Incumbent works under the direction of the Douglas County Health Center Administrator or designee, developing, implementing and administrating the Therapeutic Recreation Unit utilizing recreational therapy to enhance the physical and mental well-being of residents.

As a Federal Contractor and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Center employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 upon employment.

• Develop and administer department policies/procedures ensuring quality rehabilitative and life enriching programs for psychiatric and geriatric residents.
• Develop, coordinate, and direct therapeutic and recreational programs and activities.
• Assess resident needs and develop activity goals consulting with physicians, allied health care members, and other members of the interdisciplinary care plan team.
• Establish effective work relationships with supervisors, County employees, elected officials, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, other agencies, and the public.
• Comply with Civil Service policies and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, County policies, department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment.
• Monitor therapeutic programs and activities records including resident participation and feedback, and evaluate responses, assess resident needs, and make revisions.
• Ensure compliance with current professional standards in recreational therapy as required by federal, state, and local regulatory agencies.
• Ensure budgetary compliance (e.g. recording, monitoring, maintaining) information.
• Supervise (e.g. orient, train, schedule, direct, monitor, evaluate, complete personnel actions) assigned staff (e.g. Recreational Therapists, Therapeutic Recreation Aides, clerical staff).
• Coordinate staff and community volunteer efforts expanding the therapeutic recreation programs.
• Assure adequate inventory of equipment/supplies (e.g. monitoring stock levels, purchasing supplies, maintaining inventory control).
• Ensure adherence with procedures, processes and work rules.
• Monitor safety and hygiene policies and procedures
• Participate in life safety and emergency drills/trainings, and fulfill responsibilities during implementation/activation of the facility’s emergency plan.
• Ensure residents are transported to and from activities/programs inside and outside the facility.
• Maintain job knowledge and skills (e.g. research, seminars, webinars, conferences) .
• Oversee Beauty Shop, Resident Council and Volunteer program operations (e.g. recruitment, selection, orientation and training, scheduling, recognition, etc.).
• Maintain and improve quality care efforts (e.g. attend Care Plan meetings, IDT meetings, daily safety huddles, mandatory in-services, required training/continuing education, Safety Committee, QAPI Committee).
• Plan fundraising activities including sales and grant writing.
• Safely operate a motor vehicle when required to travel on County business.
• Report to work with regular, consistent attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned and directed.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in Social or Behavioral Sciences required.*
• Two (2) years of recreational services in a long-term care facility or geriatric setting required.*
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Certified or eligible for certification as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation required.
• Two (2) years of experience with MSOffice.
• Valid driver's license upon hire and maintained throughout employment required.
• Completion of a pre-employment criminal record check and conditional offer drug screen required.
• Equivalent combination of education and work experience may be substituted for the requirements on a year-for-year basis.

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is generally performed in a long-term care facility. Noise level is usually moderate, but may be loud. Work hours are typically standard day-shift hours; however, schedule may vary (e.g. days, shifts, weekends, overtime/extra hours, holidays, emergency call-in). Work involves potential exposure to chemicals/fumes, odors, or biohazards. Work may be stressful when dealing with time constraints, multiple/changing priorities, limited resources and uncooperative/irate individuals.
• Work requires some physical activity including extended periods of sitting, standing, walking, and occasional bending crouching reaching stooping and climbing. Work also requires the ability to frequently lift/carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds and occasionally up to 50 pounds.
• Required sensory abilities include vision, hearing, touch and smell. Visual abilities, correctable to normal ranges, include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. Communication abilities include the ability to talk and hear within normal ranges. Incumbent possess the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computers and other equipment.

Douglas County is an EOE - Disability/Veterans