Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2 (21 Hour)

If you are you interested in a career that you are passionate about and receive personal fulfillment while making a difference, the Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center is looking for you to be a part of their team!  

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families' (DCF) is hiring a talented and motivated Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 2.  

What We Can Offer You:

• To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule;
• Industry leading health benefits, including medical and dental coverage;
• Comprehensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
• Paid time off including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
• A culture that encourages work/life balance;
• Professional growth and development opportunities.    

*Benefit offerings will vary with part-time positions.     

Position Highlights:

• Part time
• 21 hours per week
• 2nd shift
• Friday, Saturday, Tuesday
• 12:00pm - 7:30pm
• Location: Albert J. Solnit South Campus, 915 River Road, Middletown, CT - Hospital: Passiac Unit.  

The Role:

Job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Works in a variety of rehabilitation services;
• Implements rehabilitation activities including but not limited to life skills and recreational groups; range of motion and exercise programs and recreational outings and activities;
• Participates in interdisciplinary treatment teams.   

About Us:

The Department of Children and Families' (DCF) mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter.  

The Albert J. Solnit Children's Center – South Campus is widely recognized as a center of excellence for family-centered treatment of children and youth with serious emotional disturbances. This state-administered Psychiatric facility provides comprehensive care to children and adolescents under the age of eighteen, with severe mental illness and related behavioral and emotional problems who cannot be safely assessed or treated in a less restrictive setting. The South Campus consists of four co-ed hospital units and three female adolescent Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility cottages (PRTF).  

Our 67-acre campus is centrally located in Middletown, Connecticut overlooking idyllic views of the Connecticut River. The Solnit Center facilities support our dedication to helping youth improve their individual and social competencies. The campus includes: two schools, an indoor pool, playgrounds, a ball field, two gyms, recreation rooms, 4 hospital units, and 3 inpatient psychiatric residential units, and an outdoor picnic area.  

We hope you take this opportunity to join our team and make a difference!

These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.  

This position may be subject to Federal requirements for COVID 19 Vaccination Immunization.  

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening and must specify their qualifications on their application. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 

Please note you will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.   

Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. 

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.  

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

In a state health care facility or community based health care program, at a paraprofessional level, this class is accountable for implementing and providing feedback regarding patient/individual progress in support of treatment plans designed by a professional therapist to improve or correct disorders in the intellectual, emotional or motor status of the individuals.

Works in a variety of rehabilitation services; implements rehabilitation activities including but not limited to life skills and recreational groups; range of motion and exercise programs and recreational outings and activities; assists in planning rehabilitation activities and programs to improve or correct individual disorders; participates in interdisciplinary treatment teams; under the direction of a professional therapist, provides assistance and support to direct care and day services staff in program implementation and proper use of therapy equipment; assumes some responsibility for training new employees and students; observes, reports and charts individual behavior or response; prepares records and reports; cleans areas and maintains equipment and supplies; conducts minor repairs on adaptive equipment; in consultation with a professional therapist may modify, design and fabricate customized adaptive equipment; may prepare treatment plans and screen individuals under supervision of a professional therapist; may transport and escort individuals off grounds; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of rehabilitation principles and practices; knowledge of physical and psychosocial disorders and their relationship to therapeutic techniques; knowledge of individual and group dynamics; knowledge of therapy equipment and supplies including proper care and maintenance; considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to encourage, instruct and work effectively with individuals; ability in one or more art forms or crafts applicable to therapy program; ability to carry out instructions; ability to observe, report and chart individual behavior or response; ability to discern program results ability to utilize computer software.

Three (3) years of experience working with individuals exhibiting intellectual, emotional, or motor status disorders.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been as a Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 1 or its equivalent.

1. An Associate's Degree in a recognized therapeutic discipline may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.
   
2. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience. In this case the Special Requirement must still be met.

• Experience working with adolescents with complex psychiatric profiles.  
• Experience working in behavioral health.  
• Experience providing recreational interventions in a group and individual setting.  
• Experience as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team.

1. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and maintain a current certification as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI), Red Cross Advanced Life Saving, Red Cross Life Guard and/or in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to be certified in accordance with Department of Developmental Services regulations for the administration of medication by certified unlicensed personnel.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual or fluent in American Sign Language.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
5. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals and may have some exposure to moderately disagreeable conditions, infectious and/or communicable diseases and risk of injury from assaultive and/or abusive individuals.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.