State of Maryland

A Dance Therapist Supervisor is the supervisory level of work at Maryland Department of Health (MDH) designated Court Involved (CI) Facilities performing dance therapy in the treatment of mentally ill, aged, physically ill or physically disabled clients or developmentally disabled clients who are residents of State treatment facilities or community-based programs. Employees in this classification supervise the assessment, planning and implementation of dance therapy treatment for clients. Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Dance Therapists and may supervise Activity Therapy Associates, Direct Care Assistants, students and volunteers assigned to the dance therapy program.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Director of Activity Therapy or other health professional. Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends. Employees may be subject to call-in based on staffing needs. Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease and may be required to lift and move patients and equipment.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of a class specification.

The Dance Therapist Supervisor is differentiated from the Dance Therapist II in that the Dance Therapist II in that the Dance Therapist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Dance Therapists while the Dance Therapist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Plans, coordinates, supervises, and evaluates the work of lower-level Dance Therapists and other assigned staff;

Trains lower-level Dance Therapists;

Plans, designs, implements and evaluates dance psychotherapy programs in accordance with clients’ needs, capabilities and interests;

Observes clients’ behavior in order to record progression or regression in treatment;

Determines appropriate dance or movement intervention for individual or group therapy;

Conducts group and individual therapy sessions to encourage clients’ participation in dance and movement therapy;

Assesses clients’ needs and capabilities to place clients in the appropriate dance therapy group program or to determine the type of individual program needed;

Prepares and maintains reports of clients’ progress;

Participates as a member of the Individual Treatment Team;

Provides lectures and workshops on dance therapy to staff and community groups;

Orders and maintains supplies and equipment;

Trains student interns to assess clients’ capabilities and to plan, design and implement dance and movement therapy treatment;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the theory and practice of dance psychotherapy;

Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental disabilities;

Knowledge of movement observation and non-verbal communication;

Knowledge of the limitations, capabilities and problems common to developmentally disabled and mentally ill clients;

Skill in applying dance therapy techniques;

Skill in communicating effectively with co-workers and with developmentally disabled and mentally ill clients;

Skill in assessing behavior, and general physical, emotional and cognitive levels of clients;

Skill in determining and developing an effective treatment plan in dance therapy for clients;

Ability to motivate clients;

Ability to work as an effective member of an interdisciplinary team;

Ability to plan, coordinate, supervise and evaluate the work of Dance Therapists and other assigned staff.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in dance therapy from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Two years of experience performing dance therapy work in the treatment of mentally ill, aged, physically ill or physically disabled clients or developmentally disabled clients.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute a Master’s degree in dance therapy for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute current registration as a professional Dance Therapist from the American Dance Therapy Association for the required education.

3. Candidates may substitute four years of experience as a professional dance therapist, under the supervision of a licensed Occupational Therapist, licensed Physical Therapist or certified Activity Therapist, which included the responsibility for clients’ assessments and the planning, implementation and evaluation of clients’ dance therapy treatment in a mental health or developmental disability setting for the required education.

4.  Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Physical Therapy classification or Physical Therapy or Medical Services specialty codes in the dance therapy field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and maintain current certification.

3. Employees in this classification assigned to facilities with a swimming pool may be required to obtain Red Cross instruction and certification in Life Saving and Water Safety prior to permanent appointment.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  This classification is supervisory and exempt from bargaining. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

July 1 2021 12:00AM