Animal Assisted Therapy Coordinator

About Texas Children's Hospital

Since 1954, Texas Children’s has been leading the charge in patient care, education and research to accelerate health care for children and women around the world. When you love what you do, it truly shows in the smiles of our patient families, employees and our numerous accolades such as being consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation by U.S.News & World Report as well as recognition from Houston Business Journal as one of this city’s Best Places to Work for ten consecutive years.

Texas Children’s comprehensive health care network includes our primary hospital in the Texas Medical Center with expertise in over 40 pediatric subspecialties; the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI); the Feigin Center for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, a second community hospital opening in 2017. We have also created the nation’s first HMO for children, established the largest pediatric primary care network in the country and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is also academically affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, one of the largest, most diverse and successful pediatric programs in the nation.

To join our community of 13,000 dedicated team members, visit texaschildrenspeople.org for career opportunities. You can also learn more about our amazing culture at infinitepassion.org.

Summary:

We are looking for an Animal Assisted Therapy Coordinator, someone who’s ready to grow with our company. In this position, you will implement and provide a comprehensive animal assisted therapy facility dog program that supports the emotional, developmental, and social needs of children in a health care setting. To provide opportunities for children to gain a sense of mastery, offering play and learning experiences, and encouraging family and peer interaction through animal assisted therapy. 

Think you’ve got what it takes? 

Qualifications:

• Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including any booster dose(s) of the COVID-19 vaccine recommended by the Centers for Disease Control when eligible, is required for all employees at Texas Children’s unless approved for a medical or religious exemption.  
• Required bachelor's degree in Child Life or related field 
• Required CCLS - Cert-Cert Child Life SCLST by the Association of Child Life Professionals 
• Preferred 2 years' Experience as a Child Life Specialist and experience with care of animals 

Responsibilities:

• Coordinates and executes safe, therapeutic animal assisted therapy. 
• Provides supervision and care for one facility dog and oversight of all animals working within the animal assisted therapy program. 
• Establishes and maintains a dog friendly environment at Texas Children’s and while at home in accordance with facility dog guidelines. 
• Ensures compliance with grooming and veterinary needs as set forth by Texas Children’s Hospital and the animal assisted therapy training facility. 
• Collaborates with Public Relations team to promote the Animal Assisted Therapy program at Texas Children’s Hospital. 
• Develops and adheres to protocol/criteria for animal assisted therapy referrals. 
• Maintains infection control and safety protocols ensuring compliance with Texas Children’s Hospital’s Animal Visitation policy. 
• Provides child life assessments and normalizes the hospital environment for patients and families. 
• Promotes and provides developmentally appropriate interventions for patients and families 
• Represents and communicates psychosocial issues of pediatric health care and the benefits of animal assisted therapy to professionals outside of child life. 
• Participates in professional development of self and other child life professionals. 
• Collaborates in an intradepartmental effort to support the mission and vision of the Child Life Department. 

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