General Activities Therapist 2
Listed compensation
$22.59-$32.73/hr
The week · per this posting · Monday – Thursday
Ask the employer about weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
All job postings will expire at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the application deadline.
Organization: Youth Services - Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility
Agency Contact Name and Information: Corrine Sanders corrine.sanders@dys.ohio.gov
Work Location: 2775 Indian River Road
Massillon, Ohio, 44646-7975
United States
Compensation: $22.59 hourly
Schedule: Permanent - Full Time
Work Hours: Hours Vary Based on Need
Classified Indicator: Classified
Union: OCSEA
Primary Job Skill: Therapy/Therapeutical Services
- Futures Start Here!
- Connection | Collaboration | Commitment | Correction
- About Us…
We are a dedicated team of juvenile justice professionals committed to transforming and saving young lives. We believe in a future where every young person thrives and contributes to a safer, stronger Ohio!
DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.
Our Values…
- Connection: We respect everyone. We don’t tear them down.
- Collaboration: We work together. We don’t go alone.
- Commitment: We step up. We don’t give up.
- Correction: We create change. We don’t stay the same.
- To learn more about DYS, please visit our website here.
- What You'll Do…
The Opportunity
We are seeking a dedicated, energetic, and structured General Activities Therapist 2 to join our team. In this role, you will play a vital part in youth habilitation by serving in an instructional capacity, planning engaging recreational activities, and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. The ideal candidate is highly organized, committed to fostering growth in youth, and skilled at tracking progress to support overall goals.
Core Responsibilities
Instruction and Activity Planning: Serve in an instructional capacity for youth, directly leading, planning, and implementing structured recreational activities designed to promote teamwork, skill-building, and personal growth.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Act as an active member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Recommend specific group and/or individual treatment goals and activities tailored to the needs of youth.
Reporting Progress and Tracking: Prepare, update, and maintain detailed reports for the treatment team regarding youth behavior, participation levels, and overall progress.
Logistics and Administration: Prepare and organize weekly activity schedules. Manage operational efficiency by maintaining precise inventory records of all recreational equipment and program materials.
- Months of Employment
- At Hire
- 6 Months
- 18 Months
- 30 Months
- 42 Months
- 54 Months
- 66 Months
- 78 Months
- Pay Range OCSEA / 27
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
- Step 4
- Step 5
- Step 6
- Step 7
- Step 8 Hourly
- $22.59
- $25.61
- $26.54
- $27.56
- $28.76
- $30.03
- $31.35
- $32.73
- Annual
- $46,987
- $53,269
- $55,203
- $57,325
- $59,821
- $62,462
- $65,208
- $68,078
Job Skills: Therapy/Therapeutical Services, Juvenile Corrections, Collaboration, Customer Focus, Verbal Communication, Adaptability
PRE-Service Training
All new candidates hired to the Department of Youth Services must complete a paid, mandatory 6 weeks of training. Week 1 is held at the facility, weeks 2 through 4 are held at DYS Training Academy in Orient, Ohio, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am - 5:00 pm. (travel, lodging, and meals are provided). Weeks 5 - 6 are on the job training held at the facility.
Background Check Notice
The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check and pre-employment drug screening. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.
DYS is a “qualifying employer” for purposes of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness [PSLF] program.
Why Work for the State of Ohio
At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:
- Medical Coverage
- Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
- Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
- Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)
*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.
Qualifications
30 mos. exp. with coaching, personal training, &/or fitness instruction or 30 mos. exp. providing work direction to incarcerated persons & training &/or development.
- Or completion of associate degree in recreation 12 mos. exp. in activity therapy or recreation.
- Or completion of undergraduate core program in recreation 6 mos. exp. in activity therapy or recreation.
- Or 6 mos. exp. as General Activities Therapist 1, 44211.
- Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.
Job Skills: Therapy/Therapeutical Services
ADA Statement
Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.
Drug-Free Workplace
The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.
Key Responsibilities
Lead, plan, and implement structured recreational activities that support youth teamwork, skill-building, and personal growth, while contributing to interdisciplinary treatment planning. Maintain youth progress reports and activity schedules, and manage accurate inventories of recreational equipment and program materials.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates General Activities Therapist 2 at State of Ohio a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) — ranked against 7,863 active Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.
Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 38% have no call, 62% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Ohio is 92.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$58k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $62k in an average-cost state. 61.3% of Ohio clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 6.4 / 10 · above average in mental health therapy (counseling) | ranked against 7,863 Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $47k–$68k | Mental Health Therapy median $62k (middle half $55k–$68k)20 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$62k in purchasing power | Ohio index 92.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Mental Health Therapy listings in Ohio | 420 active | 7,835 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 46% remote · 38% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
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