SERV-OR Newsletter. Oregon MRC Updates. HHS Delivers Health Security Strategy

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1 March 2010 State Emergency Registry of Volunteers in Oregon Volunteers Building Strong, Healthy and Prepared Communities This is the place to read and learn about what is happening with the Medical Reserve Corps and the State Managed Volunteer Pool at the National, State and Local level. We want to express our THANKS to all volunteers for making Oregon a safer and healthier place! Oregon MRC Updates Did you know. The Marion County MRC medical tent committee is creating new procedures for raising and packing the tent. The easy turn ring card holder will display laminated pages with easy steps to follow, including pictures. Inside this issue: 2010 Integrated Training 2 MRC/VISTA Project Updates 2 Meet the newest VISTA! 2 MRC Units in Oregon have been working hard this past quarter on various activities: Clackamas County: Held a successful volunteer orientation on January 27, The unit has 15 new volunteers (and counting) since January 1 st! Eight volunteers met to discuss how an MRC-staffed treatment center would operate within a Red Cross shelter. The discussion will be continued on an online discussion board. Columbia County: Two MRC volunteers assisted Public Health staff with vaccinations at 4 small H1N1 clinics targeting individuals with a mental health diagnosis as well as the MRDD population. MRC volunteers also assisted with two H1N1 vaccination clinics in February. There will be an orientation event for new members of the Columbia County MRC on March 4 th in St. Helens. Deschutes County Public Health: Volunteers gave well over 300 hours to school-based H1N1 vaccination clinics and the Shots for Tots school exclusion clinics. Their unit is in the process of coordinating exciting new health education opportunities for volunteers and preparing for a volunteer appreciation breakfast! Jackson County: Created their first newsletter. They have scheduled volunteer orientations at the end of March in the new high tech Jackson County Emergency Operations Center. Projected trainings for this year will include Psychological First Aid. They are going to be participating in a joint training exercise in an airplane disaster this summer. Marion County: Recently welcomed 25 new volunteers! A volunteer orientation is planned for March. There are also a number of other trainings planned including a HAM radio training exercise on March 18, 2010 as well as a Tent raising and radio exercise on June 17, Nehalem Bay: They are reaching out to county partnerships in a recruitment effort and partnering to develop a rural training curriculum for MRC volunteers. They are fostering community collaboration around medical preparedness and healthy lifestyles. They have been growing exponentially in the number of volunteers and hope to continue to do so. Washington County: Volunteers have been busy with H1N1 community clinics and new volunteer orientations. They held 15 vaccination clinics located mostly in apartment complexes throughout the county totaling 324 volunteer hours. MRC volunteers had the opportunity to participate in Project Homeless Connect in January where volunteers provided medical screening and documentation for the H1N1 vaccination clinic. They held two new volunteer orientations where 40 volunteers were orientated on MRC history, procedures, and operations. Yamhill County: Will be holding their first orientation on February 24. This is exciting as the unit has now grown to 10 volunteers! Strategic Planning Retreat 3 Jackson County Incentive 3 Citizen Corp Meet and 3 SERV-OR Updates 4 New State Badging System 4 CST Radiological Exercise 4 Statewide MRC Meeting 5 SMVP Orientations 5 HHS Delivers Health Security Strategy The United States Department of Human Health and Services Delivers the Nation's First Health Security Strategy In 2009, Medical Reserve Corps units in select areas were invited to participate in community meetings to discuss the development of the first Health Security Strategy for the Nation. With the recent unveiling of this strategy by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the MRC input was favorably received! The strategy is designed to achieve two goals: 1. Build community resiliency and 2. Strengthen and sustain health and emergency response systems. MRC helps to achieve both goals. Sebelius explained The National Health Security Strategy is a call to action for each of us so that every community becomes fully prepared and ready to recover quickly after an emergency. The Office of the Civilian Volunteer MRC considers Public Health Resiliency the vision for the MRC. To view the complete strategy, please visit:

