Activities Specialist 2

About the Department

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of State-Operated Specialty Care, Bureau of Civil Commitment Unit for Sex Offenders (CCUSO) is seeking a dedicated Activities Specialist 2 to join our team! This is a full-time position with HHS with a Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. schedule and opportunity for advancement, growth, and development.

The Activities Specialist 2 plays a key role in supporting the therapeutic mission of CCUSO by providing structured, prosocial, and skill building recreational programming to individuals in a secure treatment environment. The ideal candidate is creative, organized, collaborative, and committed to promoting healthy social interaction, emotional regulation, and responsible leisure use among patients while maintaining safety and security.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, and deliver therapeutic recreational programs aligned with treatment goals, including arts, sports, wellness, leisure education, skill building groups, and special events.

• Modify activities to meet diverse physical, cognitive, mental health, and behavioral needs.

• Supervise and coach patient aides, ensuring adherence to expectations, tracking work hours, addressing concerns, and completing performance evaluations.

• Maintain accurate attendance, documentation, activity notes, inventory records, and incident/behavior reports as needed.

• Participate in treatment team and clinical meetings; provide behavioral observations and input regarding patient motivation, risk factors, and progress in activities.

• Manage and organize activity spaces, equipment, and supplies to ensure safe and appropriate use.

• Collaborate with clinical, security, operational, and administrative staff to support coordinated treatment and facility operations.

Special Requirements

• Must obtain IBTSA SOTP 1 certification within three (3) years of appointment.

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

CCUSO provides a secure, long-term, and highly structured setting to treat sexual offenders who have served their prison terms, but, in a separate civil trial, have been found likely to reoffend. The facility provides state-of-the-art treatment to patients to lower their risk of re-offending and to release them from confinement as quickly as possible. There is a full range of diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative services focused on addressing the conditions impacting a patient’s likelihood of re-offending. For more CCUSO info: https://hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/specialty-care-facilities/civil-commitment-unit-sexual-offenders

Benefits of Joining CCUSO

Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
• Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation (96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
• Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
• Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.

For additional information on benefits click here.

Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.

Cherokee Highlights

CCUSO is located in Cherokee, a city of approximately 5,000 set in the beautiful Little Sioux River Valley in Northwest Iowa. Residents enjoy fishing and canoeing on the Little Sioux River which winds through town providing a backdrop to a well-developed parks and trails system. In addition, Cherokee has over 1,000 acres of land devoted to parks and outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and horseback riding. Cherokee is the home of the first accredited museum and planetarium in Iowa, Sandford Museum and Planetarium, established in 1951. Cherokee may be the smallest town in the world to have its own symphony orchestra! This 60-member orchestra has been referred to as the “best kept secret in Northwest Iowa.”

Cherokee is home to Western Iowa Tech Community College and 1 hour or less from other educational institutions including Morningside College, Northwestern College, Buena Vista University, and Dordt College. This quintessential Iowa town is 1 hour from Sioux City and 2 hours from Omaha. Check out these 10 Reasons to Move to Iowa. 

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the HHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD). 

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification: 

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in art, the behavioral/social sciences, industrial therapy, music, occupational therapy, physical education, recreation, rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation, or other closely related fields, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in an activities program.

2) A total of six years of education and/or full-time experience at a level comparable to Activities Assistant, where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in art, the behavioral/social sciences, industrial therapy, music, occupational therapy, physical education, recreation, rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation, or other closely related fields equals one year of full-time experience.

3) All of the following (a, b, and c):
a. One year of full-time work experience in and activities program; and
b. A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in art, the behavioral/social sciences, industrial therapy, music, occupational therapy, physical education, recreation, rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation, or other closely related fields equals one year of full-time experience; and
c. A total of one year of graduate-level education, where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in art, the behavioral/social sciences, industrial therapy, music, occupational therapy, physical education, recreation, rehabilitation, therapeutic recreation, or other closely related fields equals one year.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as an Activities Specialist 1.

Other Qualifications

Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and endorsements.

Benefits

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerState of IowaAgency 400 Health & Human Services - State Operated Specialty Care Address Lucas State Office Building
321 E 12th St
Des Moines, Iowa, 50319 Website https://hhs.iowa.gov/