Responsibilities
Three Trails Behavioral Hospitalin the area of
Independence, MO and we are seeking a dynamic and experienced
Director of Recreational Therapy to lead and oversee our therapeutic recreational programming. This leader will be responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive
recreational and experiential therapy program that supports patient treatment goals and enhances overall patient outcomes. The ideal candidate is a creative, organized, and patient-centered leader with a strong background in behavioral health and therapeutic programming.
The name Three Trails was selected to honor the historical significance of the city of Independence as the starting point for the Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails. The logo icon is a compass, which is symbolic of wayfinding, and metaphorically the personal journey to recovery.
The Groundbreaking for the new hospital was held in January 2025. Beam topping was held in July 2025. The facility is expected to open in the second half of 2026.
The Director of Recreational Therapy will:
- Provide leadership and direction for the Recreational Therapy department
- Develop and manage a comprehensive therapeutic programming schedule along with the clinical team (groups, activities, and interventions)
- Ensure all programming aligns with clinical treatment plans and regulatory standards
- Supervise, mentor, and evaluate recreational therapy staff and interns
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to support individualized patient care plans
- Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness and patient engagement outcomes
Three Trails Behavioral Hospital will:
- Serve children and adolescents, adults and seniors with innovative and evidence-based inpatient behavioral healthcare focused on individual needs and comfort.
- Create more than 200 new, full-time jobs including nurses, clinicians, therapists, technicians and administrative staff, when the facility is fully operational.
- Be located at the intersection of I-70 and Little Blue Parkway, adjacent to the Children's Mercy Hospital Outpatient Clinics.
- Feature 120 licensed beds ready to meet the mental health needs of the surrounding community.
- Span more than 88,000 square feet, and will include an activity yard and gym.
Full-time Benefits Include:
- Competitive Compensation andGenerous Paid Time Off
- Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Plan
- Employee Assistance Program available for employees and family
- 401(K)with company match and discounted stock plan
- Basic Life Insurance and Optional supplemental life insurance
- Career developmentopportunities across UHS and out 300+ locations!
- Challenging and rewarding work environment
- More Information is available on our benefits Guest Website: benefits.uhsguest.com
About Universal Health Services
One of the nation's largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services, Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Growing steadily since its inceptioninto an esteemed
Fortune500corporation, annual revenues during2025 were $17.4billion. In 2026, UHS was again recognized as one of
FortuneWorld's Most Admired Companies and in 2025, waslisted in Forbes ranking of America's Largest Public Companies.
Headquarteredin King of Prussia, PA, UHS has approximately 101,500employeesand continues to grow through its subsidiaries. Operating acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, outpatient facilities and ambulatory care access points, an insurance offering, a physician networkand various related services locatedin 40U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Ricoand the United Kingdom. For additionalinformationvisit www.uhs.com.
From
Fortune, 2025, 2026
Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Recreational Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, or related field required
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) required (or eligible)
- Master's degree in related field preferred
- Minimum of 3-5 years of behavioral health or psychiatric experience (preferred)
- Previous leadership or management experience preferred
- Strong organizational, leadership, and program development skills
- Ability to engage diverse patient populations in a therapeutic environment
EEO Statement
All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Avoid and Report Recruitment Scams
We are aware of a scam whereby imposters are posing as Recruiters from UHS, and our subsidiary hospitals and facilities. Beware of anyone requesting financial or personal information.
At UHS and all our subsidiaries, our Human Resources departments and recruiters are here to help prospective candidates by matching skill set and experience with the best possible career path at UHS and our subsidiaries. During the recruitment process, no recruiter or employee will request financial or personal information (e.g., Social Security Number, credit card or bank information, etc.) from you via email. Our recruiters will not email you from a public webmail client like Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc.
If you suspect a fraudulent job posting or job-related email mentioning UHS or its subsidiaries, we encourage you to report such concerns to appropriate law enforcement. We encourage you to refer to legitimate UHS and UHS subsidiary career websites to verify job opportunities and not rely on unsolicited calls from recruiters.
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Universal Health Services
life insurance, paid time off, 401(k)
Jun 13, 2026