2 Page Integrated Training Summit The 2010 Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness and Response Training Summit will be held in Nashville, Tennessee from May th. The Summit is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This training summit brings together HHS partners including the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (OCVMRC), the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR- VHP), and the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment (OFRD). The Integrated Training Summit is co-sponsored by the Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. This forum permits coordination, collaboration and interaction amongst the target audience - the leaders and members of these preparedness and response partner organizations. Expert faculty will present on key focus areas; Healthcare Systems, Leadership, ESF#8 Integration, Resources, Public Health and Medical. Networking with these expert faculty members and fellow participants, many of whom are the nation s leaders in the area of public health emergencies, will provide insight into the latest information available in the area of emergency response and coordination. All members of the VISTA team will be attending. If you are interested in learning more about the summit, please visit org/ Some of the VISTA members proudly posing in front of the Medical Tent at the CST exercise MRC/VISTA Partnership Updates The MRC/VISTA Partnership Project is halfway through its first year and lots of exciting things have been accomplished! Recently the VISTA team had a mid-year training retreat. Amy Potthast from Idealist.org led a workshop on professional development skills including topics like resume writing, effective job searching, interviewing techniques and graduate school discussion. The retreat was held at the home of Kevin Cradock and Akiko Berkman graciously fed everyone! The team left the retreat confident going forward with their post- VISTA planning. Looking ahead to the future of the MRC/VISTA Partnership, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has approved funding for the State to continue with the program for next year. Starting in August, 15 new VISTA members will be placed at MRC units around Oregon. MRC units who want a VISTA are in the process of applying to the State. If you know of anyone who may be interested in joining the MRC VISTA Team in August 2010 please have them contact Maria Galle, VISTA Leader at maria.galle@state.or.us for more information. Here are some impressive numbers accomplished by the VISTA team in the first 6 months: New MRC volunteers recruited: 565 Volunteers supported : 890 Number of hours served by MRC volunteers: 1,478 New partnerships developed: 32 Hours put towards H1N1 activity: 1340 hours Great Job VISTA Team! Meet the Newest VISTA member! There is a new VISTA member that joined the team in January Barbra Henry is serving as a VISTA at Jackson County MRC. Read her story. Hello! I am a second year AmeriCorps VISTA, and the new MRC Volunteer Coordinator. I am looking forward to a wonderful and exciting year with the Medical Reserve Corps! stration. I joined AmeriCorps VISTA program because of my past volunteer work and background, and found the experience full of growth opportunities, and tremendously rewarding. AmeriCorps and The Medical Reserve Corps consist of all the values that I hold dear. As a MRC Volunteer Coordinator, I work closely with Carol Knapp to help coordinate resources, compile newsletters, and training opportunities for Jackson County MRC volunteers. I collect data about the resources and programs avail- I have lived in the Rogue Valley for over 14 years and graduated in 2006 with an Associates of Arts in Healthcare Adminiable for MRC Volunteer Professionals, and help support volunteers through orientations and trainings. My years with law enforcement, and spending countless hours with the Navajo in New Mexico and the Choctaw in Mississippi as a freelance photojournalist, has more than prepared me for this opportunity with the MRC. Welcome Welcome Barbra!

