Temporary - Recreation Therapist - Adult Inpatient Mental Health

Who We Are

London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is a world-class academic health sciences centre located in the southwestern Ontario city of London. Just two hours from Toronto and two hours from Detroit, London features a beautiful and walkable downtown core located on the Thames River, a vibrant culinary scene and scores of activities that highlight local arts, culture and music.  As one of Canada's largest acute-care teaching hospitals, LHSC delivers world-class care and experiences, built on our commitment to excellence in research, innovation, and learning. In partnership with our communities, we design and advance healthcare to support the wellness of the populations we serve. LHSC delivers both local and regional services, including the Children's Hospital, within a large geographic area. LHSC is known for its great people and great care, with a workforce of close to 15,000, dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care while partnering with communities to transform health, one life at a time. 

Posting Period

Open:           February 6 2025 

Deadline:      February 12 2025  

Non-Union

Department Name

Adult Inpatient Mental Health 

Reporting to the Coordinator or Manager, the Recreation Therapist will enhance the development of, and attitude towards, life-long leisure skills; eliminate barriers to leisure and optimize the leisure involvement of patients in partnership with families, therapists, community groups and the multi-disciplinary team.

Following the Therapeutic Recreation Ontario's Scope of Practice, Therapeutic Recreation is a collaborative and purposeful process facilitated by trained professionals offering recreation and leisure assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation to achieve individual goals. The profession uses meaningful recreation and leisure education, counselling and experiences to promote, restore, rehabilitate, and/or maintain quality of life and well-being. Therapeutic Recreation supports the development of strengths while addressing social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cognitive needs.

Temporary Full-Time

Rate of Pay:                    $34.22 per hour - $42.78 per hour

Duration:                         up to September 2025 

Responsibilities

• Advanced ability to assess, plan and implement a personalized approach to service delivery within the guidelines of the Therapeutic Recreation Service Model in accordance with the TRO standards of practice
• Informs patients/caregivers on foundational skills and knowledge in the areas of recreation and leisure interests
• Identifies goals/barriers for achievement of these skills
• Develops individual and group programs/activities that promote social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cognitive needs
• Supports the development and maintenance of skills, co-operative peer interaction and readiness to participate in meaningful activities to minimize responsive behaviors/expressions of risk
• Sets realistic patient goals/objectives and implements appropriate patient focused intervention/care plans as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Provides additional training to the patient as needed or makes external referrals and community connections collaboratively with the patient and/or caregiver
• Creates, maintains and enhances working relationships with community providers, organizations and team members in order to promote additional patient opportunities within the community
• Develops an understanding of community recreation opportunities offered in London and the surrounding areas
• Maintains group supplies and equipment to facilitate group programming
• Contributes to community groups, meetings, and initiatives
• Consults with community leisure and recreation providers on an individual and group basis to promote healthy, meaningful recovery
• Assists with access to activities, assists team members, and the community to improve quality of opportunities provided to patients and their families with a focus on community integration
• Liaises closely with the interdisciplinary care team and the patient/caregiver to collaboratively identify the patient's needs and abilities
• Maintains accurate client records and standardized assessments (regular documentation, data bases, group notes, progress notes, discharge summaries, and transitional notes)
• Attends program rounds and clinical meetings
• Supervises and evaluates student placements
• Provides in-service training to staff, family, community partners/agencies and volunteers
• Presents at relevant conferences
• Develops and adheres to own professional standards

Qualifications

• College Diploma in Recreation Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation
• Registered Member of Therapeutic Recreation Ontario (TRO)
• Membership in Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA) preferred 
• Minimum two years recent, related experience working with individuals with mental illness and addictions in an outpatient, inpatient, and/or residential environment 
• Advanced ability to assess, plan and implement a personalized approach to service delivery within the guidelines of the Therapeutic Recreation Service Model in accordance with TRO standards of practice
• Proven knowledge of and ability to formally evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic recreation program using validated tools
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Advanced ability to advocate for and to facilitate self-advocacy with clients 
• Strong knowledge of community resources
• Highly developed in critical thinking and crisis intervention practices
• Knowledge of and ability to formally evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic recreation program using validated tools
• Proficient ability to conduct training sessions, educational opportunities, and conduct research regarding therapeutic recreation
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, and relevant data bases
• Advanced ability to handle stress and multiple tasks
• Certification in Gentle Persuasion Approach, PIECES, and Montessori preferred
• Experience working with different types of dementia and mental health
• Effective time management and organizational skills and ability to be flexible & adaptable to change
• Valid Ontario driver?s license, use of a vehicle, and ability to meet requirements of Use of Personal Vehicle for Hospital Business Policy
• Demonstrated practice and commitment to the principles of patient and family centered care
• Demonstrated practice and commitment to patient and staff safety at LHSC
• Demonstrated practice and commitment to LHSC?s vision, purpose and values
• Demonstrated ability to attend work on a regular basis

Teaching, Learning and Research 

London Health Sciences Centre is proudly one of Canada's largest acute-care teaching and research hospitals. LHSC has an unwavering commitment to lifelong learning, with education agreements in collaboration with over 55 schools, hospitals, and community agencies from across Ontario, Canada and internationally; among our many education partners, our three regional partners are Western University, Fanshawe College, and Thames Valley District School Board. LHSC provides students with a place that they can learn and discover knowledge and skills to take them forward in their careers as health care professionals. Approximately 2,900 Nursing, Health and other students ranging from secondary school to university graduate level programs receive training at LHSC every year. As an employee of LHSC, you will be expected to engage in role-related teaching, professional development, and research activities in addition to standard position duties and responsibilities. 

Immunization Requirements:

Before beginning employment at LHSC, all new hires must provide documentation related to LHSC?s Health Review requirements. For more information and a detailed list of requirements, please visit Health Review Requirements | LHSC. 

We are committed to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive work environment that inspires respect.  LHSC is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from equity-denied groups including Indigenous people, racialized people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. LHSC is also committed to ensuring an accessible and inclusive recruitment process.  Upon individual request, we will endeavor to remove any barrier to the hiring process to reasonably accommodate candidates, including those with disabilities, while maintaining a fair, consistent and equitable recruitment approach.  Should any applicant require accommodation through the application, interview or selection processes, please contact Recruitment Services at 519-685-8500, extension #34321 or recruitment@lhsc.on.ca .

As part of the selection process applicants may be required to complete an examination or test. Please be advised that a reference check may be conducted as part of the selection process.

Your interest in this opportunity is appreciated. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Successful candidates, as a condition of job offer, would be required to provide a satisfactory police information check (original document) completed in the last 6 months.

Please be advised, if you are seeking employment on a temporary work or study permit we recommend reviewing work permit restrictions as it applies to healthcare organizations in Canada. As per the Government of Canada, LHSC is considered a hospital/healthcare organization, even if an employee is functioning in a non-patient facing role. Individuals on a work or study permit seeking employment in this sector may be required to complete additional steps in the process, including but not limited to a medical exam, which may also apply to employees looking to renew their work permits. It is the employee?s accountability to ensure they are adhering to their specific work permit restrictions, and we encourage all candidates and LHSC employees to be proactive and review restrictions as soon as possible as it could be a lengthy process.