Western State Hospital opened its doors in Hopkinsville in 1854, and a lot has changed since then when it comes to psychiatric healthcare. At Thursday’s Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club meeting, Hospital Community Services Coordinator Doug Hargrove spotlighted the revamp of their volunteer program and opportunities.
Hargrove shared that Western State Hospital was the second psychiatric facility to be constructed in Kentucky, following Eastern State Hospital in Lexington, which opened in 1824. However, Eastern State Hospital was rebuilt in 2013, so Western State Hospital is the oldest psychiatric building still operating in the state.
Today, Western State Hospital is an acute care psychiatric facility for adults that serves the 34 most western counties in the state. Currently, the hospital has a population of 129 patients.
In the past, Hargrove says the hospital would invite the community and volunteers to host events for patients, but that stopped as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. In February, he says students from Fort Campbell High School came to the hospital and hosted a party and activities for patients. They were the first external group to host an event for patients following the pandemic.
Along with students from Fort Campbell, Hargrove says Hopkinsville and Christian County Key Club members, Christian County high school art students, and students from Hillcrest Baptist Church’s Sunday School have hosted programs for hospital patients.
With more folks hosting events to support patients, Hargrove says they have reopened the hospital’s volunteer program and resumed hosting facility tours.
Hargrove says they are also accepting donations of plastic eyeglasses, large-print Bibles and journals. Looking toward next year, Hargrove says they will be hosting a community golf tournament to raise funds to benefit the facility.
More information about volunteer opportunities at the hospital is available at westernstatehospital.ky.gov.