emergency_preparedness

20 Corporate Woods Blvd.
Suite 602
Albany, New York 12211
ph: 518-465-0044
fax: 518-465-3219
alt: 800-255-2100
nysdf@nysdental.org

Emergency Preparedness

VOLUNTEER DATABASE
There are two options to access the Volunteer Database:

Click here if you are Currently Enrolled with an HPN account
Click here for a New Enrollment in the Volunteer database.

When you first sign up you will be asked to apply for an HPN Medical Professions Account and then to complete a Volunteer Application. Once you
are signed up you can use the Currently Enrolled link to keep your contact information up to date.

INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina, licensed health professionals from across the state volunteered their services to respond
to the crisis. It has become apparent to the New York State Dental Foundation (NYSDF) that unless these dental health professionals were already a
member of a local or state public health preparedness team that were trained and prepared, most dental health professionals could not be effectively
mobilized.

To this end, NYSDF has joined with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) to help dental professionals register in the statewide Public
Health Preparedness Volunteer Practitioner Database of registered dental health professionals willing to volunteer their services in the event of a public
health emergency. The purpose of this Volunteer Practitioner Database is to assure that the entire State has adequate resources to prepare for and
respond to any public health emergency, whether it is a declared disaster or other non-declared emergency acting public health. Volunteers could be
needed to respond to natural disasters, accidents, or terrorist attacks and during events where operations are compromised by physical damage, loss of
electrical power, or other causes. Emergencies might range from single-jurisdictional events such as a single anthrax letter to regional events such as multi-
county ice storm, to statewide events such as a sever hurricane. The Volunteer Practitioner Database will be used for two purposes:

- to recruit volunteers to specific response roles- for example , pre-identify dentists to staff for forensic identification.
- to identify dental professionals willing to respond to a public health emergency at the time of an event.

The types of skills needed for each emergency are situation dependent. The lengths for volunteer service will depend on specific events. Skills and
expertise necessary for emergencies may include pediatric dentistry, clinic management, forensic dentistry, and oral surgery, just to name a few. There
are also roles for those who would like to share their knowledge with others through a speakers’ bureau and that have experience in public health
preparedness, decontamination, and other issues that would support preparation and response to public health emergencies.

By enrolling in the database a registered dental health professional would be indicating their willingness to volunteer their time and professional skill in an
emergency in their county and/or possibly in another location where their assistance is needed. Enrolling places a registered dental professional under no
legal obligation to volunteer.

ACCESS AND ACTIVATION
The NYSDOH will maintain the Volunteer Practitioner Database on the Department Health Information Network (HIN) that is a secure, Internet
accessible system. NYSDOH will initiate the activation of volunteer practitioners in the event of an emergency via the department Health Provider
Network (HPN) and direct the deployment of health professionals in the event there are multiple, simultaneous demands from different parts of the
state (all volunteers will need to apply for an HPN account). Participating volunteer health professionals will then provide services under the direction of
the State, City or local health department or emergency management office or hospital to which they have been deployed by NYSDOH.

Local health departments may access the Volunteer Practitioner Database to identify registered dental professionals within their county who have
indicated they are willing to become a member of a local public health emergency preparedness team. Local health departments will be restricted to the
health professional name, specialty and address information.

PRIVACY
NYSDOH restricts access to the volunteer contact information in the volunteer database to prevent the unnecessary disclosure of this information.
Restricted information includes a volunteer business or personal pager, business or personal cell phone, home phone and home address. Select NYSDOH
staff will have full access to the data for management, activation and deployment purposes. Identified staff from the New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene, the County Health Departments and the State and County Emergency Management Offices has restricted access to the data
as described above. By enrolling in the volunteer program a registered health professional authorizes the NYSDOH to share information, such as
liscensure status, credentialing, and hospital affiliation with the agency or organization to which they may be deployed during an emergency.

All information gathered is for use by NYSDOH and its agents listed above. NYSDF will not contact you for the purposes of membership solicitation.
Also, we reserve the right to contact you if you purposely contact us via email or phone in relation to this program. By clicking on either of the
enrollment links below, you will be taken to a site managed and maintained by the NYSDOH.

Volunteer Now!

VOLUNTEER LIABILITY COVERAGE
In April 2004, the Department of Health received an opinion from the Attorney General’s office that confirmed the application of Public Officers Law §
17 to the New York State Department of Health Volunteer Practitioner Database. Public Officers Law § 171 provides defense and indemnification to
employees of the State for acts or omissions that occur while the employee was acting within the scope of his/her employment or official duties. The
definition of employee includes those volunteers expressly authorized to participate in a State sponsored volunteer program. Any licensed health care
professional volunteer who is a part of the volunteer database and who is activated and authorized to act by NYSDOH during an emergency will be
afforded the benefits provided by P.O. L.§ 173. Therefore, by enrolling in the State Public Health Preparedness Volunteer Practitioner Program
volunteers are afforded defense and indemnification when activated and deployed by New York State pursuant to Public Officers Law § 17.

However, where injury occurs because of his or her intentional wrongdoing or recklessness, the volunteer would not be covered under Public Officers
Law § 17. When Public Officers Law § 17 applies, the State is not substituted as the defendant in the action; the volunteer is the named defendant. The
State, through the Attorney General’s office, provides a legal defense (attorney, assistance, etc.) for the volunteer. Should the injured individual prevail at
trial, the judgment would be against the individual volunteer, but because the State provides indemnification, the State would pay the judgment and not
the volunteer.

VOLUNTEER DATABASE
There are two options to access the Volunteer Database:

Click here if you are Currently Enrolled with an HPN account
Click here for a New Enrollment in the Volunteer database.

When you first sign up you will be asked to apply for an HPN Medical Professions Account and then to complete a Volunteer Application. Once you
are signed up you can use the Currently Enrolled link to keep your contact information up to date.

This is brought to you by a grant from HRI, the NYS Department of Health, and Center for Disease Control.

1 P.O. L.§ 17 protection will be available provided the requisite criteria are met (e.g., activated and deployed by NYSDOH, no intentional wrongdoing,
timely notice to the AG’s office).

2 Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, etc.

3 P.O. L.§ 17 protection will be available provided the requisite criteria are met (e.g., activated and deployed by NYSDOH, no intentional wrongdoing,
timely notice to the AG’s office).