What is ServNY?

ServNY is New York State's emergency system of advanced registration for volunteer healthcare professionals. It allows people to register as potential volunteers for national, state and local emergencies.

How does ServNY work?

Once a person registers, their profile is added to the emergency volunteer repositories of the state and/or local programs that they selected. If they are a health care professional, ServNY verifies their licensing credentials with state systems, such as the New York State (NYS) Education Department and NYS Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The state and local volunteer coordinators will use the list of eligible volunteers to notify them of potential emergency and non-emergency activations. Volunteer coordinators also can use ServNY to notify their volunteers of training opportunities, push out health information, and set up schedules for emergency and non-emergency activations.

Where do volunteers serve?

Volunteers will be contacted and deployed by the county or counties they registered for. For volunteers who signed up to be state volunteers, they can be deployed anywhere within New York State. If a volunteer chooses to be a national level volunteer, they could be asked to deploy anywhere in the United States that has requested assistance from New York State.

What is the key to ServNY's successful volunteer response?

ServNY's success is pre-registering volunteers and confirming their professional licensing before an emergency. Studies show that effective emergency responses use volunteers who are pre-registered and credentialed, and deployed through a coordinated effort.

Does the New York State Department of Health Volunteer Program use volunteers who show up unexpectedly during the emergency?

No. Volunteers will not be used until they register in ServNY and have been properly vetted and trained. They may also be directed to a volunteer reception center during large scale emergencies.

I have no medical skills. Can I still volunteer?

Yes. The emphasis is on the recruitment of licensed medical and health care volunteers. However, people without medical training are welcomed and encouraged to register. They may be able to fill general roles, such as: language translators; American Sign Language interpreters, administration; transportation; computer and clerical work, and experience with animals.

Do I need any special training or expertise to volunteer?

A local volunteer coordinator will contact you with requirements and expectations, and free training opportunities, some of which are online. If classroom training is available, you may receive an email. Also, you may have just-in-time (immediate and on-the-job) training once you arrive at the emergency. You will learn what you need to know to help others as well as how to keep yourself safe.

How many volunteers are needed for an emergency situation?

That depends on the magnitude of the emergency. A major emergency could overwhelm on-duty medical and first responder staffs especially during the first 12 to 72 hours. Volunteers of all skills would be called upon to provide help during the first critical days. Volunteers could help with any staff shortages and fill in the gaps. Also, it is OK if a volunteer is unavailable.

What is required for participation?

A volunteer must first register through ServNY. The local or state volunteer coordinator may contact volunteers about expectations. During an activation, a volunteer will be contacted via phone or email and be asked about their availability. All volunteers can accept or refuse a request. These are voluntary deployments.

How do I register?

Click on www.health.ny.gov/ServNY. You will be guided to a registration screen where you can register through the Health Commerce System (HCS), which is used by health care professionals throughout the state, or by establishing a NY.gov user account. Follow the instructions.

Can I volunteer if I'm not licensed or practicing in a medical field?

Yes. Whether you are actively licensed, a student, a retired health professional, or someone with an interest in volunteering, you can register. Non-medical volunteers are also encouraged to sign up. During emergency deployments there will be numerous non-medical support activities to be filled.

I am a retired health care professional who is licensed. Am I still eligible to register?

Absolutely! Retired medical professionals' wealth of knowledge and experience are recognized and valued. Also, retired health professionals are more likely to be available because license and employed professionals may be needed at their workplace.

I am not working but keep my license active. Can I register?

Yes. You're encouraged to register to lend a hand. Licensed and employed professionals will probably be needed at their workplaces and unable to volunteer.

I have an out-of-state license. Am I still eligible to register in the volunteer register?

Yes. However, you will be approved only as a non-medical volunteer.

What is the Emergency System for Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP)?

The ESAR-VHP program establishes a national interoperable network of state-based volunteer registration systems. The ESAR-VHP manages volunteers at all response levels. Each system, such as ServNY, verifies the identity, credentials, certifications, licenses, and hospital privileges of health professionals who volunteer.

Where do I go to find my professional license number?

For professionals currently licensed in New York, go to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions verification search.

Who will have access my personal data?

Besides you, only the local volunteer coordinators for the county programs you selected, and the NYS volunteer coordinator will have access. Your information will be kept in a central, secure database. Your information will only be used to get you involved in activities related to your local volunteer program. Besides deployment requests, you will be invited to training and exercises and receive ServNY information.

I have already started registering with ServNY? How do I complete the registration process?

If you have started but have not completed registering, log in through which ever path you initially started your registration process, such as the Health Commerce System or GOV ID Login. Your account will start the registration process where you left off.

However, if you didn't save your registration while creating your account, you will have to start the registration again.

How will I update or change my information?

You can log into your ServNY profile at any time through the method of initial registration. That will be either through the Health Commerce System, or GOV ID Login

How often should I update my information?

Any time you have a change in status, address, phone number or email. Update your profile licensure information, too, so you can maximize your volunteer participation. ServNY does not automatically update expiration dates. If the expiration date in ServNY does not match the licensing agency, you will not be deployable until that error is corrected.

Can I hold off on advanced registration and decide when a crisis occurs?

It's best not to do that. Advanced registration is encouraged so New York State and local volunteer programs can produce an immediate list of credentialed volunteers. The primary function of ServNY is to quickly identify and contact volunteer professionals who have the skills and training needed for specific emergencies.

What is the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)?

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national initiative to pre-register, manage, and mobilize volunteers to help their communities respond to all types of disasters. MRC units help develop and enhance disaster preparedness on a local level. They help local health professionals and others with relevant health skills become partners. The MRCs are designed to meet the needs of the community. MRCs will help or can be the primary source for an emergency medical response system in the community. To learn more or locate an MRC in your area, click here.

Should I join a local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) or other volunteer group in addition to registering with ServNY?

Most emergencies are small scale and happen locally. That's why local volunteer-based organizations are important. Those organizations will also be able to access state, regional, and national volunteer registries to supplement their local forces during a larger event. To volunteer with your local MRC, you will need to first register in ServNY and select the county where the MRC is located. For instance, if you wanted to become a member of the Albany County MRC, you would select Albany County when registering in ServNY. The Albany County MRC unit leader will then reach out to you regarding applying for membership into their MRC. Registering to serve your local community in ServNY will provide opportunities to attend trainings, exercises, and non-emergency volunteer roles as requested.

Do volunteers only help during emergency situations?

No, you may be asked to volunteer for a non-emergency event, such as trainings with other agencies, especially if you join a local MRC.. You may also be asked to help with the general public at community or civic opportunities.

How will my credentials be verified?

ServNY and the NYS Education Department (or another appropriate licensing entity) will verify volunteers' credentials. This process is called credential verification and includes obtaining, verifying, and assessing qualifications of a potential volunteer.

Credential verification allows the system to identify volunteers who have the qualifications needed for the emergency at hand.

Only volunteer healthcare professionals with verified credentials will be allowed to provide patient care, treatment, and services for a health care organization or community during an emergency.

How will I know if I am needed during a disaster or other emergency?

Your local or state volunteer coordinator will contact you through voice, text and/or email with the positions available.

What if I have obligations that do not allow me to volunteer when I receive a request?

Your service is voluntary. It's your decision to volunteer when you are called up.

I'm a member of many local community organizations. What if one or more contact me to serve with them during the emergency?

It is your decision. When the time comes you may have to decide which organization you wish to support.

How is deployment handled with my current employer?

You must make necessary arrangements with your employer to take the time to volunteer. The conditions under which an employee will be allowed to volunteer is between the employer and the employee.

How can I ensure that my training, skills, and expertise will be used appropriately?

When you register, you enter information about your training, skills, certifications, and additional experiences. At the time of deployment, the volunteer coordinator will match skills with the requested needs. You can help ensure a proper match by keeping your training, skills, and certifications up to date in the ServNY system.

What types of tasks will I be assigned?

The emergency determines needs and tasks. The volunteer's qualifications and experiences listed in their profile will be used to assign tasks. The volunteer coordinator will try to match the volunteer's skills and license or certification with the assignment. You can expect that you will be assigned tasks consistent with your level of licensure. Depending on the availability of volunteers, health care professionals may be also assigned tasks outside usual professional activities, such as non-medical and general tasks.

What will be my length of deployment in an emergency?

There is no required length of service. Information about the deployment will be sent out with the request. At that time, you can determine how much time you can volunteer.

Deployments may last from a few hours to weeks or months. Each activation has its own circumstances and could require shorter or longer deployments.

These questions can help you decide on taking a request and how much time you can volunteer:

• What type of incident are you willing to respond to?
• What distance are you willing to travel?
• How long can I realistically be gone from family and work?
• What conditions may restrict your length of deployment? (Children, pets, medications, employment, etc.)

Can I specify that I want to volunteer in my own community or outside it?

Yes. When you register, you can select up to five (5) counties to support. This will allow you to select the county you reside in and any neighboring counties. You will also be given the option to volunteer for state and federal level emergencies. For state level activations, you could be asked to volunteer any place within the state. For federal level activations, you could be asked if you would like to assist anywhere with the United States.

Will I be asked to volunteer outside my community?

You will only be asked to volunteer in the counties you registered for during your initial registration in ServNY. State level volunteers could be asked to deploy to anywhere in the State of New York, and those interested in volunteering for a nationally declared emergency, could be asked to deploy anywhere in the United States.

How can I learn more about the conditions and risks I could encounter once I'm deployed to an emergency?

Volunteers will receive deployment information, and any risks associated with the emergency. Volunteers will not be asked to attempt to perform any work for which they are not trained or prepared for. Prior to accepting a volunteer assignment, ask yourself what types of incidents you are willing to undertake.

Volunteers will be needed for scenarios such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, large fires, chemical, biological or radiological events, as well as large testing or vaccination events. Some emergency situations pose inherent danger risks, and responses that can be mentally and physically tiring. Conditions in the area could be very primitive, and you could be working with severely limited resources and little or no personal or individual comforts.

I'm registered and waiting for a request. How do I pack and prepare for deployment?

Your deployment information will include what items to bring. You will need to pack personal products and items, such as medications and eyeglasses. At home, it's recommended to have a "go-bag" ready with your essentials if deployment looks possible.

You can also prepare by participating in training opportunities. They are a great way to prepare for deployment and experience scenarios that you may likely encounter.

How will I get to the deployment area or base camp?

Once you have been selected for a deployment, the state or local volunteer coordinator will contact you with your deployment information. This will include where to go and how to get there. Do not deploy to the base camp (meeting place) on your own and without specific instructions from the volunteer coordinators.

Will I need to be vaccinated or take other precautions?

All volunteers are highly recommended to have up-to-date vaccinations. In the event of certain emergencies, such as a pandemic flu or bioterrorism, you may receive the countermeasure (such as a vaccine or medicine) if you choose or if it is needed.

If I volunteer, will there be help to take care of my family if they face an emergency?

No. You are strongly encouraged to talk with your family and develop an emergency plan. Talk about how emergencies will be handled without you and how the family will stay in touch. Update the plan as necessary.