Child Life Program Director

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

The Yale New Haven Children's Hospital Child Life Program Director will lead the Child Life, Arts for Healing and Resident Dog Programs. Under the guidance of the Program Director, the staff working in these programs will provide therapeutic interventions to support children undergoing hospitalization or outpatient specialty care interventions or procedures, for chronic or acute healthcare issues. The Program Director will serve as the leader directing programs that provide developmental and psychosocial patient support through recreational and therapeutic interventions in a wide-range of care settings reporting under the Children's Hospital. This includes off site locations, inpatient areas, outpatient areas, and all specialty clinical care programs operating within the department. The Program Director will be responsible for developing system standardization and infrastructure for like clinical support programs to ensure that developmental and psychosocial support, and recreational and therapeutic care for pediatric patients is consistent and evidence-based across all delivery networks within our health system. The Program Director will lead the strategy development for this important program and will ensure that it is operating under current, evidence-based and innovative program design and through efficient and cost-effective delivery. The Program Director will assume responsibility for partnering to increase funding and philanthropic support for these programs by working closely with the Yale New Haven Hospital Office of Development to seek additional support for current and future program needs. EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

• 1. Supervises and directs a staff of certified child life specialists, art, recreational and music therapists, and resident dog handlers in providing paly activities, preparation and procedural support to meet the developmental and psychological needs of pediatric patients and their family members. Ensures that staff perform all patient care responsibilities consistent with age-specific criteria and job-related competencies.
• • 1.1 Develop, plan, implement and evaluate art/educational activities and special projects that maintain or develop the social, emotional, physical, intellectual and/or creative development of pediatric patients and their families, in individual and group settings.
• 2. Establishes goals and objectives of the clinical support programs based upon the hospital/service line business plan as well as the identified needs of children and families. Assesses and evaluates the effectiveness of the program. Develops and reviews clinical support department policies, procedures, job descriptions, role descriptions and program descriptions.Develops and administers the clinical support program budgets and identifies materials needed for programming.
• • 2.1 Communicate with Child Life staff and the clinical care team to obtain patient referrals. Provide a written and/or verbal summary of the patient's and family's response to interactions, as appropriate. Document session outcomes per departmental policy in the patient's permanent medical record.
• 3. Collaborates directly with Volunteer Services to provide training and evaluation of placement of pediatric program volunteers. Works on special volunteer committees and projects as needed.
• • 3.1 Maintain supplies, equipment and materials specific to the art/educational program and provide assessment of material needs.
• 4. Plans, implements and evaluates educational programs and materials and resources regarding the psychosocial and developmental needs of pediatric patients and families, as well as educational needs of medical, nursing and other hospital staff in caring for patients in varied developmental stages.
• • 4.1 Participate in quality assurance and quality improvement including collecting, maintaining and analyzing data specific to art/educational program, such as productivity and patient satisfaction. Provide accurate and timely reports.
• 5. Participates in administrative meetings and work groups as assigned by the Vice President or Executive Director. Participates on community committees and other hospital collaboratives as needed. Works closely with the Departments of Marketing, Public Relations and Development to identify projects, stories and events that highlight high quality patient care and support programming. Collaborates with the Development Office to identify and secure funding support for pediatric clinical support programs.
• 6. Ensures that staff participate in rounds and regular meetings with medical and nursing staff to integrate developmentally appropriate clinical support programming into patient and family care plans. Holds self and staff accountable to achievement of key hospital performance metrics, including patient experience unit-based targets, quality and safety targets and financial management targets.
• 7. Stays current with new developments, trends and resources within the fields of child life, art and music therapy and resident pet therapy. Supports staff in maintaining certification, competencies and professional development. Performs all other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION

Master's Degree in Child Life, Child Development, Child & Family Studies, Early Childhood Education, Child Psychology, Recreational Therapy, or related field. Child Life certification required.

EXPERIENCE

A minimum of five years experience as a child life manager in a health care environment. Experience leading Child Life programs with a focus on innovation, cost-effective service delivery and strategic partnerships with philanthropic organizations to support program growth and sustainability.  Teaching experience strongly preferred. Experience in program development preferred. 

LICENSURE

Child life certification required.

SPECIAL SKILLS

Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital seeks leaders who have the ability to achieve the highest level of safe and effective care as well as exceptional operational performance. Excellent communication, written and interpersonal skills; ability to work with multidisciplinary groups in effective collaborative practice. Excellent communication, interpersonal, collaborative and organizational skills. Passion for patient-focused improvement. Must be a patient-oriented team-player with the flexibility to adapt to evolving priorities. Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects. Committed to the principals of a high -reliability organization.

PHYSICAL DEMAND

Able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.; must comply with appropriate OSHA, HIPAA and JCAHO standards relevant to position.

Individual must have proven history of leadership in Child Life, and outcomes of innovation, program development, philanthropic support and ability to engage employees and teams.