Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - Volunteer Service

 Description of Program:

SAVAHCS benefits from the services of over 1,000 individual volunteers each year. Over 120 volunteers are on duty each day helping to make this a health care center of excellence. Volunteers from all ages and life experiences serve in many capacities at SAVAHCS. Hours of Operation: Office Hours - Monday thru Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. (Except Federal Holidays). Location: Building 4, Room 107. Eligibility: Minimum age 14 years, annual TB test, and completion of volunteer orientation.

 SAVAHCS Patient Guest Services Programs:

• Patient Escort - Volunteer escorts provide a critical service to the medical center by transporting medically stable, ambulatory, wheelchair and gurney patients to various areas inside the hospital.
• Information Desk
• Comfort Cart – Volunteers visit patients distributing toiletry items, lap robes, stationary, phone cards, games and reading material.
• Mobile Book Cart - Volunteers deliver donated books and magazines to hospitalized patients and clinics throughout the medical center.
• Donation Room Volunteers - Our volunteers in the donation room sort magazines, books, and other donations to be distributed to patients as requested and needed. They also build comfort kits, and sort comfort items for delivery to newly admitted patients on a daily basis. A new service that we are now providing is giving clothing to our homeless veterans as they request and need.
• Crafts - Craft kits are available to help patients pass the time during their hospitalization.
• Patient Diversional Recreation - The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System provides recreation activities for patients 365 days a year. The VAVS continues to provide patients with a superior recreation program. These activities, coordinated through Voluntary Service and the veteran’s service organizations, include holiday parties, bingo, live entertainment, movies, and picnics. Outings for fishing, dinners, bowling, field trips, and sports activities are also organized. In-room movies are available to all patients. Donated videos are distributed to those patients who are not able to leave the area to attend the daily activities provided.
• SAVAHCS’ stamp and coin club - is a nationally recognized organization staffed totally by volunteers. During work shops volunteers educate patients regarding the history and value of stamps and coins throughout the world. VA facilities and veteran organizations throughout the U.S.A. send stamps and refer stamp collectors to this highly regarded program.
• Outpatient Clinic Programs - In an effort to reach the needs of outpatients, the VAVS provides coffee, reading materials, children’s storybooks, coloring books, and crayons in the clinic areas.
• Special Events – Many special events are coordinated through Voluntary Service. These included; National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, Volunteer Recognition, 400 Hour pin Recognition, Memorial Day, Youth Awards Program, POW/MIA Recognition, Veterans Day, Red Cross Blood Drives, VAVS Patient Carnival, fund raising events, and volunteer training. Voluntary Service also assisted with the Local Veterans Creative Arts program and the Homeless Veteran Stand Down.
• Pet Therapy Program – SAVAHCS offers certified dog and handler teams a variety of opportunities for visiting patients. The Pets for Vets volunteers visit patients in the Geriatric Rehabilitative Center, Mental Health, Outpatient pharmacy and the Patient Advocate waiting room. All handlers and animals participating in the SAVAHCS Pets for Vets program are trained and certified by The Delta Society. The Delta Society requires all volunteer handlers and their pets to complete a rigorous training and testing program before they are certified to participate in the program.
• Veteran’s Commemorative Park - The VAVS is continuing to raise funds towards the development of a Veterans Commemorative Park adjacent to the new ambulatory care addition. Fundraising efforts are ongoing and dedication of the park is tentatively scheduled for the early 2004.

 Volunteer Opportunities:

The following is a list of ongoing volunteer positions available at SAVAHCS. This list does not encompass all volunteer opportunities at the Medical Center.

• Patient Escort  - Transports patients, meds, labs, records and equipment throughout the hospital.
• Craft Cart - Visits patients with craft cart, offering craft kits to hospitalized patients.
• Clerical  - Assist administrative offices with clerical duties. 
• Appointment Reminder Assistant  - Call patients to remind them about scheduled appointments and track responses. 
• Mail Clerk  - Assist with mail delivery throughout the hospital.
• Book Cart - Visit patients in their rooms offering a selection of books and magazines.

Additional volunteer opportunities are available in specialized areas.

Stop by or call the Volunteer Office Building 4, Room. 107
3601 S. 6th Ave., Tucson 85723
(520) 629-1822

 Volunteer Application Process:

Everyone is required to attend an orientation before beginning service as a VA volunteer. The 2 hour orientation, an introduction to the medical center, covers many of the same topics as employee orientation. The basic purpose of the orientation is three fold:

1. For you to complete the application process.

2. To provide information related to the policies, functions and objectives of the Medical Center and

3. To provide an understanding of the fundamental principles and procedures of volunteer service in the medical center.

The Supervisor in the assigned area will provide job specific training.
All volunteers are required to receive a tuberculin skin test when they begin volunteering. This test is administered, free of charge, at the orientation session. The test must be repeated on an annual basis in order to keep your volunteer status with the VA. You will also receive an ID badge and a volunteer parking sticker.
After completing the volunteer orientation, an appointment will be set up for you to discuss your interests and placement opportunities at the medical center. 

Click here for our Volunteer Handbook . If you have questions contact us.

Stop by or call the Volunteer Office Building 4, Room. 107
3601 S. 6th Ave., Tucson 85723
(520) 629-1822

 SAVAHCS 2008 Volunteer Orientation Schedule:

If you would like to volunteer please attend an orientation on one of the dates listed below.  The orientation will be held in the Patio Conference Room near the outdoor fountain courtyard at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, 3601 S. 6^th Avenue. 

The orientation will last approximately 1 ½  hours. 

We look forward to having you join our volunteer family.  

For more information, contact us at (520) 629-1822.

2008 Volunteer Orientations

January 8 at 10:00 a.m.  January 22 at 1:00 p.m.	July 12 at 10:00 a.m. (Saturday)
February 6 at 10:00 a.m.  February 26 at 1:00 p.m.	August 6 at 10:00 a.m.  August 19 at 1:00 p.m.
March 12 at 6:00 p.m. (Evening)   March 25 at 10:00 a.m.	September 3 at 6:00 p.m. (Evening)  September 16 at 10:00 a.m.
April 9 at 10:00 a.m.   April 22 at 1:00 p.m.	October 1 at 10:00 a.m.  October 14 at 1:00 p.m.
May 10 at 10:00 a.m. (Saturday)	November 5 at 10:00 a.m.  November 18 at 1:00 p.m.
June 13 at 9:00am (Youth Orientation)  June 18 at 10:00 a.m.	December 10 at 10:00 a.m.

 Volunteer Benefits:

In addition to the many non-tangible benefits you receive as a volunteer from helping others, SAVAHCS also provides some specific volunteer rewards. If you volunteer for four hours in a day you will receive a complimentary meal at SAVAHCS. All volunteers receive a parking sticker. Parking is free and spaces in lot Q are designated for volunteers only. Throughout the year VA staff make a point of recognizing our volunteer's efforts, but annually volunteers are honored for their hours of service at an awards ceremony and banquet. For more information contact us.

Stop by or call the Volunteer Office Building 4, Room. 107
3601 S. 6th Ave., Tucson 85723
(520) 629-1822

 Donations:

Community resources help extend VAVS services and program potential. Unlike other medical center services, VAVS relies almost entirely on donated support to carry out its purpose: to provide supplemental assistance to the VA and its patients. If you would like to support this program, all monetary & material donations should be submitted through the Volunteer Office Program Manager. Please contact us with questions.

Click here for a specific patient needs list

 How To Contact Us:

Stop by or call the Volunteer Office Building 4, Room. 107
3601 S. 6th Ave., Tucson 85723
(520) 629-1822