Activity Therapist
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
Activity Therapist
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
Acute psychiatric hospital with outpatient services
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital · Bakersfield, United States · Full-time · Posted 2025-11-04
Workplace: on_site
Department: Clinical Services
About Us
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, located in Bakersfield, California, is an acute psychiatric and behavioral 90 bed facility situated on 8.8 acres.
We offer inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults needing mental/behavioral health, chemical dependency; and co-occurring disorders treatment through our medically supervised detoxification.
Within our Workplace Community, BBHH is striving daily to be one of the BEST PLACES TO WORK not just here in Kern County, but throughout the Behavioral Healthcare Community.
By offering amazing benefits, encouraging individual growth and development, and incorporating our CARES values system into our daily operations, we are creating a workplace culture where people enjoy coming to work each day.
BBHH CARES about your experience as a candidate and we encourage you to apply to our open positions.
Compassion
Acceptance
Respect
Empowerment
Sincerity
Our progressive and dedicated healthcare team strives to change the lives of our patients and provide exceptional care.
This is a fast-paced environment that requires critical thinking, exceptional leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.
Job Summary
CTRS or RTC Required. Serve as a member of the interdisciplinary team, provide therapeutic interventions and recreational services to patients at the hospital. Minimum of 2 years experience in a healthcare, psychiatric care, and/or educational field. Inpatient psychiatric experience preferred. Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as psychology, therapeutic recreation, music therapy, art therapy, or occupational therapy with a recreation therapist certificate. Excellent communication, assessment, evaluation, and interpretation skills. Knowledge of psychiatric and substance use disorders and treatment; flexibility; teaching or training skills; understanding of and ability to apply DSM-V methodology.
CTRS/RTC wage range: $34.85/hr. - $47.56/hr.
+$2,000 Sign-on Bonus (Full-Time Employees Only)
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
Simply put: HUMANS WHO CARE
Though we do need to meet some minimum requirements for the position such as a High School Diploma and an appropriate degree and certification as defined below, we're really looking for people who bring their HEART to work.
If you have previous experience in a mental healthcare hospital environment where your attention was focused on human behavior, psychiatry, psychology, or other mental healthcare situations, your application to this position will be moved to the shortlist of candidates.
Education
Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., psychology, recreational therapy, music therapy, art therapy, occupational therapy).
Minimum Work Experience
At least two (2) years experience with one (1) year in a behavioral or psychiatric setting preferred. Combination of education and experience acceptable
Required Licenses/Certifications
Must have CTRS or RTC
Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital is proud to offer a suite of benefits to those who join our workplace community.
*Benefits eligibility varies based on employment status (full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.).
Some of the benefits you can expect as a Full-Time employee include:
Paid Time Off
over THREE WEEKS of Paid Time Off in your first year!!!
Life Insurance
Apply at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital
Powered by Workable
Acute psychiatric hospital with outpatient services
BBHH provides behavioral health care through a 90-bed inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facility in Bakersfield. Inpatient care focuses on short-term stabilization, crisis management, and medically supervised detoxification, while outpatient care includes PHP and IOP with group/individual therapy, medication management, and CBT/DBT, plus activities like yoga. It differentiates itself by being the only freestanding psychiatric hospital in Kern County, operating within Signature Healthcare Services’ network and leveraging local partnerships and the Joint Commission accreditation. Its goal is to deliver accessible, evidence-based treatment that helps people stabilize and recover from mental health and substance use issues.
Explore more opportunities at Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital