Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry Belton, Texas, April 2, 2008

1. Texas Disaster Volunteer RegistryBelton, Texas, April 2, 2008 Belinda Hare State Disaster Volunteer Coordinator Community Preparedness Section Texas Department of State Health Services

2. 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

3. 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

4. Purpose/Functions • Federal perspective: single, nationwide interoperable network of state-owned, state-operated systems • Primary functions: • Advance registration • Licensure verification • Credentialing

5. Additional Functions • Call down capabilities • Search queries • Volunteer management • Volunteer tracking • Reporting, administrative tools

6. Search capabilities • Profession and specialty • Credentialing level • Languages spoken • DSHS Health Service Region • City and/or County • Zip code

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Phase Two • Integrate additional disciplines • Dentists • Respiratory therapists & techs • Surgical technologists • Medical & clinical laboratory techs • Veterinarians • Others

15. 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

16. 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

17. Registry logo/icon

18. Volunteer Physicians Local EOC Texas Disaster VolunteerRegistry Nurses Local Hospital Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry Pharmacists Local Public Health Licensure Verification Recruitment EMT Paramedics Health Service Region Credentialing Credentialing Entities Mental Health Workers State MACC

19. STATE Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local Local

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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)

25. 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

26. Driver’s License of the Future

27. For more information… Belinda Hare State Disaster Volunteer Coordinator Texas Department of State Health Services Belinda.Hare@dshs.state.tx.us Phone: (512) 458-7219