Recreation Therapy Manager

Responsibilities

For over 40 years The BridgeWay has been connecting with communities throughout Arkansas and beyond. The BridgeWay offers a continuum of services designed to help children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing behavioral, emotional or addictive problems that can lead to fractured lives. Our team of professionals includes board-certified child/adolescent and adult psychiatrists, licensed clinical therapists, nurses and mental health associates who are here to help people reconnect with their families, friends and employers so that they may lead productive lives. Tucked within the wooded hills of Central Arkansas, The BridgeWay is just moments away from the major highways that unite Arkansans throughout the state. Founded in 1983 and accredited by The Joint Commission, our quiet campus has retained much of the cozy charm and character that existed then.

******MUST HAVE A LICENSE FOR RECREATION THERAPY********

Overview

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Recreational Therapist Manager to lead our therapeutic recreation programs. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in recreational therapy, with expertise in program development, patient assessment, and behavioral health care. This leadership role requires a proactive individual committed to enhancing the quality of life for diverse populations, including seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those undergoing mental health treatment. The Recreational Therapist Manager will oversee a team of therapists and activity specialists, ensuring the delivery of innovative, evidence-based therapeutic activities that promote physical, emotional, and social well-being.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive recreational therapy programs tailored to the needs of patients ages 6-17.
• Lead and supervise a team of recreational therapists and activity coordinators, providing mentorship, training, and performance evaluations.
• Conduct patient assessments to determine individual needs and develop personalized treatment plans utilizing modalities such as music therapy, dance therapy, art therapy, yoga, swimming, equine-assisted activities, and group therapy sessions.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams including nursing staff, mental health professionals, case managers, and family members to ensure holistic care delivery.
• Manage medical documentation and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations regarding patient records and confidentiality.
• Oversee intake procedures for new clients or patients requiring therapeutic recreation services and monitor progress through data collection and outcome measurement tools.
• Facilitate de-escalation techniques during behavioral crises while maintaining a safe environment for clients and staff.
• Promote program growth by developing new initiatives aligned with best practices in mental health and senior care while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.

Skills

• Extensive experience in recreational therapy modalities including music therapy, dance therapy, art therapy, yoga, swimming, equine experience, and other therapeutic recreation techniques.
• Proven ability to develop innovative therapeutic programs tailored to diverse populations such as elderly patients, individuals with developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder, and those receiving hospice or elder care services.
• Strong knowledge of medical terminology related to psychiatric patient care, dementia care (including Alzheimer’s), PTSD care, hospice care, and geriatrics.
• Expertise in patient assessment methods and diagnostic evaluation processes for mental health conditions.
• Excellent case management skills with experience working with individuals with disabilities or behavioral health conditions; familiarity with crisis management strategies.
• Ability to utilize de-escalation techniques effectively during behavioral incidents or emergencies.
• Competence in medical documentation practices while maintaining compliance with HIPAA standards; proficient in data collection for program evaluation purposes.
• Exceptional communication skills for client interaction—including individual and group counseling—and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working within assisted living facilities or behavioral health hospitals is highly desirable; familiarity with special education settings is a plus.

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The BridgeWay is one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Growing steadily since its inception into an esteemed Fortune 500 corporation, annual revenues were $14.3 billion in 2023. During the year, UHS was again recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune; and listed in Forbes ranking of America’s Largest Public Companies. Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, UHS has approximately 96,700 employees and continues to grow through its subsidiaries. Operating acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient facilities and ambulatory care access points, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services located all over the U.S. States, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. www.uhs.com.

Qualifications

Licenses or Certifications: CTRS, Current Arkansas Driver’s License. Current Handle with Care and CPR certifications, or must obtain within 3 weeks of hire, offered onsite.

Total education, vocational training and experience: 

• Graduate of an accredited program with a bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy or related field or equivalent experience.
• Competency in Activity Specialist duties and skills completed onsite.

EEO Statement

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.

Avoid and Report Recruitment Scams

At UHS and all our subsidiaries, our Human Resources departments and recruiters are here to help prospective candidates by matching skill set and experience with the best possible career path at UHS and our subsidiaries. During the recruitment process, no recruiter or employee will request financial or personal information (e.g., Social Security Number, credit card or bank information, etc.) from you via email. Our recruiters will not email you from a public webmail client like Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.

If you suspect a fraudulent job posting or job-related email mentioning UHS or its subsidiaries, we encourage you to report such concerns to appropriate law enforcement. We encourage you to refer to legitimate UHS and UHS subsidiary career websites to verify job opportunities and not rely on unsolicited calls from recruiters