Recreation Therapist – Mental Health Outpatient Acute Day Treatment

Grow Your Career at Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) At BCHS, we are driven by a bold vision: To Lead Beyond Care. As a two-site community hospital system in Brantford and Paris, Ontario, we serve with purpose, passion, and a deep commitment to the people who rely on us. Brantford General Hospital – Our acute care hospital offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services. The Willett in Paris – Home to our urgent care centre and transitional care services, supporting patients through every step of their healthcare journey. With Over 130 Years Of Service, BCHS Is Evolving With a Renewed Focus On Excellence, Collaboration, And Innovation. Our Strategic Priorities Center On Quality Care, Connected Teams, And a Healthy Future For Our Patients, Our People, And Our Community. Our Culture Is Shaped By Our Core Values And Pillars Core Values: Be Bold and Courageous | Commit to Excellence | Champion Equity | Be Trustworthy Four Pillars: Patient-First | People-Centred | Partnership-Based | Progress-Focused These values reflect who we are, what we stand for, and how we work together to have influence. Join us in shaping the future of healthcare—right here at BCHS. Why Choose BCHS? Investing in You – Access to a centralized Education Fund, tuition support, and professional development opportunities. Flexible Scheduling – Within a standard work week Career Growth – Internal job postings, mentorship programs, and leadership development. Predictable Work Locations – Stability and consistency in your work environment. Collaborative Team Culture – Work alongside skilled professionals in a supportive, interdisciplinary setting. Employee Wellness Matters – Peer Support Team, Wellness Committee, Free, confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their families. Commitment to Safety – Comprehensive safety programs for all Competitive Compensation and Benefits –– Salaries and benefits designed to align with industry standards, reinforcing our commitment to attracting and retaining top talent. Excellent Pension Plan. Diversity & Inclusion – We are actively working to diversify our teams and remove systemic barriers in hiring, retention, and advancement. We track and report on our progress because representation matters. We regularly review our benefits, policies, and programs through an equity lens to meet the needs of our diverse teams. Provide accommodations for religious practices and use trauma-informed policies that support mental wellbeing. Recognition & Rewards – Employee appreciation programs and professional recognition opportunities and Corporate Committee Community Impact – Make a real difference in patient care and public health every day. Choose Civility – Where every interaction matters. Civility and respect shape our workplace, as individuals treat one another—and the communities we serve with dignity, empathy, and cultural awareness. We foster a culture of civility by raising awareness, setting clear expectations, and continually reviewing our policies and practices to ensure respect is at the core of everything we do. Position Summary As a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team, the Recreation Therapist – Mental Health in the mental health and addictions outpatient team will identify patient-centered goals that lead to outcomes that are meaningful and relevant to the patient and their family, supports and community. Provide personalized goals-focused and leisure counselling; develop group and/or individualized programs. Assume a therapeutic role in the motivation, coaching, supervision and instruction of patients in treatment interventions and provide the opportunity for leisure skill development in a safe context to experience new behaviors. Primary Responsibilities Facilitate and co-facilitate psycho-educational and experiential groups Performs comprehensive assessments of patients to determine specific leisure needs Develops patient centered treatment goals based on assessment findings Collaborates with the interdisciplinary care team to facilitate the achievement of overall goals set for the patient Collaborates with the inter professional care team in clinical discussions related to patient outcomes and assists to identify resources required to transition the patient to their next level of care. Plans, implements and facilitates appropriate leisure programs Supports patients and families to link with community resources on discharge Participates and provides leadership for specific unit activities such as rounding and huddles. Document treatment and ongoing progress on patient, according to Recreation Therapy, Program and Hospital standards Demonstrates leadership skills while engaging with the inter professional care team to ensure patients are prioritized according to recreation therapy needs Professional accountability to TROs standards of practice Qualifications Minimum 2 years current Recreation Therapist experience in a hospital setting is preferred Degree in Recreation Therapy with an experience in mental health and addiction populations and/or a Certificate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Membership eligibility in Therapeutic Recreation Ontario Registered (R/TRO) and/or Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA) Excellent assessment, communication, time management and organizational skills Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. Demonstrated ability in working with a variety of patient populations within a hospital setting. Demonstrated principles of safe patient handling Reliable individual with excellent attendance record and able to work all shifts Mandatory Competencies Safety (patient, worker & workplace) is a BCHS Corporate Priority. The successful applicant will demonstrate good stewardship in the identification, reporting and mitigation of unsafe acts or conditions. Accommodation The Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace. We welcome applications from women, Indigenous persons, members of racialized groups, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of all sexual orientation and persons of any gender identity or gender expression. Brant Community Healthcare System is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request. To ensure there is equal opportunity during the recruitment and selection process, please contact your Recruiter to discuss accommodation.

The role involves performing comprehensive assessments to develop patient-centered leisure goals and facilitating psycho-educational and experiential groups. The therapist collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to implement treatment interventions and support patients in transitioning to community resources.

Candidates should hold a degree in Recreation Therapy and be eligible for membership with TRO or CTRA, preferably with two years of hospital experience. Certification in CBT and DBT and experience with mental health and addiction populations are highly desired.

• Education Fund • Tuition Support • Professional Development • Flexible Scheduling • Mentorship Programs • Leadership Development • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Pension Plan • Employee Appreciation Programs

• Time managementPreferred
• Group FacilitationPreferred
• interdisciplinary collaborationPreferred
• interpersonal communicationPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Recreation Therapy
• Mental Health Assessment
• Leisure Counselling
• Group Facilitation
• Psycho-educational Programming
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
• Patient-Centered Care
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Case Documentation
• Time Management
• Organizational Skills
• Interpersonal Communication
• Safe Patient Handling
• Clinical Assessment
• Community Resource Linking

• Healthcare
• Sports & Recreation
• Social Services

Minimum education

Professional degree

Minimum experience

2+ years

Apply by

Sep 26, 2026

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week

Seniority

Entry level