Certified Child Life Specialist II/Facility Dog Handler, Full Time
The Certified Child Life Specialist II/Facility Dog Handler provides comprehensive Animal Assisted Therapy and child life services across pediatric settings within Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside.

As a key member of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department and Paws & Play team, this Specialist serves as a primary handler for a facility dog, providing clinical interventions that meet the diverse psychosocial need of patients and families while supporting medical staff across settings.

As members of the Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai West proudly serves patients from Midtown and the West Side of Manhattan, New York City, and beyond. Mount Sinai Morningside stands out as the leading health care provider to West Harlem and Morningside Heights communities.

• Responsibilities:
  Utilizes the facility dog to provide therapeutic interventions in a variety of clinical settings at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside as directed by hospital and program leadership.
• Coordinates the referral process for the resident dog, responding to all referrals across medical settings for patients, families and staff.
• Provides comprehensive child life services to primary patient population.
• Functions as a key member of the healthcare team, communicating all relevant developmental and psychosocial information to other team members via charting, 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 patients and families in line with the goals of the facility dog program and program director.
• 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 Canine Assistants 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 to assess and evaluate quality of programming and to make necessary adjustments.
• Collaborate with clinical staff to create opportunities for the facility dog to be included in applicable research.
• Provides supervision to volunteers, students and child life interns as needed.
• Maintains professional development and competency.
• Participates in individual and clinical group supervision.