Building Community Resiliency: Louisiana ESAR-VHP

1. Building Community Resiliency: Louisiana ESAR-VHP

2. Presentation Objectives • Discuss Louisiana’s approach to the federally mandated Department of Health and Human Services ESAR-VHP Program. • Discuss recruitment and retention efforts currently being implemented by program. • Provide participants a sneak peak at the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Implementation Plan to help sustain and develop state units. • Provide future direction for the state’s volunteer program.

3. What is the purpose of ESAR-VHP? Build local, state, and federal health workforce surge capacity during disasters through a state-based, national system for registering health professional volunteers in advance of an emergency.

4. Nursing/Medical Louisiana Nurses in Action EMT Database in Bureau of EMS Non-Medical Allied Health Mental Health Pharmacy Database in Conjunction with ULM Uniting All Disciplines

5. LAVA System • LAVA is Louisiana’s approach to HHS federally mandated Emergency Systems for Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) Program. • LAVA works to recruit, credential, train, manage and deploy volunteers (medical and non-medical). • Launched on December 17, 2007.

6. LAVA LaunchingDecember 17, 2007

7. Volunteers By the Numbers Post Launching

8. Volunteer Numbers as of Wednesday, March 5, 2008

9. Volunteer Numbers as of Wednesday, March 5, 2008

10. Advanced Practice Nurse Athletic Trainer Audiologist Behavioral Health Professional Cardiovascular Technologist/Technician Chiropractor Counselor, Mental Health Counselor, Rehabilitation Counselor, School Counselor, Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Dental Assistant Dental Hygienist Dentist Dietetic Technician Dietitian EMT - Basic EMT - Intermediate EMT - Paramedic Environmental Health Inspector/Regulator Epidemiologist First Responder Health Educator Home Health Aide Human Service Technician Immunization Services Worker Laboratorian Licensed Practical Nurs3 Marriage & Family Therapist Medical and Clinical Lab Technician Medical and Clinical Lab Technologist Medical Assistant Nuclear Medicine Technologist Nursing Aide, Orderly, or Attendant Nutritionist Occupational Therapist Optician Optometrist Orthotist or Prosthetist Other Personal and Home Care Aide Pharmacist Pharmacy Aide Pharmacy Technician Physical Therapist Physical Therapist Aide Physical Therapist Assistant Physician Physician Assistant Podiatrist Health Professionals Recruited • Psychiatric Aide • Psychiatric Rehabilitation Worker • Psychologist • Public Health Nurse • Radiation Therapist • Radiologic Technologist/Technician • Recreational Therapist • Registered Nurse • Respiratory Therapist • Respiratory Therapy Technician • Social Worker • Social Worker, Medical and Public Health • Social Worker, Mental Health and Substance Abuse • Special Needs Care Provider • Speech Language Pathologist • Surgical Technologist • Toxicologist • Veterinarian • Veterinary Assistant • Veterinary Technologist/Technician

11. and Non-medical!

12. Training Provided on System • The State of Louisiana Office of Public Health collaborates extensively with the South Central Public Health Partnership (SCPHP). This partnership is comprised of four states (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) and two schools of public health (Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health). • This prompted the implementation of the SABA Learning Management System that is maintained by the partnership. • The Office of Public Health and the South Central Public Health Partnership has once again collaborated on an initiative to allow volunteers to access and complete courses in the SABA learning management system at no cost to the volunteer. • This serves a two-fold purpose as it reinforces the need for training course development that spans across all aspects of public health, and allows for volunteers to receive the training they need without cost to them.

13. Learning Management System Course listing serve as links to the Learning Management System. Active transcript of courses taken by volunteer maintained in website.

