Sunday, January 31, 2010

Medical Care Volunteers

Thank you for your interest in volunteering to assist in disaster relief efforts in Haiti. HHS, as part of the overall U.S. government effort, is working closely with the international community and the Haitian government. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead federal agency for the U.S. response and has set up a Web site where you can learn more about current needs and how to help. Please visit http://www.usaid.gov/helphaiti/ for more information.

The immediate and long-term health and medical needs of Haiti are currently being assessed by the United Nations and the Pan American Health Organization with the Haitian government. Once we know more about the results of this assessment, we'll have a better sense of the possibilities for volunteering. In the meantime, HHS has set up an email where medical professionals can send offers of volunteer medical care services. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Haiti.volunteer@hhs.gov and include your name, clinical area, specialty skills, degrees, and language capabilities (in particular, whether you speak Haitian Creole or French and if so, your level of fluency). We'll log your information and share it with USAID; you may be contacted if an opportunity becomes available that matches your skill set.*

We are receiving an outpouring of offers, indicative of the generosity of the American people. Please keep in mind that volunteer opportunities in disaster settings are rare, and it may not be possible to accept your offer for assistance at this time.

We would like to make it easier to take advantage of your skills and willingness to volunteer in future health emergencies, whether domestic or international. Please consider participation in two important disaster relief programs that would greatly benefit from your interest and expertise, the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) (esarvhp@hhs.gov) and the Medical Reserve Corps. These programs allow you the opportunity to establish a relationship with your state or the federal government in advance of an event, so that you can be prepared, credentialed and ready to go before the need strikes.

* We are collecting this information under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 217b. The information below must be completed and submitted to determine suitability to serve as a volunteer with the HHS. The purpose is to gather basic contact information and information about your background and skill set. Please answer all questions as fully and completely as possible. To accomplish the purpose of this collection, we may disclose information outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, consistent with the routine uses found in system of records notice, OPM/GOVT-5, available at http://privacy.defense.gov/govwide/opm_govt-5.shtml. If you do not provide the requested information, HHS will not be able to register your offer to volunteer.

http://www.hhs.gov/haiti/volunteers.html

No comments:

Post a Comment