What is a municipal Medical Reserve Corps?

A municipal Medical Reserve Corps needs to be established by each municipality within Morris County to recruit and organize medical volunteers to assist local public health agencies during a public health emergency. The Medical Reserve Corps is one of several components of a Citizen Corps. It is a network of community-based, citizen volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units, which have been initiated and established by people and institutions for use in their communities. Medical Reserve Corps units provide health professionals and others an organized mechanism through which they can volunteer their time and skills to strengthen their communities by preparing for and responding to large-scale emergencies, natural or man-made, such as an influenza or smallpox epidemic, chemical spill, or act of terrorism.

Why is it needed?

After September 11, thousands of Americans responded by volunteering to help in any way they could. Many more Americans asked, "What can I do to help?" The Medical Reserve Corps will bring volunteers - health professionals and others - together to supplement existing local emergency plans and resources in cities, towns, and counties throughout the United States. In order to be most effective during times of emergency, volunteers must be organized and trained to work in emergency situations. The Medical Reserve Corps is designed to provide that organizational structure and promote appropriate training of volunteers for communities.

In Morris County, a primary mission of the municipal Medical Reserve Corps will be to assist local health agencies in staffing clinic sites for the distribution of vaccines or antibiotics needed as a result of a bioterrorism attack or significant outbreak in the Morris County.

Who can join the Medical Reserve Corps?

A MRC unit needs a wide range of health professional volunteers. Throughout Morris County we are in urgent need of Physicians, Dentists, Nurses, Pharmacists and Physician Assistants to assist in staffing Point of Dispensing Sites. However the Medical Reserve Corps also needs a broad range of health professionals including:

· Physician · Dentists · Nurses · Physician Assistants · Pharmacists · Mental Health Practitioners

· Public Health Professionals · Health Educators · Social Workers  · Veterinarians · Epidemiologists

· Health Care Administrators · Medical Records Experts · Medical Supply Experts

Who is responsible for the program?

Within the Madison Health District (Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, Florham Park, Long Hill Township, Madison, Mine Hill, Morris Plains, Mount Arlington, & Victory Gardens) the program is under the supervision of the corresponding municipal Offices of Emergency Management. The Madison Health Department will, of course, provide assistance and advice.

On the national level, President Bush tasked the Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Tommy Thompson, with developing and implementing the MRC. Secretary Thompson designated the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) to take lead responsibility within HHS to develop a program to promote and support the development of the Medical Reserve Corps. The Office of the Surgeon General undertook this responsibility in March 2002.

 

Are there already programs like the Medical Reserve Corps in operation? If so, why is The Medical Reserve Corps necessary?

There are similar programs that exist, with and without the support of the federal government. This includes, for example, the Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). There are, however, only 23 DMAT teams in the United States. Also, these teams are "federalized" during large-scale emergencies and may not be available to assist in their home communities in the event of a large-scale national emergency. MRC units, on the other hand, are created by communities for local use, and can only be activated by their local communities.

There is a big concern about liability issues for health professionals. Is the US Government doing anything about this?

The US Government, health profession organizations and voluntary organizations are fully aware of this concern. It must be kept in mind, however, that in our federal system of government, tort law is primarily a state responsibility. All states have some form of "good Samaritan legislation," although this legislation is limited in its protections. The Volunteer Protection Act ("VPA") (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 14501 etc. Seq.) provides qualified immunity for liability for volunteers and, subject to exceptions, preempts inconsistent state laws on the subject, except for those that provide protections stronger than those contained in the VPA.

Under the VPA, a volunteer of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity is immune from liability for harm caused by an act or omission of the volunteer on behalf of the organization or entity if: (1) the act or omission was within the scope of the volunteer's responsibilities in the organization or entity; (2) if required, the volunteer was properly licensed, certified, or authorized by the appropriate state authorities for the activities or practice giving rise to the claim; (3) the harm was not caused by "willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct, or a conscious flagrant indifference to the rights or safety of the individual harmed by the volunteer," and (4) the harm was not caused by the volunteer's operation of a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft , or other vehicle for which the state requires the operator to possess a license or maintain insurance.

The VPA defines a volunteer as "an individual performing services for a nonprofit organization or a governmental entity which does not receive compensation (other than reasonable reimbursement or allowance for expenses actually incurred); or any other thing of value in lieu of compensation, in excess of $500 per year…"

The VPA is helpful because it provides baseline legal protection amidst a wide variety of state laws. Nonetheless, because the VPA's protections are not absolute, each MRC unit should consult with an attorney for a more detailed analysis of the law's protections and limitations.

A number of health profession organizations as well as the US Congress are examining the issue of appropriate liability protection for health providers during public health emergencies.

Where can I join or get more information about the Medical Reserve Corps in my community?

If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information please contact:

The Madison Health Department

28 Walnut Street

Madison, NJ 07940

973-593-3079

973-593-3081

For general information about Medical Reserve Corps nationwide, you may visit the Surgeon General’s resource web site at: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/

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