Job Title: Recreation Aide
Job Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt
Schedule: Mon-Friday
Some of the most important work in a psychiatric hospital doesn't look clinical at all.
It looks like a card game that gets someone talking for the first time in three days. A gym period that burns off enough restless energy to make the afternoon group session possible. A craft table where a teenager finally sits down next to somebody instead of sitting alone.
That is what our Integrative Therapies department does, and we are looking for a Recreation Aide to help make it happen.
About us
Northlake Behavioral Health System is a non-profit inpatient behavioral health hospital on the Northshore. Our patients arrive during some of the hardest times of their lives. We are here to make that time safer, steadier, and as therapeutic as possible. Every role in this building exists for that same goal.
About the role
You will be the person who makes activity programming actually run. You will set up the space, gather what is needed, help our credentialed therapists carry out planned activities, and keep supplies stocked, organized, and accounted for. During leisure time on the units, you will help maintain structure and encourage patients to engage with each other, always working alongside assigned clinical staff.
This is a non-clinical support role, and providing support will be your super power. As a Recreation Aide, you'll be making it possible for our Integrative Therapists to ensure that they have the time to fully focus their attention on our patients, making you a key member of the therapeutic team.
What the day looks like
Preparing equipment, supplies, and spaces for scheduled therapeutic programs
Assisting credentialed therapy staff with planned activities
Tracking activity supplies carefully and checking items against facility and patient restrictions before they go out
Keeping activity spaces organized, stocked, and safe
Helping bring facility-wide special events and seasonal programming to life
Supporting group structure and positive interaction during patient leisure time
Keeping departmental records such as attendance, inventory, and supply requests
Who tends to do well here
The people who will thrive in this role are observant, calm under pressure, and genuinely engaged with the patients. They notice when something feels off, follow through on the details, and understand that in a behavioral health setting, those small details can make all the difference in keeping patients safe.
High school diploma or equivalent
Coursework or a degree in therapeutic recreation, recreation, psychology, human services, or education is a plus
Experience in healthcare, behavioral health, education, camp, or structured recreation is a plus
Clear communication in English, which is an essential safety requirement in our patient care areas
A note if you are in school or paying off student loans
Northlake is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which makes full-time employment here qualifying employment under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. If you are finishing a degree or already carrying federal student loans, the time you work here can count toward forgiveness of your remaining balance. We are happy to complete the employment certification paperwork. Details and eligibility are at StudentAid.gov.
Northlake Behavioral Health is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for all employment; free from discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preferences, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.
