Eastern State Hospital is looking to hire an Occupational Therapist to evaluate and treat hospitalized forensic patients. As an integrated part of the treatment team in the Forensic Services Unit, you’ll assess clients, create treatment plans, and work with a multidisciplinary team to help patients meet their treatment goals. This job is a great opportunity to grow your career and make a difference in people’s lives!
 
The work schedule is day shift, with weekends off, and options for flexible schedules!
 
Opportunities performed on-site at this work location at least three days a week may be eligible for an additional 5% premium pay in addition to the advertised salary.
 
Perks that make each day rewarding:

• Time and autonomy for developing approaches to treatment and patient care
• Collaboration with our dedicated therapy team and a variety of other medical professionals creates an environment for teaching, continuous growth, and professional development
• We encourage you to be creative and innovative in developing course content as well as with intervention strategies
• The rapport and treatment that you’ll build with our patients are long-term, impactful, and meaningful. You’ll quickly appreciate the sense of community and the interaction you have with staff and patients
• Our retirement plans and benefits are ideal for a long-term career and support a healthy work-life balance

 
Some of what you’ll do

• Creatively develop occupation-based group interventions applicable to clients’ needs and institutional goals.
• Evaluate and assess patients to determine their current level of occupational performance.
• Determine rehabilitation potential, evaluate clients’ needs, and plan treatment programs.
• Develop treatment goals, objectives, and interventions appropriate to age, abilities, and projected occupational roles.
• Collaborate with patients, treatment teams, and other practitioners in the establishment of a treatment plan.
• Consult with others concerning patient strengths, needs, and functional levels.
• Implement treatment, modify as needed, and provide follow-up.
• Instruct and direct Certified OT Assistants on clinical issues.
• Document patient response to interventions.
• Communicate with patients, staff, significant others, and community members.

 
We are looking for someone who has:

• Graduated from an accredited Occupational Therapy program.
• Successfully completed the National Board Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination.
• A Washington state OT license.
• And 18 months of professional occupational therapy experience.

 
Desired

• Experience with persons diagnosed with chronic and/or acute mental illness and polysubstance use
• Ability to work with difficult patients, de-escalate patients in crisis, and remain professional in volatile situations
• Knowledge and experience implementing mental illness recovery principles

 
Our Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) mission to Transform Lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s mission that you bring an equity, anti-racism, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to create greater access and affirming representation of the communities we serve, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

If you have questions about the application process, email Anthony Distefano, Recruiter, at distear@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number 13232