Recreational Therapist

Universal Hospital Services Inc.; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Paid time off

Medical/Dental/Vision plans

401(k) with company match

Student Loan Refinancing Program

Tuition savings for nursing education

Career development opportunities

Pet Insurance

Job summary

The Pavilion Behavioral Health System in Champaign, IL is seeking a dedicated Recreational Therapist to join our healthcare team. The role involves planning and delivering activity services within inpatient and residential settings to support treatment goals.

Working as part of an interdisciplinary team, you will provide engaging, therapeutic activities for residents and contribute to ongoing patient care. Opportunities for professional growth within UHS are available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation or related field.
• CTRS licensure preferred.
• 2+ years experience with clients with psychological needs.

Responsibilities

• Develops goal-oriented recreation and leisure treatment plans.
• Provides education and instruction in leisure skill development (group, family, individual).
• Plans and leads a variety of recreation activities.
• Implements assessments to inform patient treatment plans and goals.
• Provides clinical input on resident treatment progress and care recommendations.
• Assists with admissions and new resident orientation and staff training.

Skills

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Therapeutic recreation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation

CTRS licensure preferred

Job description

Responsibilities

The Pavilion Behavioral Health System is seeking a talented and dynamic Recreational Therapist to join our team of dedicated healthcare professionals!

The Pavilion Behavioral Health System includes a 110 bed inpatient hospital, a residential treatment center for youth and a residential addictions treatment program. Outpatient services include partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services, as well as The Pavilion Foundation School, a private day school serving students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders. The Pavilion is located in Champaign, IL, within minutes of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus.

Position Summary: The Recreation Therapist is responsible for planning and implementing activity services for assigned program, which involves defining and implementing treatment goals as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and providing continuous patient care, observation, interaction, and role modeling to patients.

Benefit & Rewards Highlights

• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Competitive Compensation & Generous Paid Time Off
• Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Plans
• 401(K) with company match and discounted stock plan
• SoFi Student Loan Refinancing Program
• Tuition savings to continue your nursing education with Chamberlain University
• Career development opportunities within UHS and its 300+ Subsidiaries!
• Pet Insurance
• More information is available on our Benefits Guest Website: benefits.uhsguest.com

Key Responsibilties

• Develops appropriate, goal-oriented recreation leisure treatment plans to meet the specific needs of individuals receiving service.
• Provides education, counseling and instruction in leisure skill development in group, family, and individual settings.
• Plans, organizes and leads a variety of recreation activities.
• Implements appropriate recreation and leisure assessments to obtain information regarding appropriate patient treatment plans and goals.
• Provide clinical input in all resident staffing regarding treatment progress and recommendations of care.
• Assist the director of residential services with admission of new residents to the program.
• Acts as the primary facility group trainer for new and existing employees during new hire orientation. Assesses competence in group facilitation of employees upon completion of training.
• Assist with after-care contacts and in-person visits as directed by the RTC Director.
• Performs other duties as assigned/required by this position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Therapuetic Recreation, Art/Music Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, or other related field.
• CTRS licensure/activity therapy licensure preferred.
• 2 years of experience working with clients with psychological needs.

About Universal Health Services

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 during 2025 were $17.4 billion. In 2026, UHS was again recognized as one of Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies and in 2025, was listed in Forbes ranking of America’s Largest Public Companies. Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, UHS has approximately 101,500 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 in 40 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. For additional information visit www.uhs.com.

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.