Bolivia: Center for Rehabilitation and Mental Health San Juan de Dios

About the local hosting organization

The Center for Rehabilitation and Mental Health San Juan de Dios provides psychiatric care to adults with psychological disorders, drug dependencies, and those from rural or low-income families. The center serves patients from the Departments of Cochabamba, Oruro, and La Paz. Its mission is to contribute to mental health in the Bolivian population by offering therapeutic care and rehabilitation for alcoholism and drug addiction within a Therapeutic Community model. The center also provides outpatient and external monitoring, including family support when necessary, ensuring friendly and welcoming comprehensive care for hospitalized patients. Recently, seven new buildings have been constructed: five are dedicated to accommodating people with mental illness, each with a capacity for 32 male and female patients. The remaining two buildings house the administrative area and the kitchen and laundry facilities. The center primarily serves low-income individuals with specialty psychiatric pathologies at both departmental and national levels.

Presentation of the programme

Collaborate on ATI (comprehensive therapeutic support) existing in different classrooms. If the volunteer has specific skills that can contribute to good learning of patients, activities can be implemented on the different units. Other important roles are planning recreational or sports activities, such activities would be carried forward according to schedule.

About the location

South Zone of Chicani, La Paz

Requirements

A person committed to improving the social conditions of life of others. A person with high ideals, where prevail the welfare of others especially those who most need: homeless persons who have been abandoned and/or mentally ill.