Welcome! Thank you for considering volunteering on the DDU! Here is some information about our unit:
- We are an 11 bed locked inpatient unit
- We treat patients 18 years old and up
- We provide medical detox from alcohol and substances
- We provide mental health treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, psychosis
- We are a short term stay unit. Patients usually stay for 3-5 days
We offer unit programming daily for the patients in a group setting. They attend therapy, recreational therapy, experiential therapy, spiritualty groups, medical student groups, and recovery meetings (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous).
We would like volunteers to run groups. You can do exercise groups, psychoeducation groups, etc. We have a designated room on the unit for groups where you will be monitored by staff at all times. Prior to running any groups, please review the attached documents which describe how these groups are designed to be uniquely different from other groups run on the unit. The main goal is for students in the community to connect with patients on our units and for patients to get connected back to the community after discharge. Each group is 1 hr long. You may choose from the sample ideas in the documents that will be sent to you via email but do not feel constrained by these ideas. Be creative! Whatever you choose to teach on, we ask that you would also choose 1 of the following community activities to promote upon discharge that is related to the topic of your choice. For example, if you teach an arts and crafts group, leave 5-10 mins at the end of your session to describe how they can continue participating in such activities at the Friendship House. This document will be updated and uploaded on a google drive for further future edits to provide other group ideas and community connections.
Current CDC COVID safety protocols must be followed and will be determined based on the nature of the volunteer work. Please be prepared and bring a mask.
Masks - Return to Campus - West Virginia University (wvu.edu)
Coronavirus | Health Sciences | West Virginia University (wvu.edu)
