© British Association of Social Workers
The Utilization and Training of Volunteers in a Psychiatric Setting
Margaret F. Goldberg, M.S., graduated from the Columbia University School of Social Work in 1951. She worked at the St. Luke's Hospital in New York City, as a Social Worker, prior to joining the staff of the Case Aide Program at the Boston State Hospital where she has been affiliated for the past six years in the capacity of Psychiatric Social Work Supervisor of case aide volunteers
Anne S. Evans, S.M., graduated from the Simmons College School of Social Work in 1957. She was a Senior Research Psychiatric Social Worker at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center; prior to her employment as Assistant Coordinator of the Case Aide Program in 1963. In 1970, Mrs. Evans became Director of the Case Aide Program at the Boston State Hospital
Katharine H. Cole, S.M., came to the Program as a volunteer in 1964. As a result of this experience, she returned to graduate school at Simmons College School of Social Work where she got her degree in 1969. She has since returned to the Case Aide Program and is working in the capacity of Psychiatric Social Work Supervisor of case aide volunteers
Summary
The Volunteer Case Aide Program, which was begun in 1963 at the Boston State Hospital, Boston, Mass. U.S.A., is ongoing and developing new facets of volunteer intervention in a psychiatric setting. It is the first program of its kind in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to utilize the talents of mature community volunteers to work in a direct personal, one-to-one relationship with the mentally ill and/or emotionally disturbed. The four original purposes of the program have been carried out. The community has been brought into closer co-operation with the hospital, and community resources have been utilized in helping patients move out of the hospital. Through the creative use of volunteers and part-time psychiatric social workers, the program has moved toward diminution of the manpower shortage in the mental health field. The efforts of hundreds of volunteer case aides have contributed to relieving the chronicity of many patients, and have assisted them to move into community placements.
The Associate Leader Training Program, through its weekly training meetings, gives the Associate Leader the responsibility of supervising novice case aides. The trained Associate Leader, an experienced volunteer, teaches the beginning case aide to understand his own role with the patient, to relate effectively with the patient and to learn about the hospital operations, treatment modalities and pertinent psychiatric and social theories. New volunteer groups under the Associate Leaders' guidance, have proven to be effective instruments for the expanded teaching and service aspects of the Case Aide Program. Given the numerical limitations of a professional social work staff and with the added resources of Associate Leaders, the Program has been able to help many more patients