Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry

Belton, Texas, April 2, 2008

Belinda HareState Disaster Volunteer Coordinator

Community Preparedness SectionTexas Department of State Health Services

Birth of ESAR-VHP

ESAR-VHP = Emergency Systems for Advance Registration

of Volunteer Health Professionals

Tragic events of 9/ll Public Health Security and

Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002

Growth of ESAR-VHP

HRSA’s National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program (NBHPP)

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)

Starting in 2009, must be in place or no cooperative agreement funding

Purpose/Functions

Federal perspective: single, nationwide interoperable network of state-owned, state-operated systems

Primary functions: Advance registration Licensure verification Credentialing

Additional Functions

Call down capabilities Search queries Volunteer management Volunteer tracking Reporting, administrative tools

Search capabilities

Profession and specialty Credentialing level Languages spoken DSHS Health Service Region City and/or County Zip code

Texas Customizations

Useful tool for locals Integration with existing systems Must include the lay individual Simple, secure, 24/7/365

availability Help build local ranks of volunteers

Registry Data Elements

Contact information Military service, languages spoken Geographical deployment preferences Willingness to be federalized Affiliations with other volunteer

groups Link to local volunteer groups

Benefits of registry

Resource/asset assessment Effective utilization of assets Automated call downs/confirmations Rapid response to emergencies Volunteer tracking Administrative tools Minimize spontaneous volunteers

Benefits to volunteer

Liability Training Relationship building Safety Effective use of volunteer skills Helping your neighbors National call to service

Phase One

EMCredential technology purchased Domain secured --

www.TexasDisasterVolunteerRegistry.org Linkages built with key Texas licensing

boards and regulatory entities Credentialing linkages built State-level administrators identified

and trained

Phase One (con’t)

Physicians, physician assistants RNs, LVNs, nurse practitioners Pharmacists, pharmacy techs &

interns EMTs/paramedics Social workers, marriage & family

therapists, licensed professional counselors

Phase One (con’t) Start state-level recruitment Place Texas Disaster Volunteer

Registry logo on Web sites Populate via linkages/recruitment with

state partners (TMA, TOMA, TNA, TPA) Beta testing with Harris County and

Northeast Texas Medical Reserve Corps

Exercise/improve

Phase Two

Integrate additional disciplines Dentists Respiratory therapists & techs Surgical technologists Medical & clinical laboratory techs Veterinarians Others

Phase Two (con’t)

Operationalize on local/regional levels Focus on ESF 8, health and medical Identify local/regional administrators Train administrators on system Integrate linkages with local/regional

volunteer systems Assist with local/regional recruitment

Phase Two (con’t)

Integrate Protect Texas SNS volunteers Explore integrating public health staff

into Registry Explore linkages with faith-based and

other community volunteer groups Identify/incorporate minimal training

standards/competency into system

Registry logo/icon

Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry

Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry

Volunteer

Nurses

Pharmacists

Mental Health

Workers

Physicians

EMTParamedics

Local EOC

Local Hospital

HealthServiceRegion

Local PublicHealth

StateMACCCredentialing

Entities

Licensure VerificationRecruitment

Credentia

ling

STATE

Region Region Region Region Region Region RegionRegion

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Access to Registry

Local EOC, hospitals, public health: access to city/county volunteers

Health Service Regions/SNS Planners: access to volunteers in geographic area

DSHS Multi-agency Coordination Center (MACC): access through local/regional Points of Contacts to volunteers statewide

Administrative Considerations Web-based system (Internet) Need to identify administrator/back up Local volunteer groups’ folders may

use a “store front”○ Group’s logo○ Individual “welcome”

message○ Import flat files or data

Local Administrator

Manages volunteers independently via the Registry

Primarily responsible for recruitment, retention, training of volunteers

Requests assistance through Regional Administrator

POC for Regional/State Administrators

Local Administrator (con’t) Call downs through PHIN (e-mails,

phone calls, blast faxes) Search for specific volunteers Event module = key Resource typing of medical

volunteers Volunteer tracking Reporting, administrative functions

Regional Administrator

Coordinates requests over regional, geographic area

Serves as POC for local groups and state administrator

Requests for assistance will flow from local to regional to state administrator

(Larger, urban areas may have sub-regional administrators)

Challenges/Issues Liability, workman’s compensation,

background checks, policy issues Interstate exchange of volunteers,

portability of licensure/credentials Financial sustainability Logistical support of registry

volunteers Badging/identification issues

Driver’s License of the Future

For more information…

Belinda HareState Disaster Volunteer Coordinator

Texas Department of State Health Services

Belinda.Hare@dshs.state.tx.usPhone: (512) 458-7219