Rehabilitation Therapist, State Facilities (Various Specialties) Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established May 31, 1972

Scope

This specification describes classes used in the Department of Developmental Services, the Department of Mental Health, or in the Department of Veterans Affairs. These classes provide rehabilitative programs and services through appropriate patient/resident assessment, treatment, service planning, therapeutic activities, discharge planning, and community reintegration by using the principles and practices of these disciplines to develop, maintain or restore physical, emotional, and social competencies. Specific classes have been established for the following specialties:

Art Dance Music Occupational Recreation

Job Description

Persons in these specialty classes apply therapeutic habilitation/rehabilitation knowledge, skills enhancement activities, and techniques to the problems of mental, physical, or developmental disabilities found in children, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics; assess individual needs and interests, determine appropriate habilitative/rehabilitative objectives, and develop activities to meet these objectives; conduct various forms of group and individual therapy; evaluate and document patient/resident response and progress; may work with other members of the interdisciplinary team to reinforce other treatment modalities; may participate in interdisciplinary team conferences regarding the habilitative/rehabilitative needs of patients/residents; may work with volunteers and student interns in rehabilitative therapy.

While all Rehabilitation Therapists will be involved in a wide range of habilitative and rehabilitative services, assignments will, to the greatest extent possible, be to positions requiring training and experience in a specific discipline such as:

Art

Uses the art process and product as reflections of an individual's developments, abilities, personality, concerns, and potential; provides a range of services, assessment, and treatment using specialized art therapy techniques. Art therapy is a service performed with individuals, groups, or families for the purpose of achieving more adequate, satisfying, and productive life adjustments.

Dance

Uses body movement and dance as the process in therapeutic intervention, specifically directed toward gaining insight into problematic behavior and toward expanding an individual's freedom of movement, flexibility, and coordination; provides opportunity for expression and communication of feelings, needs, and conflicts; facilitates positive change in body image.

Music

Uses music media and activities to provide a nonthreatening self-motivating experience to assist an individual in relating to the immediate environment, the self, and the community; provides an atmosphere compatible to behavioral change, self-expression, and nonverbal and verbal communications.

Occupational

Uses various treatment modalities including self-help skills, language and educational techniques as well as sensory motor integration, physical restoration methods, and prevocational explorations to facilitate physical and psychosocial growth and development.

Recreation

Uses self-motivating, recreational activities to improve functioning and independence as well as to reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability and to restore, remediate, or rehabilitate motor skills, social skills, sensory functioning, and acceptable social behavior; and provides resident recreation and leisure counseling to enable the patient/resident to appropriately manage his/her leisure lifestyle.

Minimum Qualifications

All Therapists:

Completion of an approved clinical internship in the appropriate rehabilitation specialty in an approved hospital or rehabilitation center affiliated with the college.

(Individuals who are registered or certified with the appropriate therapy association but who have not completed a clinical internship because it was not a component of the academic program at the time are required to have completed a minimum of two years' full-time paid experience in a clinical, residential, or community-based setting after receipt of the required degree to be admitted into the exam.)

Art

Possession of a Master's Degree in Art Therapy or in Art with emphasis in Art Therapy, or registration with the American Art Therapy Association, or eligibility for such registration.

Dance

Possession of a Master's Degree in Dance Therapy, or registration with the American Dance Therapy Association, or eligibility for such registration.

Music

Equivalent to graduation from a recognized college with major work in music therapy, or registration with the American Music Therapy Association, or eligibility for such registration.

Occupational

Equivalent to graduation from a recognized college with major work in occupational therapy, or certification as an occupational therapist registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association, or eligibility for such certification.

Recreation

Equivalent to graduation from a recognized college with major work in therapeutic recreation, or in recreation with an emphasis in therapeutic recreation, or certification as a registered recreator with specialization in therapeutic recreation by the California Board of Park and Recreation personnel, or the National Therapeutic Recreation Society, or eligibility for such certification. (Registration as a senior in a recognized institution will admit applicants into the exam, but they must produce evidence of graduation or its equivalent before being considered eligible for appointment.)

Knowledge and Abilities

All Therapists:

Knowledge of: (With particular reference to their therapeutic specialty) the principles, procedures, techniques, trends, and literature of rehabilitation services, especially those relating to mental, physical, developmental, or geriatric disabilities; the process of restoration, maintenance, and development of capabilities; principles of mental health education; scope and activities of private and public health and welfare agencies; characteristics of mental, emotional, physical, and developmental disorders; current trends in mental health, public health, and public welfare; Federal and State programs in these fields.

Ability to: Utilize and effectively apply required technical knowledge; establish and maintain the confidence and cooperation of persons contacted in the work; secure accurate clinical data and record such data systematically; compose clear, accurate, and concise reports; interpret statistical data; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; communicate effectively.

Special Requirements

All Therapists:

Objective and sympathetic understanding of the mentally, physically, developmentally, or geriatric disabled; tolerance; tact; and emotional stability.

Drug Testing Requirement

All Therapists:

Applicants for positions in these classes are required to pass a drug-screening test. Testing of current employees who are applicants in an examination or who are transferring is permitted only if the person does not have a current appointment to a class for which drug testing is a requirement.

Class History