|
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
|
|
POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
|
|
Position Number: 00080709 |
Description Activated On: 5/11/2026 12:18:02 PM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. The person holding this position is considered to be an essential employee. The Therapeutic Activities Worker is a professional employee who is responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating therapeutic programs and leisure activities for patients at Clarks Summit State Hospital, a Commonwealth inpatient facility certified to treat patients with psychiatric illnesses and co-occurring disorders. These responsibilities include assessments of patients' psychosocial strengths and needs, formulation of recommendations for treatment and recording and presenting same to the multi-disciplinary treatment team, as well as implementing and documenting therapeutic programs and services as well as a variety of leisure activities through assigned regularly scheduled patient activities. This position is under the immediate direction of the Therapeutic Activities Supervisor reporting to the Therapeutic Activities Director (TAD) and is overseen by the office of the Director of Social and Rehabilitation Services. |
|
Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. 1. The primary responsibility of an employee in this class is to design, implement, and evaluate the effect of the therapeutic activities segments of individual treatment plans in order to further the comprehensive treatment of patients. 2. This description emphasizes the need for flexibility in overlapping and combining, collaborating and coordinating with other disciplines such as nursing, occupational therapy, vocational adjustment services, social service, and psychology during the designing, planning and implementing of programs and services in order to afford the most effective and individualized treatment for patients. 3. Performs assessments and re-assessments on assigned patients according to Hospital and Departmental policies and procedures to determine patients' strengths and needs. 4. The employee serves as a representative on an assigned Treatment Team and participates in the Individual Comprehensive Treatment Plan process through the development of individual patient goal plans which are approved by the Treatment Team for implementation. 5. The employee occupying this position works with the assigned treatment team in developing and/or implementing a treatment regimen, evaluating it for efficacy and modifying it as indicated. 6. Is responsible for documenting patients' participation in the programs and services in accord with established hospital policies and procedures, and with regard to established treatment goals. 7. May train non-professional personnel in the implementation of TR programs and services. 8. Directs and instructs therapeutic activities aides (TAA) in the facilitation of individual and group therapeutic recreation activities such as therapeutic recreation programs, structured activities, leisure activities, special events and off-grounds programs and activities. 9. Participates collaboratively with supervision to improve his or her performance and to plan developmental goals for further professional improvement. 10. Is responsible for maintaining assigned area in a clean and safe condition to ensure a hazard-free environment. 11. Attends meetings, seminars and conferences as assigned for continuing education and information. 12. Maintains records and documentation necessary to accomplish reporting functions. 13. Serves on assigned task forces and committees, both in the Therapeutic Recreation Department and Hospital-wide. 14. Performs other duties as assigned. 15. Follows the policies and procedures of CSSH, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and all State and Federal regulatory bodies in the efficient operating of the TR department. Essential Functions 1. Communicate effectively in both verbal and written English. 2. Follow the directions of superiors in the chain of command. 3. Listen to input from throughout the chain of command as well as patients and families. 4. Think creatively and respectfully offer the product of such thinking to the chain of command for consideration. 5. Effectively prioritize crises, tasks, meetings, reports and other duties. 6. Perform Therapeutic Recreation tasks to include evaluation and treatment of patients. 7. Assist in emergency situations (status Orange, Status Blue, Status Red etc.). 8. Traverse CSSH campus. 9. Signs out Shuttle to drive patients to activities. 10. Gains access to activity areas, sets-up, moves and arranges furniture and equipment in activity areas. 11. Moves wheelchairs and geri-chairs as appropriate. 12. Participates in and assists patients in gross physical activities e.g. softball, volleyball etc. 13. Conducts physical exercise programs as ordered by a medical physician. 14. Maintain records as mandated by legal and regulatory requirements. 15. Be alert at all times to potential life safety and human behavior dangers and hazards and correct if appropriate and/or report same to relevant supervisory staff. 16. Comprehend and comply with all relevant Hospital Policies and Procedures. 17. Analyze patient information and data to recommend TR treatment programs and services to the treatment team. 18. Perform TR evaluations. 19. Evaluate the effectiveness of TR programming. 20. Fulfill role of Treatment Team Member as required. 21. Acts as Treatment Team Coordinator on a rotating basis. 22. Collect, condense and analyze data from both verbal and record sources (e.g., the patients, staff, team members, team leaders, TAD, Director of Social and Rehabilitative Services, the active medical record and review of old medical records as appropriate) and present this collated data orally or in writing. 23. Design and develop TR patient programs and services, including leisure activities, to meet established goals as set by administration, the Social and Rehabilitative Services department and TAD and the Therapeutic Activities Supervisor(s). 24. Communicate with patients, co-workers and supervisors to receive directives, hear suggestions and complaints and to deliver instructions, discuss ideas and give directions. 25. Perform Quality Assurance evaluations and audits as assigned. Serve on committees as assigned. 26. Obtains and maintains Crisis Response/Intervention and CPR certification, and appropriately utilizes skills. 27. Adheres to DHS, OMHSAS and CSSH and external regulatory agency regulations. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Decisions are made as appropriately guided by the policies and procedures of CSSH, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and regulatory bodies. Decisions are further guided by a focus on best treatment practices, are effectively prioritized and are informed by an awareness of the principle of first do no harm. Decision making must be tempered by an acute judgment of when input from a superior in the chain of command is appropriate. Superiors must be kept informed of decisions at all times. An employee in this class makes decisions in the following areas: patient treatment programs, patient treatment goals, treatment methods, program types, program content, and locations of programs. The employee makes decisions on the types of patient leisure programs and locations of such programs that patients may attend. |
||||||||||||||||||||
Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. Class C Driver's License 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
||||||||||||||||||||
Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
|