USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN DRUG ABUSE AFTERCARE (FROM ADDICTS AND AFTERCARE - COMMUNITY INTEGRATION OF THE FORMER DRUG USER, 1979, BY BARRY S BROWN - SEE NCJ-62537)

• NCJ Number: 62541
• Author(s): S E GARDNER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

ISSUES RELATED TO THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE EXPLORED.

Abstract

THE 1977 ANNUAL SURVEY OF VOLUNTEER USE CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE SHOWED THAT ONLY 3 PERCENT OF ALL HOURS WORKED WITHIN FEDERALLY-FUNDED DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS WERE VOLUNTEER HOURS. YET DRUG TREATMENT AFTERCARE APPEARS TO OFFER THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEER WORK AVAILABLE IN OTHER HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY ROLES (COUNSELING, FOR EXAMPLE), MAY AID PAID STAFF IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR ROLES, AND CAN DEAL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS CRUCIAL TO THE REINTEGRATION OF THE EX-ABUSER. WHILE THE MAIN ADVANTAGE OF VOLUNTEERS IS OBVIOUS (WORK PERFORMED AT NO COST), DISADVANTAGES DO EXIST, FOR EXAMPLE, AN UNSTABLE WORK FORCE, AMBIGUOUS PROFESSIONAL AND LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF VOLUNTEERS TO CLIENTS, AND THE THREAT THAT MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THE PAID STAFF FROM VOLUNTEERS WHO PERFORM SIMILAR TASKS WITHOUT PAY. THE ADVANTAGES OF THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS CLEARLY OUTWEIGH THE DISADVANTAGES, HOWEVER, AND ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD DEVELOP A KNOWLEDGE OF VOLUNTEER RESOURCES THAT WILL ENHANCE EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT AND USE OF VOLUNTEERS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)