State of Maryland

A Therapeutic Recreator I is the intermediate level of work assessing, planning, implementing and performing therapeutic recreation in the treatment of mentally ill, aged, physically ill, or physically disabled patients or developmentally disabled clients in State treatment facilities or community-based programs.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.              

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Therapeutic Recreator Supervisor, Director of Activity Therapy or other healthcare professional.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease.  Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent aggressive behavior.  The work may require lifting and positioning of non-ambulatory patients/clients and lifting wheelchairs and other heavy equipment.  The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.  Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night, or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends.  Employees are subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.            

The Therapeutic Recreator I and the Therapeutic Recreator II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Therapeutic Recreator I performs duties under close supervision at times and with general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Therapeutic Recreator II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Conducts and leads group and individual therapeutic recreation activities and leisure education programs in the treatment of mentally ill, aged, physically ill, or physically disabled patients or developmentally disabled clients;

Plans, designs, implements, and evaluates therapeutic recreation programs in accordance with patients’/clients’ needs, capabilities and interests;

Observes and documents patient/client behavior when performing recreation therapy activities in order to record progression or regression in treatment;

Assesses patient/client needs and capabilities using therapeutic recreation techniques in order to place patients/clients in the appropriate existing therapeutic recreation group program or determine the type of individual program needed;

Prepares and maintains documentation of patient/client progress;

Participates in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings by providing input into treatment plans and discharge planning;

Orders and maintains necessary supplies and equipment;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of therapeutic recreation theory and practice, leisure education and psychology;

Knowledge of the limitations, capabilities and problems common to mentally ill, aged, physically ill, physically disabled patients and developmentally disabled clients;

Skill in carrying out recreational activities and applying recreation therapy techniques;

Ability to assess behavior, aptitude and performance of patients/clients;

Ability to determine and develop an effective treatment plan in recreation therapy for patients/clients;

Ability to motivate patients/clients;

Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with patients, clients, supervisors and staff;

Ability to communicate effectively with employees, volunteers, supervisors, patients, clients and the general public.

Education:    A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in therapeutic recreation or recreation with a major in therapeutic recreation from an accredited college or university.

Experience: None.

Notes:

1. Current certification as a Therapeutic Recreator from the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification may be substituted for the education requirements.

2. Experience as a professional therapeutic recreator, under the supervision of a licensed Occupational Therapist, licensed Physical Therapist or certified Activity Therapist, which included the responsibility for clients’ assessments and the planning, implementation and evaluation of clients’ recreation therapy treatment in a mental health or developmental disability setting may be substituted for the education requirement on a year for year basis. Experience assisting in these responsibilities will not be accepted as qualifying experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Physical Therapy classifications or Physical Therapist and Medical Specialists specialty codes in the therapeutic field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland

2. Employees in some positions in this classification may be required to operate vehicles which require a specific motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and maintain current certification.

4. Employees in this classification at facilities with a swimming pool may be required to obtain Red Cross instruction and certification in Life Saving and Water Safety prior to appointment.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit E, Health Care Professional classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.  

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In       order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of  supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.