Capability Cliff Notes Series PHEP Capability 15—Volunteer Management What Is It And How Will We Measure It?

Learning Objectives Become familiar with Capability Functions Become familiar with Tasks that complete the Functions Understand how these Functions and Tasks are measured or may be measured in the future (Performance Measures)

Volunteer Coordination Volunteer management is the ability to coordinate the identification, recruitment, registration, credential verification, training, and engagement of volunteers to support the public health agency’s response to incidents. How can public health departments effectively recruit, acquire, and use volunteers?

Volunteer Management Functions What Are Steps for Effectively Managing Volunteers? 1.Coordinate volunteers 2.Notify volunteers 3.Organize, assemble, and dispatch volunteers 4.Demobilize volunteers

Capabilities and Measures Resources The following performance measures are required for this capability for PHEP and HPP-PHEP Joint Measure: PHEP: Does public health have plans, processes, and procedures in place to manage volunteers supporting a public health or medical incident? (Yes/No) HPP-PHEP Joint Measure: Percentage of volunteers deployed to support a public health/medical incident within the requested timeframe. Numerator: Number of volunteers, determined to be needed for the response by the public health/medical lead or other authorized official, that arrived on scene (including staging area or other designated area) within the requested timeframe Denominator: Number of volunteers determined to be needed for the response by the public health/medical lead or other authorized official The complete BP3 Performance Measures Specifications and Implementation Guidance can be found at the following link:

Function 1: Coordinate volunteers Tasks: What steps should health departments take to coordinate volunteers? 1.Before an incident, identify the types and numbers of volunteers most likely to be needed in a public health agency’s response, based on the risk assessment. 2.Before an incident, coordinate with existing volunteer programs (e.g., ESAR-VHP, Medical Reserve Corps) and partner organizations to support the recruitment of volunteers for a public health response. 3.Before an incident, assure screening and verification of volunteers’ credentials through ESAR-VHP and Medical Reserve Corps. 4.Before an incident and at the time of an incident, support initial and ongoing emergency response training for registered volunteers, in collaboration with partner groups.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Address anticipated volunteer needs in response to incidents or situations Agreements with jurisdictional volunteer sources Process to assure that professional volunteer credentials are verified Protocol to address eligibility of volunteers Volunteer training for their assigned responsibilities Training for staff involved in personnel management NIMS training for volunteers Access to system to identify registered volunteers by profession and/or skill level

Function 2: Notify volunteers Tasks: What are the steps for notifying volunteers? 1.At the time of an incident, identify the desired skills and quantity of volunteers needed for the incident from the existing volunteer registration. 2.At the time of an incident, contact registered volunteers using multiple modes of communication. 3.At the time of an incident, notify volunteers who are able and willing to respond of where and how to report. 4.At the time of an incident, coordinate with partner agencies to confirm credentials of responding volunteers. 5.At the time of an incident, notify partner agencies of any need for additional volunteers.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Template for describing incident conditions to potential volunteers Process to contact registered volunteers Process to confirm credentials of responding volunteers Definition of the volunteer management roles and responsibilities Access to communications equipment to contact volunteer organizations

Function 3: Organize, assemble, and dispatch volunteers Tasks: What steps will ensure that public health departments can organize and send volunteers to where they are needed? 1.Identify additional volunteers that have the necessary credentials and skills, if the incident exceeds or differs from the public health departments’ volunteer plans. 2.Assure deployment briefing of public health volunteers, including safety and incident-specific training. 3.Assure tracking and rotation of volunteers according to incident and job functions. 4.Manage spontaneous volunteers, either by incorporating them into the response or by triaging them to other potential volunteer resources. 5.Coordinate state and jurisdictional response roles for federal public health staff deployed to the jurisdiction.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Template for briefing volunteers of current incident conditions Process to manage spontaneous volunteers Support services for public health volunteers Process for assigning volunteers to response agencies Process for coordinating with volunteer health professional entities Protocol to request volunteer assets Coordinating support services for responding federal medical stations Access to system for tracking volunteer assignment

Function 4: Demobilize volunteers Tasks: How should health departments ensure complete demobilization of volunteers? 1.Track the demobilization of volunteers. 2.Coordinate volunteers leaving the incident (out-processing). 3.With partners, identify community resources to support volunteer medical screening, stress, and well-being assessment and, when requested or indicated, referral to medical and mental/behavioral health services after deployment.

Task Elements There are elements that health departments should keep in mind to address different aspects of the tasks: Process for releasing volunteers Protocol for conducting exit screening

Questions? Please contact: Rachel Coles Program Evaluator--CDPHE