Occupational Therapist - Community Behavioral Health

Opportunities Abound at SOUND

Sound Behavioral Health is growing, and we are hiring an occupational therapist in King County, WA! Sound is one of King County’s most comprehensive providers of quality mental health and addiction treatment services, supporting our area’s most vulnerable populations. A central tenet of our work is Reaching Recovery, an evidence-based clinical care model.

The Occupational Therapist (OT) provides medically necessary client-centered, evidence-informed occupational therapy services to individuals with behavioral health conditions within a team-based, integrated care model.

Services are designed to support recovery, independence, and meaningful participation in daily life by supporting occupational performance and engagement across daily life roles and activities.

Occupation (engagement in everyday activity) serves as both the therapeutic medium and the desired outcome of occupational therapy intervention.

Working as part of an interdisciplinary care team, the OT collaborates closely with behavioral health, medical, and social service providers to deliver whole-person care. Services are aligned with Washington State Medicaid benefits and the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, emphasizing access, coordination, and measurable clinical outcomes.

• Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
• Accepting Applications until August 31.

Responsibilities

• ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
• Clinical Care (Integrated & Team-Based)

Conduct comprehensive occupational therapy evaluations, including an occupationalprofile to identify the client’s occupational history, roles, values, interests, andpriorities, using standardized, valid, and reliable assessment tools to evaluateperformance skills, performance patterns, client factors, and contextual andenvironmental influences on occupational performance, identifying functional deficitsand treatment needs

Develop individualized plans of care in collaboration with the client, with measurablegoals tied to functional outcomes

Analyze activity demands and grade or adapt tasks, materials, and environments tomatch the client’s current level of function, providing the appropriate level of challengeto support skill acquisition and engagement

Deliver skilled therapeutic interventions to improve or restore functioning, including: o Activities of daily living (ADLs)o Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)o Sensory modulation and sensory processing strategies to support emotionalregulation, self-management, and de-escalationo Rest and sleep participationo Leisure exploration and participationo Work, volunteer, and productive role participationo Executive functioning, organization, and routineso Health management and wellnesso Social participation and community integration

• Reassess progress and adjust interventions to ensure ongoing effectiveness ofservices
• Plan and facilitate individual and group occupation-based interventions grounded inevidence-based practice

Recommend environmental modifications, adaptive equipment, and compensatorystrategies to support safety, independence, and occupational performance

Recognize signs of escalation, decompensation, or risk to safety, and participate insafety planning and crisis response within the scope of OT practice

Maintain an assigned clinical caseload and deliver direct, billable occupational therapyservices in accordance with agency productivity and clinical standards

Team-Based Care & Care Integration

Actively participate in team-based care, contributing OT expertise to sharedintervention planning and care decisions

Collaborate with behavioral health clinicians, medical practitioners, and carecoordinators to ensure services are clinically appropriate within the overall care plan.

• Participate in case conferences, multidisciplinary team meetings, and care huddles
• Support integrated care planning that aligns occupation-based OT interventions withthe team’s broader treatment goals
• Facilitate care coordination and transitions across levels of care and communitysettings

Documentation & Compliance

• Complete timely, accurate documentation that clearly establishes and supportsmedical necessity, skilled need, and functional outcomes
• Ensure documentation meets Medicaid, CCBHC, and agency standards forreimbursement and audit readiness
• Utilize standardized outcome measures and functional assessments to demonstrateclinical progress and continued need for services

Client & Caregiver Support

Educate clients and caregivers on strategies that support functional improvement, andwhole health and total wellness

Promote the development of sustainable habits and routines that support health, wellbeing, and occupational engagement

Reinforce skills across settings, including home, clinic, and community

Clinical Supervision and Professional Development

Serve as fieldwork educator and clinical resource for Level I and Level II occupationaltherapy students and provide clinical oversight for Certified Occupational TherapyAssistants (COTAs), as assigned, in accordance with AOTA, ACOTE, and theWashington State Occupational Therapy Practice Act.

Maintain current evidence-based practice knowledge and continuing competenceconsistent with NBCOT and Washington State OT licensure requirements

Other Duties as Assigned

KEY WORK RELATIONSHIPSDevelops and maintains collaborative working relationships across departments, engagingwith clients, team members, management, and leadership in a manner that values diverseperspectives and lived experiences. Contributes to a respectful and inclusive workenvironment by practicing cultural humility, promoting equity in services and decision-making, and supporting efforts that foster a sense of belonging for all.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

Master's or Doctoral degree from an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program, including completion of Level II Fieldwork.

Two (2) or more years of experience providing occupational therapy services ininpatient mental health, behavioral health, community mental health, integrated care, primary care, or outpatient settings preferred.

Experience serving individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), substance usedisorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities, or complex medical and behavioralhealth needs preferred.

Experience working within Medicaid-funded programs, Certified Community BehavioralHealth Clinics (CCBHCs), or integrated healthcare environments preferred.

Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills

Knowledge of occupational therapy principles, evidence-based practices, behavioralhealth, and integrated care models.

Knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF-4) and itsapplication to occupational performance, performance skills, performance patterns, client factors, and contexts and environments.

Knowledge of sensory processing and sensory modulation approaches and theirapplication to behavioral health and emotional regulation.

Ability to analyze activity demands and grade or adapt tasks, materials, andenvironments to match client abilities and support skill development.

Knowledge of ADLs, IADLs, executive functioning, community integration, recoveryorientedcare, and trauma-informed practices.

Ability to conduct evaluations, develop care plans, and provide skilled interventionsthat support functional outcomes

Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to support integrated careand treatment planning.

• Skill in educating clients, caregivers, and team members on therapeutic strategies andwellness practices.
• Ability to maintain accurate, timely documentation that meets Medicaid, CCBHC, andregulatory requirements.
• Strong verbal and written communication, clinical decision-making, organizational, andproblem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and other technology required to performessential job functions.

Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, maintain professionalboundaries, and uphold ethical and confidentiality standards.

Ability to select, administer, and interpret standardized, valid, and reliable assessmenttools appropriate to behavioral health populations.

Knowledge of supervision requirements for COTAs and occupational therapy fieldworkstudents, and ability to provide clinical supervision in accordance with AOTA, ACOTE, and Washington State regulations.

Knowledge of and adherence to the AOTA Code of Ethics and the Washington StateOccupational Therapy Practice Act.

Certificates, Licenses & Registrations

Current Occupational Therapist (OT) license in the State of Washington, or a currentWashington OT limited permit held in association with a supervising OT licensed inWashington with a minimum of one year of experience, in accordance with WAC 246-847-135.

Current certification through the National Board for Certification in OccupationalTherapy (NBCOT), or active NBCOT exam candidacy (e. g., a valid Authorization toTest) consistent with Washington OT limited permit status.

Valid Washington State driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travelbetween program sites and community locations, if required.

Ability to pass required background checks and maintain compliance with agency andfunding source requirements.

Knowledge of occupational therapy principles, evidence-based practices, behavioralhealth, and integrated care models.

Knowledge of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF-4) and itsapplication to occupational performance, performance skills, performance patterns, client factors, and contexts and environments.

Knowledge of sensory processing and sensory modulation approaches and theirapplication to behavioral health and emotional regulation.

Ability to analyze activity demands and grade or adapt tasks, materials, andenvironments to match client abilities and support skill development.

Knowledge of ADLs, IADLs, executive functioning, community integration, recovery-orientedcare, and trauma-informed practices.

Ability to conduct evaluations