient emails, coordinating with physicians regarding clinical services and handling patient care issues.) They may be authorized for ad-hoc telework depending on guidance from the Supervisor for Recreation Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy Section.

Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, and implements comprehensive, routine treatment programs for individual and groups of patients to rehabilitate and remediate the effects of disease, disability, or illness.
• Performs appropriate assessments, evaluations, and treatments to help prevent physical disability; promote physical, mental, and psycho-social health and well-being.
• Devises specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical or mental health.
• Develops therapeutic programs for various types of disabilities including psychiatric diagnoses, substance abuse disorders, PTSD, dementia, neuro-muscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, AIDS, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, and patients with multiple diagnoses.
• Aids in the treatment of chronic pain resulting from acute or chronic medical conditions; fosters community leisure participation at the highest functional level.
• Strives to prevent mental and physical deterioration and/or decline, maintaining the highest degree of self-help and independence within limitations of a patient's disability.
• Interprets tests and measurements to assess normal parameters of physiological, psycho-social, and cognitive function, leisure function, and leisure-ability.
• Works closely with an interdisciplinary team in the planning and implementation of the patient's treatment program.
• Promotes innovative therapeutic approaches, modalities, and partnerships for more effective and comprehensive treatment approaches.
• Identifies impediments to functioning at the highest leisure level, addressing both inter and intra leisure barriers.
• Teaches independent living skills, community re-integration skills, social interaction skills, and adjustment to change.
• Suggests adaptive leisure/fitness needs that relate to health, well-being, and adaptive sports needs.
• Facilitates participation in VA National Events such as the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and the Golden Age Games.
• Facilitates Whole-Health modalities both in live classes and in Telehealth.
• Utilizes video conferencing technologies to enhance communication between the therapist/patient and patient/family.
• Develops psycho-social activities for coping with frustration, stress, anger, and hostility.
• Uses tact, skill, and knowledge of psychiatric and/or post-traumatic stress disorders for success in mental health rehabilitation programs.
• Delegates to and provides clinical supervision for the recreational therapy assistant (if applicable).
• Develops and coordinates educational materials for the caregiver of the disabled veteran.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Administration of Human Resource Programs
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees