Occupational Therapist - Inpatient Behavioral Health

Position Summary: 

Under the direction of the Director of Clinical Services for Behavioral Health, the Occupational Therapist provides direct services to clients and their families. Occupational Therapists assist patients to achieve health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation.  Occupational therapy practice includes clinical reasoning and professional judgment to evaluate, analyze, and address occupational challenges, including issues with client factors, performance patterns, and performance skills and provide occupation-based interventions to address the challenges.

Through the provision of skilled services and engagement in everyday activities, occupational therapy promotes physical and mental health and well-being by supporting occupational performance in people with, or are at risk of experiencing, a range of developmental, physical, and mental health disorders. The scope of practice includes but is not limited to conducting assessments, collaborating to develop interdisciplinary person-centered treatment plans, and providing individual therapy and group therapy including psychoeducation groups and activity groups for persons with acute or serious and persistent mental illness and/ or substance use disorders admitted to Inpatient Behavioral Health.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• The OT is available to perform evaluations for identification of needs related to activities of daily living (e.g., hygiene and grooming, health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation), accommodations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (including recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use), cognitive dysfunction, sensory processing deficits, or other needs that present barriers to optimal functioning.
• The OT will develop appropriate interventions for identified needs and contribute to individual treatment planning. Interventions can include:
• Remediation or Restoration of Performance Abilities that are limited due to impairment in biological, physiological, psychological or neurological processes.
• Modification or adaptation of task, process, or the environment or the teaching of compensatory techniques in order to enhance performance.
• Disability prevention methods and techniques that facilitate the development or safe application of performance skills, and
• Health and wellness promotion strategies, including self-management strategies, and practices that enhance performance abilities.
• The OT will consider the fit between the person, environment, and the occupation when assessing and planning interventions.
• The OT will provide activities appropriate within an inpatient psychiatric setting that will enhance the development of independent living skills in coordination with the Activities Therapy Team, Nursing Staff, and Medical Staff with a person centered, trauma informed, recovery-oriented, and insight-oriented approach.
• The OT will serve as a consultant as needed to all members of the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Provides Group Therapy as assigned based on clinical program design and needs of patients.
• Demonstrates leadership in contributing to the design and continuous improvement of the clinical program.
• Participates in Interdisciplinary Treatment Team Meetings and rounds, and collaborates to develop a treatment plan with individualized interventions for each patient based on occupational evaluations, the patient’s goals for treatment, and patient’s response to individual and group therapy and therapeutic activities.
• Demonstrates the skills and judgment necessary to implement the plan of care, interventions, and procedures necessary, with an emphasis on patient self-determination.
• Maintains an up-to-date, accurate and appropriate record of therapeutic activities in patient’s medical record. Documents patient’s participation in and response to individual and group therapy. 

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy
• 3-5 years of experience preferred
• Licensed as an Occupational Therapist in the state of Illinois
• OTR (Occupational Therapist Registered) by the NBCOT, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
• BLS Required.