Rehabilitation Therapist 1 (Dance And Movement)(Office/On-site)

Introduction

Why Join Us?
Are you interested in a career that you are passionate about and receive personal fulfillment while making a difference? If this sounds like you, the State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) wants you to be a part of our team!

Are you passionate about making a difference? Join our team at the Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center in Middletown, CT (inpatient) as a Rehabilitation Therapist 1 (Dance and Movement). Together, let's partner with children, families, and communities to build hope and create opportunities.

As a Rehabilitation Therapist 1 (Dance and Movement), you will be responsible for evaluating, planning, and applying recognized therapeutic fields to provide treatment for individuals with intellectual, emotional, and physical disabilities. Your duties will include:

• Evaluating and assessing the therapeutic needs of children and adolescents.
• Planning and implementing dance and movement therapy sessions tailored to individual needs.
• Collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams to determine and successfully implement individualized treatment plans.
• Detailing patient progress and adjusting treatment plans as necessary to ensure flawless execution.
• Providing a safe and supportive environment to encourage patient participation and progress.
• Engaging with families and community resources to support comprehensive treatment approaches.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Dance/Movement Therapy experience or academic background.
• Proven experience working with children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbances.
• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work the specified second shift, part-time, 34 hours per week.
• Dedication to our mission and values of providing high-quality, patient-centered care.

What We Offer

• Competitive benefits including health and dental insurance, a retirement plan, group life insurance, and other supplemental benefits.
• Paid time off, including 12 paid holidays per calendar year, vacation, sick, and personal leave accruals.
• An encouraging work environment that promotes a healthy work/life balance.
• A chance to create a meaningful impact in the lives of children and adolescents every day.

Your Schedule
This position is part-time, 34 hours per week, and follows a second shift schedule:

• Sunday: Off
• Monday: Off
• Tuesday: 12:00 pm - 7:30 pm
• Wednesday: 11:00 am - 5:30 pm
• Thursday: 12:00 pm - 7:30 pm
• Friday: 12:00 pm - 7:30 pm
• Saturday: 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Join us in our ambitious goal to provide outstanding care and support to the children and families we serve. If you are passionate about dance and movement therapy and are ready to make a difference, we encourage you to apply.

Selection Plan

• Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page or view our tutorial.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 
• In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  
• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 
• Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 
• Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Liz Pinette at elizabeth.pinette@ct.gov.
• This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state facility this class is accountable for the evaluation, planning and application of a recognized therapeutic discipline to provide treatment for individuals with an intellectual disability, emotional disabilities and physical disabilities.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Evaluates individuals level of functioning by assessing behavior and reviewing medical, social and emotional case histories;
• Writes and implements treatment plans using a specific modality;
• Conducts individual and group activities, consulting with other professionals and selecting appropriate techniques and materials to teach skills to correct disorders in mental, emotional or motor status of an individual;
• Attends case conferences, actively participating in admission, treatment and discharge planning;
• Observes, records and evaluates individual progress;
• Participates in or assists in conducting training programs for staff therapists and rehabilitation and nursing students;
• Uses data from observation and diagnostic evaluations to develop goals and new activities;
• Administers and interprets evaluations in specialty areas;
• Requisitions and distributes supplies;
• Adapts musical, art and recreational equipment used in designated discipline;
• May attend workshops and conferences;
• May transport and escort individuals to off grounds activities;
• May perform prevocational activities with individual;
• May participate in and plan special activities within community;
• May perform duties in individual home or community setting;
• May serve as a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • principles and practices of the therapeutic dance and movement discipline;
  • physical and intellectual disorders;
  • individual and group dynamics;
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Skill in application of therapeutic techniques.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Four (4) years of professional experience in the appropriate professional rehabilitation therapy program specialty performing such activities as program evaluation, planning and application for individuals with an intellectual disability, emotional disabilities and physical disabilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

College training in the appropriate recognized therapeutic dance and movement discipline may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with children and / or adolescents.
• Experience working in a congregate care setting - inpatient or residential.
• Experience facilitating rehabilitation therapy groups for adolescents.
• Experience with crisis de-escalation, specifically being involved in physical restraints of clients.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience providing rehabilitation therapy services to a diverse population.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and maintain a certificate as a Water Safety Instructor (W.S.I.), and/or life saving (CPR, First Aid) from the American Red Cross.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in use of American sign language in certain positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some danger of injury and to moderately disagreeable job conditions while providing treatment to individuals with disabilities.

Conclusion

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.