3 Page 3 Regional HRC/MRC Strategic Planning Retreat On January 28, 2010 a regional HRC/MRC retreat was held. Zumana Rios presented background of the MRC program and accomplishments to date. VISTA members, Meredith Preble and Mary Rose Walker presented on their work to standardize volunteer orientation training throughout the region. Regional behavioral health planner Judy Olivier, PhD, presented two different trainings she has developed dealing with disaster behavioral health. One is Psychological First Aid training, a two hour session that can be done in the evenings. The other is a full day Disaster Behavioral Health Intervention. She is willing to offer these trainings to MRC units. VISTA members, Mary Rose and Jason Addie presented a demonstration of an Access database they developed that MRC units can use to track trainings, orientations, and other volunteer events. The database is very user friendly and can be customized to fit MRC unit needs. Kathy Thompson led a discussion to find out what counties were doing in terms of bloodborne pathogen training for volunteers. One of the outcomes of the meeting was an agreement by the Counties to do 4 Psychological First Aid (PFA) trainings between now and June. Each County will hold 1 PFA training. They plan to invite OVERT (veterinary group) and SMVP (state volunteers) to the trainings. The next meeting will be held April 28, 2010 from 1:00pm 3:00pm. Location TBD. Front Row (left to right): Akiko Berkman, Zumana Rios, Kathy Thompson, Judy Olivier Back Row (left to right): Meredith Preble, Kathryn Richer, Cynthia Valdivia, Anne Parrott, Sue Mohnkern, Mary Rose Walker Jackson County Offers Volunteers Incentive Jackson County has developed a creative incentive for their volunteers to complete their required trainings. As an incentive, a Personal Emergency Response Kit will be awarded to Jackson County volunteers who have completed local orientation and received their certificates for two Incident Command System (ICS) classes: IS-700.a and either the IS-100.a or IS- 100.HC. Volunteers have one year to complete two introductory classes in the Incident Command System (ICS). Classes may be taken online or they may attend a live workshop that will be offered later in the year. Meet and Greet! Hosted by: OTTR Region 2 Medical Reserve Corps Regional Coordinator: Ann Steeves Volunteers Gathering to Strengthen Our Region Friday, March 5th, :00PM to 9:00PM Linn County Expo Center Albany, Oregon Please contact Corey Fisher, OTTR Region 2 MRC Program Assistant at (541) or t-cofisher@samhealth.org with any questions.

4 Page 4 These new changes are very exciting as they will enhance the usability of the website for volunteers and volunteer coordinators alike. - Zachary Werkhoven on the new SERV-OR version SERV-OR Version Updates SERV-OR Version 3.3 Due April 2010, Version 4.1 Due Summer 2010 The current version of the SERV- OR registry, verison 3.2, will be upgraded in April The newer version will include better on-screen use of space, better formatting, and improved reports for local unit coordinators. The interface projects with the Oregon Medical Board, Board of Pharmacy, and Board of Licensed Clinical Social workers is in progress. Project staff have been working with Confuzer Inc, GLSuite Inc, and EMSystems LLC to finalize online automated verification of physicians, physician assistants, social workers, pharmacists, and pharmacy technologists. Additionally, MRC VISTA Zachary Werkhoven is sitting on a national work group to improve the feature set for another 2010 SERV OR system release, version 4.1, which aims to make significant improves on system utility and workflows. Introductions and orientations for both Version 3.3 and Version 4.1 will be discussed on monthly MRC statewide calls and also during the HAN- HOSCAP monthly user group webinar sessions in late spring. New State MRC Badging System is Here! We are pleased to announce that the state office has finalized a contract with Legend ID to create volunteer ID badges. The new badges will feature volunteer names, picture IDs, license type with a color coded bar for quick reference, expiration date, and bar codes, one for tracking volunteer activations and one recording emergency contact information for volunteers. This new badge system will improve our ability to manage volunteers on site in the event of an emergency, as well as allow us to track and review detailed history of volunteer service. Knowing where each volunteer is and what time they arrived will allow us to coordinate them more effectively. The ability to track volunteer service history provides the benefit of knowing a given volunteer s experience and familiarity with the activation and response process. The badges also improve security on site, as volunteers will be required to where that at any time that they are serving. They also improve workflow on scene, as they offer the ability for all responders to know who they are talking to and what their professional qualifications allow them to do. One of the primary goals of the MRC is to organize and distribute volunteers according to their qualifications and specialties so that emergency response efforts are coordinated, safe, and effective. Color-coded badges with names and pictures allow us to do just this. We look forward to implementing this new system to improve our capacity to respond to disaster for Oregon in time of need. Volunteers who have completed the required trainings and orientations for their respective units can expect to receive their ID badges in the mail sometime in the middle of March. Now that s team work! Volunteers work together to assemble the Medical Tent MRC teams up with CST for Radiological Exercise On December 9, 2009 the Oregon National Guard - 102nd Civil Support Team and a group of MRC and State Managed Volunteer Pool Volunteers joined together for a training exercise at the Salem Fire Department Training Facility. The scenario was part of a radiological services exercise where an employee had a mental breakdown, took radiological materials from work and planned to fly crash into the state capitol building. However, there were difficulties and the plan ended up crashing into a school building setting off a mass casualty incident. MRC participants went through a formal check in process where they were given vests and job action sheets. Captain Ramirez from the CST gave an overview of the scenario and then the group braved the below freezing temperatures to set up the medical tent outside (led by Marion County MRC). After a lunch, provided by the State, volunteers received a hand s on training in basic radiation response by Justin Spence from the Public Health Radiological Services. The exercise was a great opportunity to introduce SERV-OR! volunteers (MRC and SMVP) to the work of the CST and to build a partnership between CST and SERV-OR!

