Recreation Therapy Supervisor-26440810

Salary: $87,568.00 - $107,660.80 Annually
Location : County of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Regular - Full time
Job Number:
Department: Behavioral Health Services
Division: Inpatient Health Services
Opening Date: 10/30/2026
Closing Date: 11/8/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Job Summary
Recreation Therapy Supervisors plan and coordinate therapeutic recreation services; lead activities; and supervise Recreational Therapists and Recreation Therapy Aides. The incumbents have primary responsibility for administering the therapeutic recreation program.
Ideal Candidate

An ideal Recreation Therapist Supervisor in a psychiatric hospital has recent leadership experience in a behavioral health setting, has thorough experience in coordinating recreational therapy program for the mental health population, and knowledge of Federal and State regulatory requirements. They are proactive, demonstrate strong situational awareness in high-acuity environments, and prioritize compliance and risk mitigation. Most importantly, they foster a culture of safety, accountability, and interdisciplinary collaboration while supporting staff development and high-quality patient care.
Read additional information forincluding benefits, minimum qualifications, examples of duties, essential functions, etc.

Hiring Process and Timeline:

The timeline for this recruitment is outlined below.

• Job Offer and Background Process begins: Shortly after the interviews.

Note: Current County employees may be excluded from additional background screening.

• Pre-employment Medical Screening: Approximately 3 days following successful background investigation results.
• Anticipated Start Date: Start date will be based upon successful completion of medical screening or other mutually agreed upon date.

If you are not selected for this interview process, you may have the opportunity to compete for future vacancies.
Minimum Qualifications:

1. Certification as a Recreation Therapist by the California Board of Recreation Therapy Certification (CBRTC) or the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) per California Administrative Code, Title 22, Section 71053 (16); AND,
2. A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in Recreation with specialization in Recreation Therapy; AND,
3. Three (3) years of full-time experience in a mental health program. Previous experience may have included at least one (1) year as a designated lead.

Note: Supervisory experience is highly desirable.
Required Licenses, Certifications or RegistrationsRequired licenses, certifications and registrations must be maintained throughout employment in this class.LicensePositions may involve necessary and timely transportation for field travel, requiring the ability to arrange transportation to different worksites, meetings, or field work.

Some positions may require a California Class B driver's license within twelve (12) months of hire and must be maintained throughout employment in this class.
Certification/Registration
Certification as a Recreation Therapist by the California Board of Recreation Therapy Certification (CBRTC) or the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) per California Administrative Code, Title 22, Section 71053 (16).

Certification by the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) or by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) is qualifying.

Working Conditions

Incumbents may work rotating shifts, weekends and holidays. Incumbents are exposed to clients, persons in custody, residents, and/or patients who may become abusive, combative or may have a contagious disease. Deputy Sheriffs provide security in the County Jail. Incumbents push wheelchairs up and down ramps and on uneven surfaces.

Note: In addition to the above, incumbents assigned at the San Diego Psychiatric Hospital may drive cars or vans, work outdoor in grassy recreation area, and may be exposed to extreme temperature, humidity, or wetness during outdoor recreation activities.

Blind Applicant Screening
The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all new recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, will hide a candidate's personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process will help contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.
Condition of Employment
As part of the County of San Diego's pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position. Current County employees may be excluded from this process.
Evaluation:
The names of qualified applicants will be placed on a six (6) month employment list based upon scores received during the evaluation of information contained in their employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.

01

Please be sure to answer the following questions in a thorough and complete manner, as your responses may be used to determine your overall score. Please note that if you are invited to a selection interview(s) by a department, your responses to the following questions may be subject to verification. Please do not respond to supplemental questions with "Refer to Resume."Do you understand this information?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you possess a certification as a Recreation Therapist by the California Board of Recreation Therapy Certification (CBRTC) or the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) per California Administrative Code, Title 22, Section 71053 (16)?Note: Certification by the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) or by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) is qualifying. If "Yes", please attach your certification as a registered recreation professional.

• Yes
• No

03

Do you possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in Recreation with specialization in Recreation Therapy?If "Yes", please attach your college transcript showing your credits.

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have at least three (3) years of full-time experience in a mental health program? Previous experience may have included at least one (1) year as a designated lead.

• Yes
• No

05

Please provide a description of your full-time experience working in a mental health program in the Experience section of your online application. Please be sure to include the following information:a. Employer Nameb. Job Titlec. DutiesNote: Incomplete responses may delay the processing of your application. Do you understand this information?

• Yes
• No
• I do not have this experience

06

By selecting the statements below, you are indicating your agreement with and willingness to work under the following working conditions. Please note that if you do not agree with and/or are not willing or able to work under the stated working conditions, your application will be rejected.

• Work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays
• Be exposed to clients, residents, or patients who may become abusive, combative, or may have a contagious disease
• Push wheelchairs with patients up and down ramps and on even and uneven surfaces
• Be exposed to varying temperatures, weather, and humidity conditions
• I do NOT agree to all working conditions listed above

07

Do you have experience planning and coordinating therapeutic recreation services?

• Yes
• No

08

Please provide a description of your experience planning and coordinating therapeutic recreation services in the Experience section of your online application. Please include the following information:a. Employer Nameb. Job Titlec. DutiesNote: Incomplete responses may delay the processing of your application.Do you understand this information?

• Yes
• No
• I do not have this experience

09

Please select the following tasks you have performed in a supervisory or lead position. If you do not have any of the following experience please select "None of the above."

• Maintaining work schedules
• Participating in hiring interviews
• Making hiring decisions
• Provided on-the-job training to new employees
• Assigning work to employees
• Inspecting work completed by employees
• Approving time sheets
• Handling disciplinary matters
• Completing performance evaluations
• Counseling employees pertaining to job performance
• None of the above

10

Where did you first hear about this job opportunity?

• San Diego County website
• Governmentjobs.com
• Veteran Outreach / FFSC
• Mana de San Diego
• Family, Neighbors, Friends
• County Employee Resources Group
• College/University Career Site
• LinkedIn
• County Social Media
• Voice and Viewpoint
• Other

11

If you answered "Other" to the question above, please indicate where you first heard about this job opportunity. If this does not apply, please indicate "n/a" below.
Required Question