Recreational Specialist Acute

Overview

The Children's Residential Services Program serves children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years of age who are experiencing severe emotional or behavioral disturbance. These children have failed to respond successfully to multiple less restrictive treatment interventions. BayPointe offers a caring, structured environment and developmentally appropriate therapeutic services for each child 24 hours a day.

The program provides support to families or caregivers that helps maintain, enhance, or develop attachment with their child/adolescent during treatment and throughout the discharge process. Children and adolescents diagnosed with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders receive care in a special mental illness-substance abuse service track. The consumers, families, caregivers, school system personnel, DHR workers, and others as appropriate, are directly involved in the consumer’s treatment and discharge planning.The goal is to improve each child’s or adolescent’s level of functioning and to discharge to a less restrictive treatment setting. The program primarily serves residents of south Alabama; however, the program considers referrals from across the state.

Responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities:

• Utilizes assessment data to design appropriate/applicable recreation and activity therapies in consultation with the Recreational Specialist
• Plans and develops activities according to the consumer’s rehabilitation needs
• Facilitates and Co-facilitates recreation therapy groups                        
• Implements planned activities
• Provides ongoing monitoring and interaction with consumers
• Teaches consumers the necessary skills to transition to less restrictive setting            
• Assists with special facility events, such as talent shows, seasonal festivities, etc.
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and knows how to deescalate or resolve the situation
• Applies seclusion and restraint per AltaPointe Policy and Procedure, as required
• Effectively collaborates with the treatment team members and outside sources in the delivery of services
• Adheres to professional code of ethics
• Effectively demonstrates the application of child/adolescent and adult specific competencies

 Supervision and Consultation:

• Seeks clinical supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance skills

 Clinical Record Keeping:

• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents in a clear and concise manner, types of consumer problems, treatment goals addressed, and service                                                                                 
• Documents legibly

Courteous and respectful attitudes towards consumers, visitors and co-workers:

• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects consumer’s privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumer’s needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm to consumers and families

 Administrative and Other Related Duties as assigned:

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Follows AltaPointe Policies and procedures
• Attends appropriate in-services training and other workshops
• Maintains current certification, if applicable, and attends required workshops and in-services

Physical Requirements:

• Frequent standing, sitting, and walking which are in bursts of 5 to 10 minutes
• Occasional forward bending from the hips while kneeling to reach to the side
• Occasional need to be able to assume a full squat/lunge from a standing position
• Occasional need to maintain back extension while being on stomach with one’s own body weight on hips and legs.  This position is maintained for several minutes.
• Occasionally, be able to put one’s own body weight on one knee and one elbow on the same side of one’s body.
• Occasionally, be able to kneel and reach to same side toward the floor.
• Lift up to 10 pounds occasionally during shift.
• Strong grasp is needed to use keys to open doors throughout the facility, and to maintain constant contact with a consumer during a take down procedure or with other hold techniques.
• Pushing/pulling force up to 25 pounds occasionally during a shift.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

High School diploma or equivalent.  Knowledge in child/adolescent and adult specialties, outlined below, to be attained within (6) months of employment.

• Knowledge of psychiatric disorders in child/adolescent and adult populations
• Basic Knowledge of growth and development of child/adolescent and adult consumers as related to all intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of the consumers’ development
• Knowledge of cultural diversity
• Knowledge of behavior management, crisis intervention and interventions common to acute psychotic consumers, as well as to non-violent crisis intervention practices.
• Knowledge of Psychiatric Rehabilitation principles                                                            
• Knowledge of available community resources
• Knowledge of educational methods appropriate to children/adolescents and adults with severe and persistent psychiatric disorders
• Knowledge of therapeutic activities (i.e. recreation and leisure, expressive arts)