Animal Assisted Therapy Coordinator/Dog Handler-Child Life Program-Mount Sinai Hospital-Full-time Day

The Animal Assisted Therapy Coordinator is a certified or licensed psychosocial professional (Certified Child Life Specialist, Creative Arts Therapist, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, etc.) responsible for the coordination and delivery of animals assisted therapy within the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department’s Paws & Play program. The AAT coordinator is the primary handler for the facility dog, providing clinical interventions, overseeing the referral process for therapeutic visits with patients, families, and staff and participating in applicable research utilizing the resident dog. 

• Utilizes the facility dog to provide comprehensive supportive services for patients, families and staff in a variety of clinical settings including inpatient units and outpatient areas. 
• Coordinates the referral process for the resident dog, responding to all formal referrals across the medical setting.
• Functions as a key member of the healthcare team, communicating all relevant programmatic and psychosocial information to other team members via participation in team meetings, etc.
• Participates in the planning and implementation of special events and programming that involve the facility dog.
• Develops and assists with projects addressing the needs of staff in line with the goals of the facility dog program and those identified by the child life and creative arts therapy director and leadership team.
• Collaborates with clinical staff to create opportunities for research across all populations and medical settings.
• Develops and disseminates collateral materials for internal and external marketing initiatives. 
• Maintains communication with Donor to provide programming updates and successes.
• Develops and implements educational seminars that address psychosocial needs and challenges of hospitalization and the clinical benefits of utilizing a therapy dog.
• Maintains all requirements for dog handling set out by facility dog organization regarding weight management, vet care, home environment, grooming and reporting.
• Assesses the needs of the dog throughout the work shift to provide adequate rest and down time. 
• Maintains program statistics and budget to assess and evaluate quality of programming and to make necessary adjustments. 
• Maintains professional development and competency. 
• Participates in individual and clinical group supervision.  

• Bachelor’s Degree/Master’s Degree Preferred

• At least 1 year experience in a healthcare setting preferred. 

• Credentials or License within 12 months of employment.

Compensation Statement

The Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) provides a salary range to comply with the New York City Law on Salary Transparency in Job Advertisements. The salary range for this role is $65,885.00 - $98,827.00 Annually. Actual salaries depend on a variety of factors, including experience, education, and hospital need. The salary range or contractual rate listed does not include bonuses/incentive, differential pay or other forms of compensation or benefits.

Non-Bargaining Unit, 358 - Child Life Program - MSH, Mount Sinai Hospital

Strength Through Diversity

The Mount Sinai Health System believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are key drivers for excellence. We share a common devotion to delivering exceptional patient care. When you join us, you become a part of Mount Sinai’s unrivaled record of achievement, education, and advancement as we revolutionize medicine together. We invite you to participate actively as a part of the Mount Sinai Health System team by:  

• Using a lens of equity in all aspects of patient care delivery, education, and research to promote policies and practices to allow opportunities for all to thrive and reach their potential.
• Serving as a role model confronting racist, sexist, or other inappropriate actions by speaking up, challenging exclusionary organizational practices, and standing side-by-side in support of colleagues who experience discrimination.
• Inspiring and fostering an environment of anti-racist behaviors among and between departments and co-workers.

At Mount Sinai, our leaders strive to learn, empower others, and embrace change to further advance equity and improve the well-being of staff, patients, and the organization.  We expect our leaders to embrace anti-racism, create a collaborative and respectful environment, and constructively disrupt the status quo to improve the system and enhance care for our patients. We work hard to create an inclusive, welcoming and nurturing work environment where all feel they are valued, belong and are able to advance professionally.

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