14. How do we Utilized Volunteers? Exercises Public Health Emergencies Training Drills

15. Licensing Board Integration Status • Phase 1 (Completed) • Louisiana State Board of Nursing • Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners • DEA Pharmaceutical License • OIG LEIE Exclusion Database • Phase 2 • Board of Examiners in Dietetics and Nutrition • Examiners of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology • Social Work Examiners Board • Bureau of Emergency Medical Services • Louisiana State Board of Licensed Practical Nurses • Louisiana Board of Radiologic Technologist • Louisiana Board of Social Work

16. Recruitment Strategies • DHH/OPH Websites • Media/Marketing Campaign • Statewide Press Release Issued • (February 6, 2008) • Newspaper Ads/Online Advertising • (February 10, 2008) • Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lafayette, Opelousas, Houma, Thibodaux, Lake Charles, New Orleans

17. How does the System Work? Records all volunteer affiliations Jane Doe Catches duplicate affiliations Jane Doe

18. Recruitment Strategies • Letter Writing Campaign to State Volunteer Organizations • Purchasing Promotionals and Recruitment Packets • Partnering with Health Care Boards: • Board of Nursing • Board of Medical Examiners • Board of Social Work • Board of Pharmacy

19. Recruitment Strategies • Mail-outs • Current Volunteer Pool • Partnering with Bureau of Emergency Medical Services during Re-certification • Conferences • Louisiana School Nurses Organization • March 12 -14, 2008 • National Association of Social Work – LA Chapter • April 9 – 11, 2008

20. Recruitment Strategies • Universities • Community/Civic Groups • Fraternal Clubs • Professional Organizations • Volunteer Centers • YOU!

21. Retention Strategies • Trainings/Training course reminders • Developing monthly newsletter • Sending emergency preparedness tips • Spotlighting volunteers for their efforts • Inviting volunteers to serve on planning committees • Sending formal “Thank You” letters for services rendered

22. 2007 Trust for America’s Health Report

23. Trust for America’s Health ReportDecember 2007

24. Community Resiliency • The U.S. government defines “community resilience” as the ability of a community to cope and recover from a disaster or public health emergency. • This requires residents, community-based organizations, local businesses, and government to take meaningful action before a disaster or emergency.

25. 2007 Trust for America’s Health Report: Community Resiliency • Indicator: • Does Louisiana meet a minimum threshold of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers per 100,000 persons? • Threshold: • 14 Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers per 100,000 of state population

26. 2007 Trust for American’s Health Report Louisiana 332 MRC Volunteers Needed

27. MRC Implementation Plan

28. Building State MRC Capacity • Hired State Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator January 2008. • Evaluating current status of State MRCs. • Developed Draft MRC Implementation Plan. • Piloting Junior Medical Reserve Corps Program.

29. Strategies to Foster Support from Local MRC • Supplemental funding • Use of the LAVA website for the purpose of professional credentialing • Background checks • Volunteer referrals from the LAVA System • Access to additional volunteer support • Participation is state sponsored drills, exercises and training • Liability protection

30. LAVA MRC Recruitment

32. Next Steps • Addressing Volunteer Liability • Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act • Regional meetings to discuss MRC Implementation Plan • Junior Medical Reserve Corps • Recruitment! Recruitment! Recruitment!

33. Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act • Provides for: • Making volunteer health professionals readily available to host state during declared emergency. • Requires volunteers to affiliate with state registration systems such as LAVA and MRC to discourage spontaneous volunteers and to promote volunteer recruitment/training. • Requires volunteers to limit services provided to those that they are licensed and skilled to provide. • Gives authority over out-of-state volunteers to licensing boards and host agencies. • Liability protection • Workman’s compensation

34. Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioner Legislative Activity HI WA VT NH AK MT ME ND MN OR ID MA SD WI NY MI RI WY CT PA IA NJ NE NV DE OH IN IL UT MD CA CO WV VA DC KS MO KY NC TN AZ OK NM AR SC Enacted GA AL MS TX LA Introduced in 2007 FL Planned Introduction in 2008 PR - (Puerto Rico) VI - (U.S. Virgin Islands)

35. Contact Information: Mardrah Starks-Robinson, MPA Program Manager Volunteer Management Phone: 225-763-3965 Email: mmstarks@dhh.la.gov Pamela Brue, MPA Program Monitor – State MRC Coordinator Volunteer Management Phone: 225-763-5545 Email: pbrue1@dhh.la.gov

36. www.lava.dhh.louisiana.gov