Recreational Therapist

LCMC Health•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

The Recreational Therapist assesses patients with psychosocial risk factors, develops treatment plans, and delivers interventions. Assessments draw on patient and family interviews, interdisciplinary consultation, and medical-record review to evaluate coping skills, cognitive and intellectual functioning, support systems, resources, and other factors affecting illness, treatment, and discharge. The therapist identifies barriers, plans interventions, communicates findings to the interdisciplinary team, documents care, and reassesses patients based on their needs and plans of care. The role also facilitates and participates in therapeutic group therapy for patients on the assigned unit. The therapist maintains a clean, organized, and safe recreational therapy room, checking for clutter, contraband, and ligature risks before each group. The role provides short-term supportive counseling and crisis intervention, refers patients and families to community agencies or recreational services as needed, coordinates with staff and agencies, and documents relevant information. As an active member of the discharge-planning process, the therapist identifies social and interpersonal factors that may complicate discharge, connects patients with appropriate post-discharge resources, reviews caseloads with the treatment team, and collaborates on discharge planning for complex patients. The position coordinates recommendations across disciplines, supports timely discharge, and maintains knowledge of available community resources.

Requirements

At least 1 year of experience in a behavioral health care hospital.
Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation, recreation therapy, physical education, music therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, horticultural therapy, or psychology.
Heart Saver or Basic Life Support certification required.
CPI certification required at or before orientation.
Excellent communication, conflict management, organizational, and planning skills.

Nice To Haves

3 years of experience as a recreational therapist in a behavioral health care hospital.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ social needs and psychosocial risk factors through interviews, interdisciplinary consultation, and medical-record review.
Evaluate coping skills, cognitive and intellectual functioning, support systems, resources, and factors that may affect illness, treatment, and discharge.
Identify barriers to desired outcomes and develop and carry out interventions to address them.
Communicate assessment findings and plans to the interdisciplinary team; document assessments, plans, and interventions in the medical record.
Reassess patients according to their needs and plan of care.
Facilitate and participate in therapeutic group therapy for patients on the assigned unit.
Maintain a clean, organized, and therapeutically appropriate recreational therapy room; check for safety hazards before each group.
Provide short-term supportive counseling and crisis intervention to help patients develop healthy relationships and lifestyles.
Refer patients and families to community agencies or recreational services as needed, and facilitate interactions between staff and agencies.
Participate in discharge planning by identifying social and interpersonal barriers and arranging appropriate post-discharge resources.
Review caseloads with the treatment team and collaborate on discharge planning for complex patients to support timely discharge.
Coordinate findings and care recommendations across disciplines and document relevant information according to department standards.
Maintain working knowledge of available community resources.