Activity Therapist PRN

Oceans Healthcare; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Haven Behavioral Hospital of Philadelphia seeks an Activity Therapist to provide group and individual interventions using art, music, or occupational therapy within an acute psychiatric setting. The clinician will assess needs, develop customized activity plans, and document progress in accordance with Joint Commission and hospital policies.

Required licenses include MT-BC, ATR/ATR-BC/ATR-P/LPAT, and COTA licensure with active state credentials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Occupational Therapy or related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• 3 years of inpatient acute care clinical experience preferred.
• Must hold and maintain current certification/licensure as listed (MT-BC, ATR/ATR-BC/ATR-P/LPAT, COTA).

Responsibilities

• Assess emotional, cognitive, and social needs; create individualized therapeutic activity plans.
• Lead and facilitate therapy groups and individual sessions (art, music, or OT).
• Create a safe, engaging environment to promote participation.
• Document services and progress per policy.
• Collaborate with treatment team to implement plans and communicate changes.
• Maintain timely documentation including assessments and treatment updates.

Skills

Patient care

Age-appropriate

Cultural sensitivity

Group facilitation

Time management

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication

Stress resilience

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in field

Master's degree preferred

MT-BC certification

ATR/ATR-BC/ATR-P/LPAT

COTA license

Job description

Activity Therapist - PRN / Per Diem

Required Licensures

• Music Therapist - Board Certified (MT-BC)
• Registered or Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR, ATR-BC, ATR-P, LPAT)
• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA w/valid state licensure)

About Haven Behavioral Hospital Of Philadelphia

Haven Behavioral Hospital of Philadelphia is a 42 bed acute-care Joint Commission Accredited psychiatric hospital that offers a full continuum of care for older adults dealing with mental health issues. We are dedicated to partnering with individuals, families, and communities to improve the lives of patients through the delivery of high-quality, specialty behavioral health services.

The Activity Therapist provides therapeutic group and individual interventions using discipline-specific modalities (art, music, or occupational therapy) in accordance with professional standards, regulatory requirements, and hospital policies. All duties are performed according to Joint Commission, Federal and State Regulations, the Oceans' Mission, policies and procedures and Performance Improvement standards.

Essential Functions

• Conduct assessments to determine patients’ emotional, cognitive, and social needs and develop individualized therapeutic activity plans.
• Lead and facilitate therapeutic groups and individual sessions using art-, music-, or occupational-therapy-based modalities
• Create a supportive, safe, and engaging environment that promotes patient participation.
• Evaluate patient participation and progress, adjusting therapeutic approaches as needed, and document all services per policy.
• Encourage patients to participate in activities that support emotional expression, social interaction, education, and skill development.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary treatment team to implement treatment plans and communicate changes in patient status.
• Seek supervision or clinical support when challenges arise in individual or group sessions.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation, including assessments, sessions, and updates to treatment plans.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education / Experience:

• Bachelor's or Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Occupational Therapy or related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Prefer three (3) years’ clinical practice experience in inpatient acute care.
• Must hold and maintain current certification / licensure appropriate to discipline:
• Music Therapist- Board Certified (MT-BC)
• Registered or Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR, ATR-BC, ATR-P (LPAT)
• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), with valid state license if applicable

Skills / Abilities:

• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care that meets age-, disability-, and culturally related needs of the assigned patient population.
• Understands principles of growth and development across the lifespan and applies this knowledge in assessment and treatment.
• Assesses and interprets patient data to identify individual needs and deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions for adolescent, adult, geriatric, chemically dependent, and dually diagnosed populations.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of mental illness, chemical dependency, and associated family dynamics.
• Demonstrates understanding of evidence-based clinical therapy modalities relevant to activity therapy.
• Communicates effectively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary team members; exhibits strong group facilitation and process skills appropriate to patient needs.
• Demonstrates adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to perform effectively in stressful or rapidly changing situations.
• Exhibits strong organizational and time-management skills; able to coordinate multiple priorities efficiently.
• Functions effectively both independently and under supervision as required.
• Must successfully complete Basic Life Saving (BLS) certification and an Oceans approved behavioral de-escalation program.

Work Environment:

Subject to many interruptions. Pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries. This position can be highly paced and stressful; must be able to cope mentally and physically with the atmosphere. This person might sometimes experience disagreeable odors, sights and/or unpredictable patient behavior. Work requires spending approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.