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Walking into a hospital or treatment center can be intimidating for anyone, but for a child or teen arriving for behavioral health care, that first moment through the door can feel especially overwhelming. Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services is hoping to change that with a brand-new volunteer program designed to make sure no family faces that moment alone.
The program is called Family Welcome Ambassadors, and it's all about first impressions. Volunteers will be stationed at the main entrance of Pine Rest's Pediatric Center of Behavioral Health, greeting kids, teens and families as they arrive, pointing them in the right direction, answering basic questions, and — maybe most importantly — just making sure they feel welcomed during what can be a really hard day.
"Volunteers play an important role in helping us create a welcoming experience for the children and families we serve," said Kristi Kiel, Pine Rest's Volunteer Coordinator. "Whether someone is arriving for an appointment, coming to the Pediatric Psychiatric Urgent Care Center or beginning an inpatient stay, a friendly face and a helping hand can make a difficult experience a little easier."
The Pediatric Center itself opened in March of this year and is a big deal for the region — it offers 66 inpatient beds, adolescent partial hospitalization programs, outpatient therapy and assessments, and Michigan's first Pediatric Psychiatric Urgent Care Center for kids and teens in crisis.
Here's the good news for anyone interested in volunteering: you don't need a background in health care to apply. Pine Rest provides all the training, including orientation and position-specific instruction, so volunteers walk in prepared. The only real requirements are being at least 18 years old and completing an interview, background check, health screening and immunization verification.
Volunteers commit to one four-hour shift a week for a year, and shifts are available seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. — so there's likely a time slot that fits almost any schedule.
If this sounds like something you'd want to be part of, Pine Rest has more details — and the application — on its Pediatric Center Volunteer Opportunities page.
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