Patient Family Housing Program Volunteer Interest Form

Thank you for your interest in the Patient Family Housing Program.

All volunteers who come onsite follow strict safety guidelines to ensure the safety and comfort of patients and families staying within the Patient Family Housing Program.

You will receive a response back from a Patient Family Housing Program Staff Member within two business days.

Full Name

Email Address:

Phone Number

Phone

Company, Group, or Organization Name (if applicable)

Secondary Contact Information – Name/Email (if applicable)

Have you been working with someone from Boston Children’s Trust? If so, please let us know who you’ve been communicating with.

How are you interested in volunteering?

*Please note: Hosting a meal or craft includes bringing supplies, on-site preparation, and clean up.

Host a meal*

Host an activity / craft*

Host a pantry/toiletry donation drive

Donate food or catered meals

Donate a craft

Donate pantry and/or toiletry needs

Specific holiday activation or event (i.e. Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Cookie Decoration, Holiday Meal, etc.)

Other, please note below

I am Interested in volunteering on a specific date:

mm/dd/yyyy

What days and times are you/your group available to volunteer?

How many volunteers do you expect to attend?

Please note: The maximum number of volunteers is eight at either location.

Patient Family Housing Program Volunteer Guidelines

General Guidelines for All onsite Patient Family Housing Volunteers

All volunteers are required to sign in with the patient family staff upon arrival using a QR code.
All volunteers are required to be vaccinated against the flu.
If you are feeling ill or experiencing any flu/cold or similar symptoms, we ask you refrain from volunteering as we do not want to risk immunocompromised patients.
A designated timeframe will be determined with the group before the commitment date.
If the available days do not work for your group, you are encouraged to speak with the program manager to discuss the possibility of expanding the schedule in the future.

Meal Guidelines

On-Site Meal Preparation: Meals prepared on-site must be individually packaged to facilitate easy grab-and-go options for families.
Meal Cleanup: Wash cooking utensils, return all items to designated storage area, empty trash.
Catered Meals: Catered meals can be delivered any day of the week, outside of already scheduled meal events. We ask that these items be individually packaged to allow for convenient grab-and-go options for families.
Supplies for Meal Preparation: The Patient Family Housing Program will provide disposable masks and gloves as needed. Volunteers are encouraged to bring individual food containers for packaging. Please discuss the supplies needed for meal preparation with program staff before the scheduled date of the meal/activity.
Suggested Meal Formats: Options include outdoor BBQ, catered individual meals, and on-site prepared meals (all individually packaged).
Menu Approval: All menu items must be approved in at least one week in advance by the Patient Family Housing Program staff.

Activity Guidelines

Craft activities are encouraged to be individually packaged with instructions and all necessary supplies, providing an easy grab-and-go option for families.
Volunteers are welcome to assist patient families with the crafts or you can drop the individually packaged craft kits off any day of the week.
Suggested activity formats include store bought craft kits or kits that can be organized in storage bags/clear containers. All items to complete the activity much be provided (i.e. safety scissors, pencils, crayons, tape, glue, pipe cleaners, etc.)

HIPAA Confidentiality and Boundaries

Volunteers enter the hospital with unique goals and must differentiate their personal needs from those of patients and families. This ongoing self-awareness is crucial throughout their volunteer tenure.

Volunteer interactions should support existing resources and adhere to supervisory staff directions to establish clear boundaries with patients and families. Volunteers must avoid over-involvement and remember they differ from professional staff, limiting interactions to their defined roles.

Volunteering at Children’s Hospital involves emotional complexity and requires separating personal needs from patient and family needs. Volunteers must build caring relationships while maintaining boundaries, being friendly but not becoming friends. Supervisory staff and Volunteer Services are available to discuss concerns.

We ask to please refrain from taking any photographs of patients and their families. For special occasions only on a case-by-case basis, we do offer a photo authorization form.

The following behaviors are strongly discouraged and may result in dismissal from the volunteer program:

Visiting patients or families outside of your assigned volunteer shift
Engaging socially with patients or families outside the hospital
Visiting patients or families after their discharge
Providing ongoing support to families after the death of a child
Purchasing personal gifts for patients or families
“Competing” with staff or other volunteers for the attention or affection of patients or families
Failing to report or withholding information on patient or family concerns to staff
Offering rides to patients or families
Communicating with patients via online platforms such as their Care Page
Exchanging personal contact information with patients or families (i.e. home address, phone numbers, etc.)
Texting patient information from your cell phone
Posting any content on social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X) that relates to patient information or interactions within the volunteer program

Social Media Guidelines

This section applies to all social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and others.

Do not post any patient or family-related information on social media, whether explicitly stated or implied.
Forming social media connections, such as becoming “friends” or “connections” with patients or their families, violates HIPAA and professional boundaries. It is crucial to maintain a professional relationship to ensure the integrity of care provided.
Remember that anything shared on social media can reach a wide audience, including individuals both known and unknown to you. Your comments might be interpreted as offensive or inappropriate, so exercise caution when sharing stories or comments.

If you have additional questions, feel free to give us a call at 617-919-3456 or email us at familyhousing@childrens.harvard.edu

Acknowledgment and Agreement to Adhere to the Patient Family Housing Program’s Volunteer Guidelines and Boston Children’s Hospital’s Volunteer Boundaries:

I have read the above guidelines pertaining to the volunteer guidelines and agree to adhere to these procedures.

Yes

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