Art Therapist - Children's Behavioral Health Center

General Description: The position will provide direct services for patients and families by using art as a tool to help them attain and maintain their maximum levels of functioning and coping in the area of physical, cognitive, communication and social/emotional health. Program planning will be designed to reduce stress, increase adaptive coping, provide normalization, promote social interaction and support developmental integrity through play experiences in a safe environment.

Essential Responsibilities:

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Will assess and prioritize patient needs through referrals and patient review process.
• Identify interventions based on patient assessment, match techniques to developmental, emotional, physical and social needs of patients and families.
• Provide art, through a multitude of modalities, interventions designed to meet patients' physical or psychological needs, such as art expression, painting, drawing, etc.
• Inform and educate patients and families on the use of art therapy techniques to support health coping and normal growth and development.
• Involve family members in art therapy services per assessments including teaching skills and resources for transition to home.
• Implement and document patient care plans; communicate plans and outcomes to others.
• Provide art therapy programming to complement work in meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of patients and families.
• Provide individual and group sessions to fulfill therapeutic objectives, including but not limited to: anxiety reduction, pain management, developmental stimulation, alternative means of expression/communication, positive coping techniques, procedural support, quality of life and family/patient support.
• Identify and educate appropriate art resources for each patient and family
• Participate in interdisciplinary team planning and co-treating
• Monitor patient progress and remain adaptive in plan of care
• Incorporate art therapy in development of patient's self-awareness and expression, coping skills, sense of well-being and social behavior
• Provide educational in-services for patients and families as well as staff members
• Coordinate, train and supervise students and volunteers related to art therapy

General Responsibilities:

• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree in Art Therapy, Art Therapy/Counseling, or Art Education with Concentration in Counseling

Experience: Completion of a supervised art therapy internship of at least 600 hours

License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required: Registered Art Therapist (ATR) required within first year of employment. Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Must have knowledge of the theories of art therapy, family systems, cultural awareness and human growth and development.
• Must have effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with an interdisciplinary team.
• Skill in the supervision of students and volunteers.
• Must have good interpersonal skills to develop effective working relationships and to deal with difficult family/individual dynamics.
• Knowledge of performance improvement tools and how to monitor an ongoing process.
• Skill in planning programs and analyzing the problems that arise.
• Good presentation skills for representing the department to internal and external audiences.
• Computer skills and a general knowledge of office procedures.