Activity Therapy Assistant

Therapy Assistant

About View Behavioral Health

We are proud to serve as a trusted resource for our community, providing high-quality mental health care with compassion and integrity. Our Long Beach facility currently operates as a 79-bed adult voluntary acute inpatient program, offering private rooms and individualized treatment delivered by a multidisciplinary team. We are dedicated to best practices and person-centered care, supporting each patient's journey toward stability and recovery. To promote continuity of care beyond inpatient treatment, we also offer Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs tailored to meet each individual's clinical needs. We are also actively expanding our services across Southern California, with our new San Bernardino campus expected to open later this year.

Full Time Schedule: Monday Friday

Location: Long Beach, CA Pay: $23.00 - $24.00 / Hour

Position Overview

The Therapy Assistant functions under the Director of Social Services to assist in planning, organizing, and leading engaging programs that promote socialization, physical movement, and cognitive stimulation for participants.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist RT Therapists with rehabilitation activity groups for patients.
• Monitor patients' safety during hygiene and activity groups.
• Develop creative ideas for games, crafts, music, exercises, and seasonal events.
• Confidently guide group activities like chair exercises, arts and crafts, trivia, and interactive games.
• Spend dedicated time providing companionship and individualized, low-stimulation activities for residents who prefer not to join large groups.
• Assist individuals with mobility need to safely travel to and from the activity spaces.
• Maintain a clean, hazard-free environment and supervise participants closely to prevent falls or injuries.
• Record daily attendance statistics and take brief notes on individual engagement levels.
• Observe participant moods, physical endurance, or cognitive shifts, and promptly log these updates for the nursing or care coordination staff.
• Conduct activity groups and services of the Recreation Therapy Treatment Program, including assessments, group notes, 1:1 sessions, treatment planning, and discharge planning.
• Represent Recreation Therapy on facility committees and in interactions with patients' families and support systems.
• Attend multidisciplinary treatment planning meetings.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or variable shifts as needed, based on operational or patient care needs.
• Demonstrate understanding and compliance with Patients' Rights, LPS Statutes, and Seclusion and Restraint Protocols.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required
• Degrees in leisure studies or physical education with a dedicated concentration or coursework track in therapeutic recreation are also accepted
• Associate degree in Psychology, Therapeutic Recreation, or Behavioral Science preferred
• Minimum of 2 years of direct service experience working with acute behavioral health or in an inpatient psychiatric hospital setting (internship or practicum hours may be considered)
• At least 1 years experience in recreational therapy roles
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm, composed, and effective in high-stress or crisis situations.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills across disciplines and departments.
• Proficiency in the use of computers and standard keyboard functions for data entry and electronic documentation
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to read, write, and communicate fluently in English
• Current CPR, BLS, and First Aid certification, or ability to obtain within 90 days of employment
• Prior experience using Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems for documentation and coordination of care
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Teams) and/or cloud-based communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom)
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, or other languages commonly spoken by the patient population
• Crisis prevention/intervention training (e.g., HWC, CPI, PMAB) or de-escalation certification
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care principles and culturally responsive practices

Physical & Mental Requirements

• Independent body mobility to frequently stand, walk long distance corridors, descend and the ability to bend, stoop and sit for a prolonged time.
• May require significant strength and alertness in a crisis to apply non-violent crisis intervention to containment techniques, or to provide CPR.
• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to safely assist with the physical management, lifting, or repositioning of adult patients, including those who may be physically resistive or assaultive, potentially weighing 100 pounds or more, in accordance with facility safety protocols and training.
• Manual dexterity to reach, grasp, manipulate small objects, and precision instruments to give injections, take pulse and blood pressure; manual dexterity to hand write or use computer keyboard; sufficient vision to read gauges, thermometers, calibrated measuring instruments, labels on medications, and a computer screen; hear and speak well enough to communicate with patients at normal conversation level in person and over the phone.
• May require fit testing for N95 respirator/facemask.
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm, composed, and effective in high-stress or crisis situations.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills across disciplines and departments Demonstrated sound professional judgment; clinical judgment where applicable to licensure/role.

Environmental Requirements

• Depending on assignment of position may be required to work in a locked unit with juveniles, formerly incarcerated, and individuals assigned to guardianship who have complex social, and psycho-social needs; may be assigned to evening or night shift, assigned to work weekends, and to work holidays as needed as Ocean View is a 24-hour, 7 day a week facility and coverage is essential; environment can be noisy and sporadically chaotic, and may be exposed to hostile patients and profanity.

Special Conditions

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of Live Scan fingerprinting, background check clearance, and verification of required licenses, certifications, and education
• Satisfactory completion of professional reference checks
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States; Ocean View does not provide visa sponsorship for certain roles unless otherwise specified
• Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), The Joint Commission, and HIPAA standards
• Compliance with all required health screenings and immunizations in accordance with regulatory guidelines and facility policy, which may include tuberculosis (TB) testing, N95 fit testing, annual trainings, and proof of vaccination for certain communicable diseases

Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility