Supervising Therapist

THIS IS A NEW, OPEN, ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended. Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing (Tuesday, September 1, 2015). Postmarks are not accepted. Applications will only be accepted online.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing (Tuesday, September 1, 2015). Applications will only be accepted on-line. Postmarks are not accepted. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

ABOUT THE COUNTY:
Alameda County Public Health Department has worked for over 50 years to improve the health and safety of its residents and the neighborhoods they live in. Traditional public health concerns such as disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and access to health care have been joined by contemporary concerns: bioterrorism crime, violence, and substance abuse. Each of these poses a threat to public health and wellness and each calls for short and long term solutions that lie well outside traditional public health boundaries.

OUR MISSION:
The mission of the Alameda County Public Health Department is to work in partnership with the community to ensure the optimal health and well being of all people through a dynamic and responsive process respecting the diversity of the community and challenging us to provide for present and future generations.

CORE FUNCTIONS:
Supervision: Plans, organizes, directs and reviews the work of Occupational and Physical Therapists at the Medical Therapy Unit.
Training: Instructs therapists in technical procedures and demonstrates therapy techniques; conducts educational meetings to discuss problems, procedures, and new techniques in the field.
Collaboration: Collaborates and coordinates the offering of services with both internal team members and external community providers and agencies.
Consultation: Works with individual therapists in evaluating patients’ disabilities, planning treatment programs, re-evaluating patients’ conditions and progress to determine effectiveness of the program, and adopting or changing individual treatment as required.

ABOUT THE DIVISION:
Family Health Services Division provides preventive interventions, access to health care services and advocacy in order to promote optimal health outcomes for families in Alameda County throughout the life course. The Supervising Therapist is primarily assigned to the following program: California Children Services (CCS). This position is responsible for directing an occupational and physical therapy program in Medical Therapy Units located at public school Sites. The Supervising Therapist reports to the Assistant Chief Therapist of California Children’s Services.

THE POSITION:
The Supervising Therapist will be responsible for the planning, organizing, and directing the work of pediatric occupational and physical therapists; to develop and evaluate therapy treatment techniques; to stimulate the professional development of staff therapists; to handle administrative details and coordinate therapy programs; and do related work as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a successful track record as a skilled occupational or physical therapist with knowledge of California Children’s Services Regulations, policies and guidelines; have demonstrated leadership through past experience with special projects, community groups, clinical preceptor ships; and, have excellent communication and mentoring skills and ability to work with a diverse staff and client population. This candidate will also be a proactive self motivated and committed individual who can work in a busy clinical setting and consistently meet deadlines.

Critical attributes to the success of the Supervising Therapist include:
-A collaborator who maintains and cultivates successful working relationships with a multitude of internal and external health care providers.
-A leader with exceptional interpersonal verbal and written communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to present information to a variety of groups.
-A motivated and resourceful team player, who pays close attention to detail.
-A self-directed problem-solver with high standards for quality and a strong commitment to public service.
-Leverages automated systems and technology to achieve efficiencies and improve program performance.
-Consistently manages time and resources to appropriately prioritize and complete goals and assignments.
-Be an effective problem solver with good judgment capable of thinking logically, taking initiative and reacting calmly under pressure in order to arrive at sound conclusions.
-Take personal satisfaction and pride contributing as a valued first-line supervisor planning and organizing work for a multi-disciplinary team of therapists providing direct client focused services in a Medical Therapy Unit.
-Be well prepared to advance into a role as a supportive supervisor capable of training, coaching, counseling and managing staff in order to optimize individual performance.
-Be respected as an expert therapist who understands the relationships among assessments, therapy, and patient responses and is able to adeptly provide staff consultation in the management of patients

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Plans, organizes, directs and reviews the work of occupational and physical therapists at the Medical Therapy Unit; participates in the selection of therapists and assigns, reviews, and evaluates their work.

2. Instructs therapists in technical procedures and demonstrates therapy techniques; conducts educational meetings to discuss problems, procedures, and new techniques in the field, as well as staff meetings for consultation, interpretation of policy, and planning staff activity.

3. Consults and works with individual therapists in evaluating patients’ disabilities, planning treatment programs, re-evaluating patients' condition and progress to determine effectiveness of the program, and adapting or changing individual treatment as required.

4. Works with local school administrators to coordinate therapy with other programs in a given location; works cooperatively with other service units which may be assisting the client.

5. Arranges for the participation of therapists in CCS Medical Therapy Conferences (MTC’s); oversees the physical arrangements, sending of notices, and other functions involved; interprets the therapy program and policies to patients, participating physicians, officials, and other persons concerned.

6. Reviews reports and records of therapists supervised; keeps records of operation, including workload, as well as supplies and equipment used; requisitions supplies as needed and prepares reports, including estimates of annual budgetary needs and justifications for requests.

7. Keeps informed of current trends and professional activity in the types of therapy under supervision; visits facilities of other agencies; reads professional literature; attends and addresses community meetings; and participates in the activity of professional associations.

8. Ensures staff compliance with effective time utilization and scheduling of clients.

9. Ensures staff compliance with timely recording of therapy services.

10. Oversees the site training program for student therapy interns.

11. Orients and trains volunteers; assigns duties and maintains records of volunteer hours and assignments.

PATTERN I
Experience:
The equivalent of three years of full-time supervised experience as an Occupational Therapist in an institutional or clinical setting, of which one year must have been in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy or other neuro-muscular or musculoskeletal conditions.

And

License:
Licensure as an Occupational Therapist, or possession of a limited permit as an Occupational Therapist issued by the California Board of Occupational Therapy.

Or PATTERN II
Experience:
The equivalent of three years of full-time supervised experience as a Physical Therapist in an institutional or clinical setting, of which the equivalent of one year must have been in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy or other neuro-muscular or musculoskeletal conditions.

And
License:
Licensure as a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist License Applicant with the Physical Therapy Board of California.


NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Principles, methods, equipment and the basic theory of physical rehabilitation involved in the modern practice of occupational therapy and physical therapy, especially as applied to children, with cerebral palsy and other physical disabilities.

• Anatomy and physiology of the skeletal, muscular, neural and other structures, and the pathologies and injuries which result in physical disabilities, and the equipment and methods used to evaluate and treat these conditions.

• Principles of psychology and abnormal psychology, especially as they related to the application of occupational and physical therapy in an outpatient rehabilitation program for children with physical disabilities.

•  Functions of other professionals, such as medical specialists psychologists, teachers, public health nurses, and social workers as they relate to the treatment and rehabilitation of children with physical disabilities.

•  Principles of effective management and personnel supervision.

Ability to:

• Understand and follow physicians' prescriptions and other medical recommendations involved.

• Instruct and gain the confidence and cooperation of clients in the program, instilling appropriate attitudes and effecting psychological adjustment, as well as physical rehabilitation.

• Exercise good oral and written communication skills to explain the CCS program and instill cooperation and collaboration with community partners and families.

• Anticipate needs and prepare budgetary estimates, and prepare reports of the operation.

•  Normal growth and development of children in general and how children with neurological impairment are impacted.

• Methods of testing and evaluating muscular and neural function.

• Ability to plan, organize, direct, and develop an outpatient rehabilitation program for children with physical disabilities and to instruct and supervise staff therapists.

• Knowledge of other community programs and resources in place for families with children with special healthcare needs.

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance (Employer Credit)
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Group Legal
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Iona Childers, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
Iona.Childers@acgov.org
510-272-6463
www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer