Recreation Therapist, Per Diem

Job Title: Recreation Therapist, Per Diem

Location: Jersey City Medical Center

Department: Mental Health Unit-Open Unit

Req#: 0000202438

Status: Per Diem

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $31.70 - $31.70 per hour

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated hourly wage range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Are you a compassionate Recreation Therapist who is passionate about helping individuals improve their mental health and well-being through therapeutic recreation and expressive therapies? At RWJBarnabas Health, our Recreation Therapy team plays an essential role in supporting patients throughout their behavioral health journey by providing meaningful therapeutic activities, individualized assessments, and case management services. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team, you'll help patients build coping skills, increase engagement, and achieve treatment goals in a supportive, patient-centered environment. We hope you are excited by the opportunity to join a team dedicated to compassionate care, clinical excellence, and recovery-focused treatment!

• Conducting comprehensive recreational and social assessments to identify each patient's therapeutic needs and develop individualized treatment plans.
• Planning and facilitating a variety of therapeutic recreation, social, and expressive therapy groups designed to support patient recovery and engagement.
• Providing individual case management services, including weekly patient sessions, care coordination, and referrals to community resources to ensure continuity of care.
• Collaborating with psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop, implement, and evaluate patient treatment goals.
• Monitoring patient progress, documenting assessments, interventions, and outcomes in accordance with organizational and regulatory standards.
• Maintaining regular communication with family members, community agencies, and other collateral contacts to support patient treatment and discharge planning.
• Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings, quality improvement initiatives, and annual competency training to support high-quality patient care.
• Assisting with group coverage and supporting fellow team members to ensure consistent therapeutic programming for patients.

• You are passionate about helping individuals improve their mental health through therapeutic recreation and expressive therapies.
• You thrive in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment and communicate effectively with patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
• You are compassionate, patient-focused, and skilled at building therapeutic relationships with individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges.
• You are organized, detail-oriented, and committed to completing thorough assessments, documentation, and case management responsibilities.
• You enjoy leading engaging therapeutic groups and creating meaningful activities that promote recovery, independence, and overall well-being.
• You are adaptable and able to respond effectively to the changing needs of patients in an inpatient behavioral health setting.

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in human services with a focus on expressive therapies required.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience working with a psychiatric patient population required.
• Certification in a recognized recreational therapy field required.
• Required certification or successful completion of applicable training within three (3) months of hire.
• Current BLS Certification required.
• Successful completion of facility and department-specific orientation programs required.

• Full-Time
• Schedule based on departmental needs
• Flexibility to support therapeutic programming and patient care as needed.