5 Page 5 Statewide Medical Reserve Corps Meeting Make sure to mark your calendar for this wonderful opportunity! When: Monday, March 29, 2010 Where: Portland State Office Building, Room 1-B 800 NE Oregon St. Portland, OR When: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm This meeting will focus on some very valuable and pertinent information pertaining to MRC coordinators, including volunteer liability and volunteer management best practices. There will also be an opportunity to have regional break out discussions. Portland State Office Building 800 NE Oregon St. Suite 465 B Portland, OR Akiko Berkman Phone: (503) Fax: (971) akiko.berkman@state.or.us Visit us at: For this meeting, we will be joined by some amazing presenters! Shannon O'Fallon is the Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Human Services and Education Section of the general counsel division with the Oregon Department of Justice. She will be presenting a workshop on Volunteer Liability Betty Stallings is an international trainer, keynote speaker, consultant and author specializing in volunteer management, fundraising and board development. She is a popular trainer and speaker known for her vitality, inspiring message, engaging humor, practical presentations and valuable resources. She will be facilitating a workshop focusing on volunteer recruitment and supervision. She will also be presenting her volunteer management training curriculum. SMVP Orientations Well Attended As of January 23 rd 2010, the State Managed Volunteer Pool (SMVP) has begun conducting local emergencies. Volunteers have displayed interest in learning and expanding their Response to these orientations reflects the rapid growth of the SMVP (at nearly 300 members orientations for volunteers. For the first time since the SMVP was initially created, volunteers are finalizing their preactivation requirements, meaning that they are fully trained, covered under the liability protection of the SERV- OR, and ready to serve at a moment s notice in the event of a state-wide emergency. The orientations to-date (one in Medford, Salem and Portland) have been a terrific success with excellent interest and experience from volunteers. It has become increasingly clear in the orientations themselves that SMVP volunteers represent skill sets and in working cooperatively to keep Oregon prepared. These orientations serve to familiarize volunteers with policies and business rules of the SMVP, the relationship between the SMVP and the Medical Reserve Corps, and the process for activating volunteers at the state level. Orientation is mandatory for those seeking to serve in the State Managed Volunteer Pool. But recognizing that volunteers already give so much, efforts have been made to keep the process as efficient as possible. Most of the orientations last just over an hour. now). In fact, volunteer response has been so positive that registration for the February 22 nd orientation from 4:00-6:00pm at the Portland State Office Building (PSOB) was closed and registration for a second one has been opened, reiterating that volunteers are excited to stand prepared against the threat of disaster. For volunteers that were unable to attend any of these orientations, future orientations will be held in the summer. Though dates are not finalized at this time, notifications will be sent out later in the spring. For any additional questions or Akiko Berkman presenting the orientation to volunteers at the Portland State office building on February 22, diverse group with a broad range of experience, encompassing disaster response to hurricane Katrina, the 9-11 Two additional orientations will be held in February and March, with one in Eugene on February 27 th, and a second more information about the State Managed Volunteer Pool itself, please SERV.OR@STATE.OR.US. World Trade Center attacks, international disasters, and orientation in Portland on March 6 th.