The Agency Therapeutic Recreation Specialist evaluates or screens patients, establishes treatment goals, implements treatments plans, completes patient and family teaching or discharge planning, documents results, and progress in the medical record. The Agency Specialist demonstrates competencies defined in providing age-appropriate care and services to patients from the age of birth to 21 years, and selected adults.

At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, we are passionate about integrating physical health with behavioral health and aspire to serve as champions for the holistic wellbeing of children. The Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion is our state-of-the-art facility that serves as a cornerstone in our efforts to provide revolutionary behavioral health services to children that experience mental illness. The Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion is stigma-breaking in every way, providing access to crucial services for children with mental illness to help them reach their full potential and thrive within their communities. The Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion constitutes the largest facility on a pediatric campus devoted to the mental health in the country, representing an unparalleled commitment to behavioral health clinical services and research.

The following position is specific to behavioral health services at The Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This position may include, but is not limited to, the following behavioral health service areas:
1) Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (YCSU) - a 16-bed unit designed to provide mental health treatment and crisis stabilization services to youth and adolescents with a 3-4 day average length of stay
2) Inpatient Psychiatric Units (Child, Adolescent, and Neurobehavioral) - 12-18-bed units with group style environments designed to provide mental health treatment, crisis stabilization, and linkage with intensive follow-up services with a 7-10 day average length of stay
3) Psychiatric Crisis Department and Extended Observation Services – 10+ bed units that offer real-time crisis intervention for patients and families currently experiencing a behavioral health emergency.

This position is contingent upon the ability of the individual to pass and maintain competency in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training. Training and opportunities to maintain competency are regularly offered and funded by the organization.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are in the forefront of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and our Clinical Therapy Division’s core values. We are passionate about building, sustaining, and evolving an inclusive and equitable working environment. We are seeking individuals who can exemplify these same values and who are eager to share their efforts and related experiences toward this mission.

**This role is on call/contingent/PRN***

Location:

The moment you walk through our doors, you feel it. When you meet our patient families, you believe it. And when you talk with anyone who works here, you want to be part of it. Welcome to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Where Passion Meets Purpose.

Here, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are integrated into our core values and practices. We are passionate about building, sustaining and evolving an inclusive and equitable environment. We are seeking individuals who live these values and want to share their experiences and efforts in support of our collective mission.

We’re 14,000 strong. And it takes every one of us to improve the lives of the kids we care for, and the kids around the world we’ll never meet. Kids who live healthier, fuller lives because of the knowledge we share. We know it takes a Collaborative Culture to deliver on our promise to provide the very best, innovative care and to foster new discoveries, made possible by the most groundbreaking research. Anywhere.

Ask anyone with a Nationwide Children’s badge what they do for a living. They’ll tell you it’s More Than a Job. It’s a calling. It’s a chance to use and grow your talent to make an impact that truly matters. Because here, we exist simply to help children everywhere.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital. A Place to Be Proud.

• Evaluates and screens patients to determine therapeutic recreational needs, identifies strengths and deficits, establishes long and short-term goals, and develops an individualized treatment plan incorporating patient and family needs.
• Administers treatment intervention to meet each patient’s specific needs and achieve their goals; observes progress or changes in patient’s condition and modifies treatment plan accordingly.
• Simplifies the patient’s adjustment into the hospital. Facilitates improvements in the patient’s self-perception of body image and function.
• Documents patients’ evaluation results, objective status, progress towards goals, treatment plan, and recommendations. Utilizes appropriate computerized or standardized documentation methods, as applicable to caseload.
• Educates patient and family on each child’s treatment goals and therapy plan, instructs patients and parents on therapeutic activities to follow while in hospital or at home, documents instruction, and evaluates ongoing compliance and understanding.
• Recommends and secures patient referrals to community agencies to ensure continuity of care.

Education: