Volunteers and interns
Why volunteer or work as an intern with a state supported living center?
The Texas state supported living centers provide round-the-clock residential treatment and
training services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Each of the state supported living centers has its own volunteer and intern program that provides opportunities and activities that help enhance residents' quality of life. (Click here to learn more about the state supported living centers.)
Volunteer opportunities
Activities vary among the state supported living centers. Volunteer projects can include:
- landscaping projects,
- assistance with observance of holiday ceremonies,
- art classes,
- music therapy or
- recreational activities.
Internship opportunities
DADS offers a variety of internships in state supported living centers and other DADS offices. Please visit the Internship website for internship discipline information.
Application and training
State supported living center volunteers and interns are an integral part in the lives of the people who live at the state supported living centers.
Three easy steps
- To begin your volunteer or intern experience at a state supported living center, you must first complete the easy on-line DADS volunteer application. (If you prefer to complete the volunteer application in hard copy form, please contact DADS Volunteer and Community Engagement unit at 1-800-889-8595.) The minimum age to volunteer at DADS is 14. A center may specify a minimum age above 14 for specific volunteer assignments.
- All state supported living center volunteers and interns must undergo a criminal background check. Convictions of criminal offenses that bar being accepted as a volunteer can be found in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1 , Chapter 4, Subchapter K, Rule ยง4.505.
After the volunteer application is submitted online, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with further instructions to complete the criminal background check requirements.
- All state supported living center volunteers and interns are required to take the six training courses listed below. At the end of the last course, "Rights of Consumers," you will be able to download a certificate of completion. You must fill in the required informational fields at the bottom of the certificate. This certificate is your proof of completion of orientation and a copy must be provided to the volunteer supervisor.
Required State Supported Living Center Volunteer Training
Web-based Training
- DADS 101
- Volunteer Orientation: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Volunteer Orientation: Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
- Volunteer Orientation: Emergency Response Training
- Volunteer Orientation: Infection Control
- Volunteer Orientation: Rights of Consumers
You may need to disable your web browser's pop-up blocker for the course to work properly. (Some web browsers may refer to this as "enabling" pop-ups.) You may have more than one pop-up blocker on your computer. Check for additional pop-up blockers on your Tools menu and on any additional toolbars, such as Google or Yahoo. ALL pop-up blockers must be disabled in order for this course to work. If disabling all your pop-up blockers doesn't work, try holding down the control key and click on your browser's refresh/reload icon to refresh your computer.
If your volunteer assignment requires that you take the computer security course or the HIPAA course below, the volunteer coordinator will tell you.
Updated: April 3, 2013