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Region IV MRC Update - November 2006

In this Issue:

• Welcome New MRC Units
• Web-Based Training on Nuclear and Radiological Events for Clinicians
• Citizen Corps/MRC Regional Conference and Training
• Online Sustainability Resources from the Corporation for National and Community Service
• Upcoming Events of Interest
• Cough Etiquette Video
• Helpful Online Resources
• Upcoming Health Observances
• Profile Update Reminder
• Regional Coordinator Contact Information

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Welcome New MRC Units

Please welcome our newest units:

• The Gateway District MRC, which covers four counties in Kentucky, has already developed its mission statement which is “to establish, support, and guide a team of local medical and public health volunteers who can contribute their skills and expertise throughout the year as well as during times of community needs.”
   
• Montgomery County MRC in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, has partnered with the Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Citizen Corps Council to integrate MRC into local emergency response plans. 
   
• Brunswick County MRC, located in southeastern North Carolina, is a partnership between several local agencies, including public health, emergency management, local hospitals, and the volunteer center.
   
• St. Johns County MRC in St. Augustine, Florida, is forming to provide support and augmentation to the public health system during disasters and other emergent events through medical special needs shelters, mass immunization clinics, or medical information call centers.
   
• Dallas County MRC, located in Selma, is Alabama's latest MRC and has the dual role of assisting local response in emergencies and addressing health disparities in the local area.  
   
• Alamance County MRC, located in Burlington, NC, has identified their mission as "to establish and maintain teams of active and retired medical professionals, laypersons, and public health professionals to serve the citizens of Alamance County by augmenting functions of our county's existing emergency response systems during times of local or countywide public health exigencies." 
   
• Greenup County MRC is Kentucky's newest MRC and is located in Northeastern Kentucky.

This brings us to 85 registered units in our eight-state region (496 nationwide). If you know of a community that would like to start its own MRC unit, please have them contact the Regional Coordinator, Elizabeth Fitch, at (404) 562-4276 or elizabeth.fitch@hhs.gov. Units may apply for registration through the MRC Web site. Your support for these new units as they develop is very much appreciated.

Web-based Training on Nuclear and Radiological Events for Clinicians

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new interactive self-study training program designed for clinicians to include:

• Radiological Terrorism: Medical Response to Mass Casualties
• Radiological Terrorism: Just in Time Training for Hospital Clinicians
• The Role of Public Health in a Nuclear or Radiological Terrorist Incident

Citizen Corps/MRC Regional Conference and Training

The Citizen Corps and MRC Regional Conference and Training will be held November 1–3 in Orlando, Florida, at The Doubletree Castle. Representatives of MRC units, state coordinators, and partner programs are welcome to attend the conference. The MRC portion of the conference will be held from noon on November 2 through November 3. There is no charge for attending this conference, but attendees will be responsible for their own travel arrangements.

Topics include:

• Citizen Corps program integration best practices 
• Updates on the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals
• Pandemic Planning Updates 
• MRC-TRAIN workshop 
• Facilitated Breakout Sessions: Partnership Building, Core Competencies, Volunteer Retention, Communication, Behavioral Health, Public Health Initiatives 
• Grant writing training

Information on the outcomes of these discussions will be available in the next MRC update, so stay tuned.

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Online Sustainability Resources From the Corporation for National and Community Service

Writing Proposals—Can you answer this question from a private foundation: "What is the tangible impact of our support in addressing the root of this social problem?" Or this one from a business partner: "How does our contribution to your effort help promote our company?" In this course, discover best practices for writing a successful case, supporting your funding request in your proposal, and understanding important differences in proposals written for different audiences.

Funding Challenges Can Work for You—Rural, faith-based, multi-site, non-501(c)(3) organizations, and other national service initiatives with unique program structures, often face specific challenges with resource and fund development. In this course, you can explore these challenges and learn to leverage existing internal and external networks to identify and secure non-Federal government funding.

These courses are sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service and were written by Campaign Consultation, Inc., a training and technical assistance provider for the Resource and Fund Development Initiative. Take advantage of these free online courses (and many others) by visiting The Resource Center's Online Learning Center or by calling 1-800-860-2684, ext. 125.

Upcoming Events of Interest

• November 1 is International Volunteer Managers Appreciation Day
• November 1–3, 2006; Orlando, FL: 2006 Regional Citizen Corps/Medical Reserve Corps Conference
• November 4–8, 2006; Boston, MA: American Public Health Association Annual Meeting
• November 5, 2006; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Boston, MA: NACCHO presents NIMS Training at APHA
• November 9, 2005; 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET: Mass Evacuation to Rural Communities Webcast
• November 12–15, 2006; Orlando, FL: International Association of Emergency Managers Conference
• November 15, 2006; 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET: "Live Response" - Port Security Webcast
• November 28, 2006; 1:00–2:30 p.m. CT: Planning and Execution of Disaster Response Webcast
• February 19–23, 2007; Washington, DC: Public Health Preparedness Summit 
• April 17–20, 2007; Providence, Rhode Island: 2007 MRC National Leadership Conference

Cough Etiquette Video

As flu season approaches, and as we all work to improve community preparedness for a potential pandemic, see a video on cough and sneeze etiquette that manages to be both informative and entertaining.

Helpful Online Resources

Just a reminder: There is a collection of Web sites that may be useful to MRC Unit Coordinators available at: http://www.furl.net/members/Region4MRC. The easiest way to look at these links is by topic— if you go to the archive page, click on the drop-down box next to “filter by topic” (at the top of the page), and you will see the topics available. Pick a topic, such as Risk Management/Liability, click the “search” button, and you will see the Web resources I have collected under that topic, along with a brief clipping from the page and possibly a note from me about the link. Recent additions include: Federal Tort Claims Act Coverage of Free Clinic Volunteer Health Care Professionals, CPHP Education Resource Guides, Emergency Medicine Learning and Resource Center, and The Life Cycle of a Public Charity. Happy Surfing!

Upcoming Health Observances

• November is American Diabetes Month
• November 1 is International Volunteer Managers Appreciation Day
• November 16 is the Great American Smokeout
• December 1 is World AIDS Day 
• December 3–9 is National Handwashing Awareness Week

Profile Update Reminder

This is just a reminder—units are encouraged to update their profiles at least quarterly. Keeping the unit’s online profile up-to-date is important for several reasons, including:

1. The unit’s online profile is one place that potential volunteers can go to learn more about the unit. If it appears that your unit is not currently active, or if the contact information listed is incorrect, the volunteer may go elsewhere to give his or her time. 
2. When MRC Program Office staff members are requested to present to partners, potential partners, and stakeholder groups, they rely on the activities reported by local units through the online profiles. 
3. Profile updates may be required for future funding opportunities.

Please help your unit and the MRC Program Office by keeping your profile up-to-date. See instructions on updating unit information on the MRC Web site.

Regional Coordinator Contact Information

Elizabeth H. Fitch, MPA
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center	Phone: (404) 562-4276
61 Forsyth Street, SW	Fax: (404) 562-7899
Suite 5B95	elizabeth.fitch@hhs.gov
Atlanta, GA 30303

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Last Updated on 12/5/2006