U S Department of Health and Human Services

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General Medical Reserve Corps

MRC Concept • Nationwide network of community-based groups of volunteers who are interested in strengthening public health • Organize the volunteers in support of existing programs and resources to improve the health and safety of communities (and the nation) • Identify, credential, train and prepare volunteers (mostly medical and public health professionals) at the community level and in advance of an emergency • Strengthening the “everyday” public health infrastructure will improve preparedness/response

MRC Status • 408 MRC units in 49 states, the District of Columbia, U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam • Over 74, 000 volunteers Ø Physician Assistants Ø Nurse Practitioners Ø Registered Nurses Ø Dentists Ø Veterinarians Ø Pharmacists Ø Mental Health Professionals Ø EMTs and Paramedics Ø Epidemiologists Ø Health Educators Ø Others…

MRC Volunteers

For more information: see www. medicalreservecorps. gov

Ambassadors of the Surgeon General • Support Surgeon General’s Priorities for Public Health • Support Existing Community Resources – Public Health Initiatives – Emergency Preparedness and Response

Support Existing Public Health Resources Upper Merrimack Valley (MA) MRC Flu Vaccination Sedgwick County (KS) MRC Diabetes Detection Initiative

Support Existing Emergency Resources Southwest Florida MRC Hurricane Response Clark County (NV) MRC First Aid at American Heart Walk

Roles • MRC members can have a profound impact on the health and safety of their community • Examples: Ø Ø Serve as MRC leaders Provide medical care Administer vaccines and dispense medications Provide health education as part of a local public health initiative Ø Provide counseling for victims, families and responders Ø Promote preparedness Ø Provide administrative, logistical and communications support

2005 Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts • Establishing medical needs shelters • Providing medical support in evacuee shelters and clinics • Filling in locally for others who were deployed to the disaster-affected regions • Immunizing responders prior to their deployment to the disaster affected regions • Staffing response hotlines • Teaching emergency preparedness to community members

An Evolution of the MRC Concept • Identifying mechanisms to allow involvement outside of local jurisdictions • Various mechanisms – state-to-state mutual aid agreements and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) – American Red Cross – HHS “Federalization” process…serving as an auxiliary of the Public Health Service

National Efforts MRC Support for American Red Cross Disaster Operations Health services, mental health and shelter operations roles > 700 applications received > 400 MRC members received assignments or are approved for travel MRC Support for HHS Recovery Efforts Provide supplemental staffing for special needs shelters, clinics, strike teams and other assignments > 800 MRC members volunteered to support this mission ~ 200 MRC members activated

White House Recommendation • HHS should organize, train, equip, and roster medical and public health professionals in preconfigured and deployable teams • Include the PHS Commissioned Corps, the Do. D, the VA, the NDMS, and members of the MRC

A work in progress… • Volunteer Management • Credentialing – Connection with ESAR-VHP • Training – Connection with NACCHO – Connection with PHF • Legal Protections • Activation

How to find your local MRC www. medicalreservecorps. gov

For More Information: Tel. (301) 443 -4951 MRCcontact@osophs. dhhs. gov www. medicalreservecorps. gov

Contact Information Robert J. Tosatto, RPh, MPH, MBA CDR, USPHS Director, Medical Reserve Corps Program Office of the Surgeon General Room 18 C-14, Parklawn Building 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Tel. (301) 443 -2528 Fax (301) 443 -1163 rtosatto@osophs. dhhs. gov www. medicalreservecorps. gov