Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 (35 Hour)

JobAps; Southbury (CT); On-site; USD 45,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

DDS (Department of Developmental Services) is seeking a Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 to support individuals with intellectual, emotional, or motor disabilities at Southbury Training School in Connecticut. The role works with professional therapists, direct care staff, and interdisciplinary teams to implement rehabilitation services and life skills programs.

Responsibilities include assisting with therapy activities, documenting progress, and maintaining equipment, while promoting

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of experience working with individuals exhibiting intellectual, emotional, or motor status disorders.
• One (1) year of General Experience must have been as a Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 1 or its equivalent.
• An Associate's degree in a recognized therapeutic discipline may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist in implementing rehabilitation services including life skills training, exercise and range-of-motion programs, recreational activities, and community outings.
• Help plan and support therapeutic interventions, monitor and document individual progress, and maintain therapy equipment and supplies.
• Provide guidance to staff on the proper use of adaptive equipment and collaborate with therapists and interdisciplinary teams.

Skills

Experience with ID/ED disorders

One year as Rehabilitation Therapy ASs

Interpersonal skills

Oral & written communication

Education

Associate's degree in therapy

Job description

Introduction

Do you have three (3) years of experience working with individuals exhibiting intellectual, emotional, or motor status disorders with one (1) year as a Rehabilitation Therapist 1 or its equivalent? If so, we welcome you to consider the Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 position below!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services (DDS) - Southbury Training School - is accepting applications for a full-time, Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 position located at 1461 S Britain Rd, Southbury, CT.

Position Highlights

• PCN 017469 - Full-time
• First (1st) Shift
• 70 Hours/bi-weekly
• Monday - Friday: 8:30am-4:00pm
• Regular Days Off: Saturday & Sunday

The Role

Are you passionate about helping individuals build skills, increase independence, and achieve their personal goals? DDS is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 to join our team. In this rewarding role, you will work closely with professional therapists, direct care staff, and interdisciplinary treatment teams to support individuals through a variety of therapeutic, recreational, and life skills programs designed to enhance quality of life and promote meaningful participation in daily activities.

As a Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2, you will assist in implementing rehabilitation services, including life skills training, exercise and range-of-motion programs, recreational activities, and community outings. You will help plan and support therapeutic interventions, monitor and document individual progress, maintain therapy equipment and supplies, and provide guidance to staff on the proper use of adaptive equipment. This position offers the opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of individuals served by DDS while working in a collaborative, person-centered environment dedicated to fostering growth, independence, and community inclusion.

About Us

DDS partners with the individuals we support and their families, to support lifelong planning and to join with others to create and promote meaningful opportunities for individuals to fully participate as valued members of their communities.

What's In It For You

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees.
• State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loan forgiveness after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.

Discover the opportunity to:

• Engage in a rewarding career
• Assist our employees so they can achieve success
• Make a difference in the public sector
• Work together in a collaborative team environment

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work)

In a state health care facility or community based health care program at a paraprofessional level this class is accountable for implementing and providing feedback regarding patient/individual progress in support of treatment plans designed by a professional therapist to improve or correct disorders in the intellectual, emotional or motor status of the individuals.

Examples of Duties

• Works in a variety of rehabilitation services;
• Implements rehabilitation activities including but not limited to life skills and recreational groups;
• Range of motion and exercise programs and recreational outings and activities;
• Assists in planning rehabilitation activities and programs to improve or correct individual disorders;
• Participates in interdisciplinary treatment teams;
• Under the direction of a professional therapist, provides assistance and support to direct care and day services staff in program implementation and proper use of therapy equipment;
• Assumes some responsibility for training new employees and students;
• Observes, reports and charts individual behavior or response;
• Prepares records and reports;
• Cleans areas and maintains equipment and supplies;
• Conducts minor repairs on adaptive equipment;
• In consultation with a professional therapist may modify, design and fabricate customized adaptive equipment;
• May prepare treatment plans and screen individuals under supervision of a professional therapist;
• May transport and escort individuals off grounds;
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

Knowledge of

• rehabilitation principles and practices;
• physical and psychosocial disorders and their relationship to therapeutic techniques;
• individual and group dynamics;
• therapy equipment and supplies including proper care and maintenance;

Considerable

• interpersonal skills;
• oral and written communication skills;

Ability to

• encourage, instruct and work effectively with individuals;
• incorporate one or more art forms or crafts applicable to therapy program;
• carry out instructions;
• observe, report and chart individual behavior or response;
• discern program results ability to utilize computer software.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Three (3) years of experience working with individuals exhibiting intellectual, emotional, or motor status disorders.

Minimum Qualifications - Special Experience

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been as a Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 1 or its equivalent.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

An Associate's degree in a recognized therapeutic discipline may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of three (3) years. In this case the Special Experience must still be met.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
• Experience with adapting and implementing various opportunities for creative activities for elderly individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Special Requirements

• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and maintain a current certification as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI), Red Cross Advanced Life Saving, Red Cross Life Guard and/or in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be certified in accordance with Department of Developmental Services regulations for the administration of medication by certified unlicensed personnel.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Working Conditions

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals and may have some exposure to moderately disagreeable conditions, infectious and/or communicable diseases and risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive individuals.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Acknowledgement

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.