Link Associates LogoLink Associates

Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

West Des Moines, IowaFull-time
$18 - $20 hourly
About the Job
POSITION SUMMARY: 
  • Responsible to instruct and coach persons served to promote independence in the development or maintenance of social/self-help/life skills and community integration through therapeutic recreation programming.  
  • Responsible to plan, organize, and implement therapeutic recreation activities.  
  • Assist with person’s served assessment, programs, community evaluation and program evaluation administration.
 
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
  • Plan, coordinate and facilitate in-house Therapeutic recreation day program activities, including attendance records, transportation and billing documentation to assure positive outcomes and goal achievement for persons supported.  
  • Plan, coordinate and facilitate community-based therapeutic recreation programs on a daily basis.  Process registrations, attendance records, and supervise therapeutic recreation programs to assure positive persons served outcomes and goal achievement for persons supported. 
  • Instruct, supervise, and assist persons served in the development of daily living skills (including but not limited to recreation/leisure, work, time and money management, good health, safety, and habit development) in accordance with their Life Plan.
  • Coordinate and provide transportation services. 
  • Assist in training day program direct support professionals to assist and facilitate established therapeutic recreation programs. 
  • Assist with the orientation, training, and scheduling of department employees, volunteers and interns.
  • Assist in evaluating therapeutic recreation programs.  Compile, record, and review therapeutic recreation evaluations. 
 
QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation or a related field required with a minimum of two (2) years related successful work experience preferred.  NCTRC certification or completion within six (6) months.  Exceptions must receive prior approval from the Executive Director. 
  • Must meet agency policy on transportation and background checks.
  • Possess ability to work on a daily basis utilizing standard office, home, and recreational equipment.
  • Proven proficient ability to implement agency rules and procedures, use verbal, presentation, and written communication skills, human relation skills, team working skills, and organizational skills.
  • Position will contain Medium physical work consisting of occasional 2-handlifting from floor to waist of up to fifty (50) pounds and occasional 2-hand push/pull of up to sixty (60) pounds of force. 
  • This position consists of frequent standing, walking and reaching.  
  • The position requires frequent forward bending or crouching or stooping. 
  • The employee will need to occasionally climb stairs without the use of railings and occasionally sit.
About Link Associates
Link Associates is a community based non-profit organization that provides services for more than 600 individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families since 1953. Services offered by more than 300 employees support a full integration into the greater Des Moines community.

Every person served by Link Associates has the primary diagnosis of intellectual disability and frequently other intellectual and physical conditions as well. Although other organizations serve people with intellectual disabilities, Link Associates provides a full range of services.

People with intellectual disabilities attend school, go to work, participate in leisure opportunities and shop along with the rest of the community. However, people with intellectual disabilities and their families face exceptional challenges in maintaining support,, especially when they become adults. Adults with intellectual disabilities are often overlooked as it is more difficult to appeal to public support when they physically change from children to adults.

Link Associates recognizes the unique services needs by offering residential, day habilitation, community employment, transportation, case management, and leisure services. When combined, these services meet the full spectrum of life-long needs as well as the needs of their family.