Activity Therapist - Level lI

NYC Health + Hospitals; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Health + Hospitals’ McKinney is seeking an Activity Therapist to provide medical/psychiatric recreational therapy to patients in a skilled nursing setting.

Under supervision, you will plan and implement therapeutic activities, coach staff and collaborate with treatment teams to support patient goals. The role involves leading individual and group activities, assessing needs, and contributing to care plans while maintaining records. A Bachelor’s Degree and related experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) credits in recreation, physical education, dance, fine arts, and/or applied arts (including therapy), and twelve (12) semester credits in psychology, social psychology, group work, group dynamics, and/or related discipline, and one (1) year of full-time experience in planning, coordinating and supervising a recreation activities program in a health care setting; or
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, and two (2) years of full-time experience described in 1 above; or
• A satisfactory combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to 1 or 2 above. However, all candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree.

Responsibilities

• Participates in planning and implementing a medical/psychiatric approved recreational program of individual and ward activities adapted to the needs, interest and capacities of patients.
• Participates in meeting with treatment staff to coordinate effective patient care and participates as a member of a team, in patient groups.
• Plans individualized schedules including activities of daily living, arts and therapy and socialization to meet specific needs of patients.
• Teaches and leads recreational activities such as group and team games, arts and crafts, dances, gymnastics, art in therapy, poetry, simple forms of music and dramatics.
• Directs learning experiences as part of care/treatment of patients to influence behavioral changes leading to increased experience and comprehension of self and environment.
• Works with and may guide students from multi disciplines, volunteers and others assigned to the area of service.
• Attends and contributes to department meetings, attends and conducts in-service training programs.
• Works with private and public organizations to further recreational programs.
• May co-lead or lead small group therapy and other discussion groups.
• May co-lead community meetings with other members of various disciplines.
• Communicates observations of patients in activity therapy to team.
• Charts Activity Therapy Progress Notes.
• Prepares periodic reports and keeps appropriate records.
• Assesses recreational therapeutic and activity program needs and plans for implementation through research and evaluation.
• Evaluates daily functioning of activity therapy programs in assigned area.
• Coordinates such activities as adapted sports, dramatic, social activities, arts and crafts, music, regulating content of program in accordance with patients’ capabilities, needs and interest for assigned unit.
• Applies new techniques and skills both interpersonal and technical in a continuing effort to provide practical programs. Explores new developments within the area of Activity Therapy implementing those which are applicable to their setting.
• Works with other disciplines to coordinate effective patient care.
• May review clinical case records for accuracy and completeness.
• Maintains functional operational level of equipment, supplies and work areas.
• May develop and conduct in-service training within their area of expertise.
• Prepares and submits reports and statistics.
• Prepares appropriate records.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in recreation or related field with psychology/group work background

Job description

Marketing Statement

NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney is a 320-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Brooklyn with a 5-Star CMS Rating in staffing, quality, health inspections, and overall. McKinney provides exceptional short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing services in a warm and comfortable setting. McKinney residents have 24-hour access to expert care and specialty services including Parkinson’s and Dementia Care, Hospice and Palliative care, IV therapy, wound and tracheostomy care.

From more than 600 Nursing Homes in New York, McKinney ranks #11 in Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes in New York 2026; and earned high-performance ratings for Long-term Care and Short-term Rehabilitation from U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing Homes in America 2026.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Marketing Statement

NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney is a 320-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Brooklyn with a 5-Star CMS Rating in staffing, quality, health inspections, and overall. McKinney provides exceptional short-term rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing services in a warm and comfortable setting. McKinney residents have 24-hour access to expert care and specialty services including Parkinson’s and Dementia Care, Hospice and Palliative care, IV therapy, wound and tracheostomy care.

From more than 600 Nursing Homes in New York, McKinney ranks #11 in Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes in New York 2026; and earned high-performance ratings for Long-term Care and Short-term Rehabilitation from U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing Homes in America 2026.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position

Under supervision, with latitude for initiative and judgement, performs responsible therapeutic work of varying degrees of difficulty and responsibility in an activity therapy department providing medical/psychiatric recreational therapeutic services for patients/residents, both individually and in group settings, in conjunction with other members of the treatment team. All personnel perform related work.

Under supervision, with considerable latitude for initiative and independent judgment, performs responsible therapeutic work of more than ordinary difficulty.

Examples Of Typical Tasks

• Participates in planning and implementing a medical/psychiatric approved recreational program of individual and ward activities adapted to the needs, interest and capacities of patients.
• Participates in meeting with treatment staff to coordinate effective patient care and participates as a member of a team, in patient groups.
• Plans individualized schedules including activities of daily living, arts and therapy and socialization to meet specific needs of patients.
• Teaches and leads recreational activities such as group and team games, arts and crafts, dances, gymnastics, art in therapy, poetry, simple forms of music and dramatics.
• Directs learning experiences as part of care/treatment of patients to influence behavioral changes leading to increased experience and comprehension of self and environment.
• Works with and may guide students from multi disciplines, volunteers and others assigned to the area of service.
• Attends and contributes to department meetings, attends and conducts in-service training programs.
• Works with private and public organizations to further recreational programs.
• May co-lead or lead small group therapy and other discussion groups.
• May co-lead community meetings with other members of various disciplines.
• Communicates observations of patients in activity therapy to team.
• Charts Activity Therapy Progress Notes.
• Prepares periodic reports and keeps appropriate records.
• Is responsible for maintaining and ordering of supplies and equipment for assigned unit.
• Assesses recreational therapeutic and activity program needs and plans for implementation through research and evaluation.
• Evaluates daily functioning of activity therapy programs in assigned area.
• Assesses specific activity needs of patients and records progress of patients as defined by the standards of the department.
• Coordinates such activities as adapted sports, dramatic, social activities, arts and crafts, music, regulating content of program in accordance with patients’ capabilities, needs and interest for assigned unit.
• Applies new techniques and skills both interpersonal and technical in a continuing effort to provide practical programs. Explores new developments within the area of Activity Therapy implementing those which are applicable to their setting.
• Works with other disciplines to coordinate effective patient care.
• May review clinical case records for accuracy and completeness.
• Maintains functional operational level of equipment, supplies and work areas.
• May develop and conduct in-service training within their area of expertise.
• Prepares and submits reports and statistics.
• Prepares appropriate records.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, including or supplemented by eighteen (18) credits in recreation, physical education, dance, fine arts, and/or applied arts (including therapy), and twelve (12) semester credits in psychology, social psychology, group work, group dynamics, and/or related discipline, and one (1) year of full-time experience in planning, coordinating and supervising a recreation activities program in a health care setting; or
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, and two (2) years of full-time experience described in 1 above; or
• A satisfactory combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to 1 or 2 above. However, all candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree.