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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General Medical Reserve Corps CDR Brad Austin, MPH, FACHE
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General
Medical Reserve Corps
CDR Brad Austin, MPH, FACHE
MRC “At A Glance”• Mission: Improve the health and safety of
communities across the country by organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other volunteers
• Key Points:– Organize/utilize locally – Integrate with existing programs and resources – Identify, screen/verify credentials, train and
prepare– Include medical and public health professionals,
as well as non-health professionals and other volunteers
– Foster community resiliency
MRC Growth - Units
42 42 42 42 42
166 173193
215 229246
279
319349
408
450483
597
649681
710 721
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
10/1/
2002
1/1/20
034/1
/2003
7/1/20
0310
/1/20
031/1
/2004
4/1/20
047/1
/2004
10/1/
2004
1/1/20
054/1
/2005
7/1/20
0510
/1/20
051/1
/2006
4/1/20
067/1
/2006
10/1/
2006
1/1/20
074/1
/2007
7/1/20
0710
/1/20
07 Now#
MR
C U
nits
MRC Growth - Volunteers
2592 3966
2752334127
43000
55000
62982
7456481223
93714
112089
121729 121696
145976 147383
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000
10/1/
2003
4/1/200
4
7/1/200
4
12/1/
2004
7/1/200
5
10/1/
2005
1/1/200
6
4/1/200
6
7/1/200
6
10/1/
2006
1/1/200
7
4/1/200
7
7/1/200
7
10/1/
2007
Now#
Volu
ntee
rs
MRC Models
• Community-based = No “typical” MRC• All MRC units:
– Provide an organization structure for utilizing members– Pre-identify members– Verify professional licensure/certification– Train/prepare
• Units vary by:– Types/number of volunteers– Sponsor organizations– Partner organizations– Local activities
• Health Departments • Boards of Health• Medical Centers/Hospitals• Medical Societies• Emergency Management Agencies• Citizen Corps Councils• Police/Fire Departments• Volunteer Centers• Regional Planning Groups• Faith Based Organizations• Non-Profit Community Organizations
Sponsor Organizations
• Health Departments• Boards of Health• Health Care
Systems/Hospitals/Clinics• Medical Retiree Groups• Emergency Management• Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs)• Police and Fire Departments• Community-Based Disaster
Groups• Healthcare Outreach Coalitions• Retired and Senior Volunteer
Programs
• Schools and Universities• Emergency Medical Services• Military Organizations/National
Guard • Neighborhood Associations• City Attorney Offices• Local Businesses/Corporations• Others…
Partners
MRC Mission/Roles
• “Ambassadors” of the U.S. Surgeon General…support SGs Priorities for Public Health – Increase Disease/Injury Prevention Efforts– Eliminate Health Disparities– Improve Public Health Preparedness
• Specific missions and roles – locally determined
Support Existing Public Health Resources
Sedgwick Co (KS) MRCHealth Screening and Education on
Mother’s Day at Zoo Upper Merrimack Valley (MA) MRC Blood pressure
clinic
Support Existing Emergency Resources
Omaha (NE) MRCEvacuee Shelter - 2005 Hurricane
Bergen Co (NJ) MRC Dispensing Clinic
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)
• P.L. 109-417• Codified MRC • “…to provide for an adequate supply of
volunteers in the case of a Federal, State, local, or tribal public health emergency”
Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 21
• Issued 18 October 2007 • Subject: Public Health and Medical Preparedness• Critical Components of Public Health and Medical
Preparedness:– Biosurveillance– Countermeasure Stockpiling and Distribution – Mass Casualty Care – Community Resilience
• Implementation Actions
Basic First Aid
Pre-hospital Care
Outpatient Care
Nursing Home Care
Emergency Departments
ICU/TraumaCritical Care
HospitalInpatient Care
Medical Reserve Corps
Metropolitan Medical Response System
Spectrum of Care and Federal Medical Resources
ARC Shelter
NDMS/DMATs
NDMS HospitalsFederal Medical Stations
US Public Health Service
VA/DOD
Volunteers
MRC Program Office
• Support local efforts to establish, implement, and sustain MRC units nationwide
• Promote Community Resiliency!• Goals:
– Awareness and Understanding of the MRC– Strong and Active MRC Units – Federal Deployment Capability
Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps
• Headquartered in the Office of the US Surgeon General• Recently reorganized - direct report to the SG• Dotted-line relationships with White House (USAFC,
HSC), DHS (Citizen Corps) and HHS ASPR
HHS Secretary
Assistant Secretary for Health
Surgeon General
Medical Reserve Corps
ASPR/OPEO
Director
Senior Program Officer, MRC
Program Operations
Senior Program Officer, MRC Deployment Operations
Contract StaffOn-site and Off-site
(Regional Coordinators)
Program Officer Program Officer Program Officer Program Officer
Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps
MRC Program Office
• Support local efforts to establish, implement, and sustain MRC units nationwide
• Promote Community Resiliency!• Goals:
– Awareness and Understanding of the MRC– Strong and Active MRC Units – Federal Deployment Capability
Awareness/Understanding• Leaders, policy makers, stakeholders, supporters,
volunteers and other community members are aware of the MRC as a potential community resource, and understand the benefits and limitations of the MRC concept
• Strategies– Website– Partnerships/relationships– Presentations/exhibits– Marketing/brand awareness– Newsletters/articles
Strong/Active Units
• MRC units are able to organize, train and utilize volunteers in public health, preparedness and emergency response activities
• Strategies– Registration– TA Assessments– Technical Assistance– Leveraging resources…capacity-building, training– Strategic planning– Information sharing
Federal Deployment Capability
• Willing, able and approved MRC members support and augment HHS response capabilities
• Just starting…• Develop processes, policies and procedures
– Organization– Roles/Enrollment Criteria– Identification– Screening
• Background Checks• Credentials Verification
– Training– Activation
Getting Help or More Information
• MRC Program Office– [email protected]– (301) 443-4951
• MRC website– www.medicalreservecorps.gov
• MRC Regional Coordinators• MRC State Coordinators• Contact existing MRC units
Contact InformationBrad Austin, MPH, FACHE
CDR, USPHSSenior Program Officer
Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps Office of the Surgeon General
Room 18C-14, Parklawn Building5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Tel. (301) 443-1388 Fax (301) 443-1163
