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Mission
The mission of the MRC is to engage volunteers to strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency.
Overview
MRC units are community-based and function as a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources.
MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members—interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others—can fill key support positions.
MRC units are provided specific areas to target that strengthen the public health infrastructure of their communities by the U.S. Surgeon General. These are outlined priorities for the health of individuals, and the nation as a whole, which also serve as a guide to the MRC. The overarching goal is to improve health literacy, and in support of this, she wants us to work towards increasing disease prevention, eliminating health disparities, and improving public health preparedness.
MRC volunteers can choose to support communities in need
nationwide. When the southeast was battered by hurricanes in 2004, MRC
volunteers in the affected areas and beyond helped communities by filling in at
local hospitals, assisting their neighbors at local shelters, and providing
first aid to those injured by the storms. During this 2-month period, more than
30 MRC units worked as part of the relief efforts, including those whose
volunteers were called in from across the country to assist the American Red
Cross (ARC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
During the 2005 Hurricane Season, MRC members provided support for ARC health
services, mental health and shelter operations. MRC members also supported the
HHS response and recovery efforts by staffing special needs shelters, Community
Health Centers and health clinics, and assisting health assessment teams in the
Gulf Coast region. More than 1,500 MRC members were willing to deploy outside
their local jurisdiction on optional missions to the disaster-affected areas
with their state agencies, the ARC, and HHS. Of these, almost 200 volunteers
from 25 MRC units were activated by HHS, and more than 400 volunteers from more
than 80 local MRC units were activated to support ARC disaster operations in
Gulf Coast areas.
DCVMRC
The DCVMRC is headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. It functions as a clearinghouse for information and best practices to help communities establish, implement, and maintain MRC units nationwide. The DCVMRC sponsors an annual leadership conference, hosts a Web site, and coordinates with local, state, regional, and national organizations and agencies to help communities achieve their local visions for public health and emergency preparedness.
Program Staff
MRC
Program Director
Robert J. Tosatto, R.Ph., M.P.H., M.B.A.
Captain, U.S. Public Health Service
robert.tosatto@hhs.gov
MRC
Senior Program Officer, MRC Deployment Operations
Patrick M. Denis, M.B.A., B.S.N., R.N.
Commander, U.S. Public Health Service
patrick.denis@hhs.gov
MRC
Senior Program Officer, MRC Program Operations
Paul Reed, M.D.
Commander, U.S. Public Health Service
paul.reed@hhs.gov
MRC
Program Officer, MRC Program Operations
Katie Hager, RN
Lieutenant Junior Grade, U.S. Public Health Service
katie.hager@hhs.gov
MRC
Program Officer, MRC Program Operations
Tracey Smith, MSc, M.P.H.
tracey.smith@hhs.gov
MRC
Program Officer, MRC Deployment Operations
Skip Payne, M.S.P.H., REHS/RS
Lieutenant, U.S. Public Health Service
skip.payne@hhs.gov
MRC
Technical Assistance Coordinator
Gary W. Brown, M.P.A.
gary.brown@hhs.gov
MRC
National Communications Coordinator
Dorie A. Hightower
dorie.hightower@hhs.gov
MRC
Public Information Officer
Grace M. Middleton
grace.middleton@hhs.gov
MRC
Program Associate
Dagayla Burks
dagayla.burks@hhs.gov
More more information, please visit:
http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov