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Developing Strong Response Capacity: Training Volunteers in the Medical Reserve Corps

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 December 2014

Jiali Ye ,
Stacy Stanford ,
Tahlia Gousse  and
Robert J. Tosatto
Jiali Ye*
Affiliation:
National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC
Stacy Stanford
Affiliation:
National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC
Tahlia Gousse
Affiliation:
National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC
Robert J. Tosatto
Affiliation:
Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, US Public Health Service, Washington, DC.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Jiali Ye, PhD, Research & Evaluation, National Association of County & City Health Officials, 1100 17th Street, NW, Seventh Floor, Washington, DC 20036 (e-mail: jye@naccho.org).
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Abstract

Objective

The success of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is dependent on the ability of volunteers to respond in a timely and effective manner. This study aimed to assess the current status of MRC volunteer training and to examine the association between MRC characteristics and provision of training.

Methods

The data for this study were drawn from the 2013 Network Profile Survey of the MRC, which was administered to active MRC unit leaders or designated alternates of 962 units across the country in April to May of 2013.

Results

Over 80% of MRCs had a training plan. Ninety-one percent of MRCs offered one or more training courses to volunteers, and 73% indicated requirements for mandatory training. Approximately 84% of MRC units collaborated with other organizations to conduct trainings. Units with more volunteers (>150) were 3 times as likely to have a plan for volunteer training as were those with fewer volunteers (≤50). Compared to units with a full-time leader, those with leaders who were volunteers were only 0.57 times as likely to have a training plan.

Conclusions

An overwhelming majority of MRC units provide critical training to their volunteers prior to an emergency deployment. To further strengthen the overall MRC capacities, it is important for MRC units to have a training plan tailored to their community needs and features, make full use of available training resources, and collaborate with partner organizations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:527-532)

Keywords

disaster planningemergency preparednessvoluntary health agenciesvoluntary workers
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 6 , December 2014 , pp. 527 - 532
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

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