Job Description

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

Outposted Therapeutic Housing Units Program (OTxHU)

Since 2016, Correctional Health Services (CHS) has been the direct provider of health care in the New York City jails. Deeply committed to human dignity and patient rights, CHS is part of the NYC Health + Hospitals system and is a key partner in the City’s efforts to reform the criminal-legal system. Our in-jail clinical services include medical, nursing, and mental health care; pharmacy services; substance-use treatment; social work; dental and vision care; discharge planning; and reentry support.

Given the high visibility of this initiative, we are seeking the highest caliber health care professionals in key clinical services to staff our Outposted Therapeutic Housing Units (OTxHU). To be located in three NYC Health + Hospital acute care facilities, the OTxHU is a pioneering approach to safely increasing access to high quality clinical care for patients in custody who have complicated health conditions. OTxHUs will bridge the gap in the continuum between care provided in the jails and inpatient hospitalization, with admission to and discharge from the OTxHU in accordance with a patient’s clinical needs. CHS will be the primary health care providers on these units and the NYC Department of Correction will provide security and custody management.

The OTxHU at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in Manhattan will be the first of this unique, groundbreaking project to open with a planned completion date as early as the end of 2024. This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a passionate and motivated team providing care to some of the City’s most marginalized, vulnerable people.

*To help support continuity of operations and care, staff selected to work in the OTxHU may also be required to work in CHS locations within the jails. Additionally, while CHS seeks the most qualified individuals for these positions, preference will be given to equally qualified, internal candidates.

Position Overview:

Under general supervision of the Creative Arts Therapist Supervisor and the Director of Creative Arts Therapy, the Art Therapy Coordinator will implement therapeutic interventions for patients utilizing art, music, drama, dance, and poetry as a modality to facilitate patients’ attainment of goals articulated in the patient treatment plans. They will work to establish and implement comprehensive therapeutic group and individual programs utilizing principles and practices of creative arts therapy. They will conduct individual assessments of patients’ strengths and weakness to evaluate their social, cognitive, psychological, and physical functioning through the creative arts process. They will develop goals and objectives for patients based on initial and ongoing assessments designed to improve functioning through techniques unique to the creative arts therapy discipline. They will participate as an active member of the interdisciplinary team by attending meetings and contributing to the formation of individual comprehensive treatment plans. They will write regular progress notes on patients’ behaviors and responses to treatment goals and will maintain records, statistical information, and participate in departmental and facility-wide quality assurance performance improvement activities. They will prepare supply requisitions and maintain inventories of equipment and supplies as designated. They may be assigned to coordinate and supervise the activities of auxiliary staff in related therapeutic activities and to instruct and supervise volunteers, interns, and students, as well as to perform other activities as assigned by their supervisor, the Director of Creative Arts Therapy, the Chief of Mental Health, or their designees.

This class of positions encompasses professional and/or supervisory work of varying degrees of difficulty in the operation of a creative arts therapy department providing therapeutic services through the utilization of various modalities, principles and techniques specific to the creative arts therapy discipline.

Under direction, with a broad latitude for independent judgment and decision making, performs difficult and responsible professional work in creative arts therapy discipline. In addition to performing duties of Assignment Level I at a higher level, also performs the following typical tasks:

Responsibilities Include:

1. Serves as a professional resource to Creative Arts Therapists in the development and implementation of specialized treatment interventions utilizing non-verbal, diagnostic and expressive techniques.
2. Provides consultation for complex cases in the evaluation of social, cognitive, psychological and physical functioning through the creative arts therapy process.
3. Monitors, documents, and evaluates the attainment of creative arts therapy goals as part of the therapeutic process.
4. May represent the department at conferences, workshops, hospital or community functions; reports actions and findings to the department.
5. May develop and conduct departmental training programs to introduce new developments and techniques within the creative arts therapy discipline.
6. May be assigned to function as a primary therapist, as long as practicing within the boundaries of professional competency, as specified in the New York State Education Law, Article 163, Section 8407.
7. Performs other duties as assigned by their supervisor, the Director of Creative Arts Therapy, the Chief of Mental Health, or their designees.

Departmental Preferences:

1. Demonstrated history of clinical excellence and expertise in Creative Arts Therapy
2. Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with other disciplines, including DOC staff
3. Strong leadership skills
4. Experience working with patients who suffer from psychotic disorders, mood disorders, intellectual disorders, trauma disorders, and personality disorders.
5. Past experience working with patients in an inpatient treatment setting.
6. Flexible disposition

Qualification Requirements:

1. A valid License issued by the New York State Education Department to practice as a Creative Arts Therapist; and

2. Two years of full-time, paid, professional experience in creative arts therapy.

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