The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program coordinates the skills of practicing and retired physicians, nurses, other health care professionals and other citizens interested in health issues, who are eager to volunteer to address their community's ongoing public health needs and to help their community during large-scale emergency situations.

Ingham County is recruiting people to build our own Medical Reserve Corps Unit.  We have identified ways you can help our community and we will continue to explore ways volunteers can help meet specific community needs.  For example, MRC volunteers may deliver necessary public health sevices during a crisis, assist emergency response teams with patients, and provide care directly to those with less serious injuries and other health-related issues.

MRC volunteers may also serve a vital role by assisting our community with ongoing public health needs (e.g., immunizations, screenings, health and nutrition education, and volunteering in community health centers and local hospitals).  Once established, how the local MRC unit is utilized will be decided locally.  The MRC unit will make decisions, with local officials, including the local Citizen Corps Council, on when the community Medical Reserve Corps is activated during a local emergency.

The Medical Reserve Corps is one of the volunteer programs under the umbrella of the USA Freedom Corps, answering the President's call to service.  MRC units receive oversight and guidance from the Surgeon General's Office in the Dept. of Halth and Human Services.

The Ingham County MRC receives funds from Federal, State, and Local sources.  The Ingham County Health Dept. provides local oversight to the Ingham County Medical Reserve Corps.

The Ingham County MRC needs many individuals with a variety of talents to help promote and maintain the health of our community members.  Medical Reserve volunteers are needed to assist the community on a day-by-day basis as well as times of emergency.  Volunteers will receive training related to how they would like to serve.  Those individuals who are interested in volunteering in the event of a community emergency or disaster will receive specific training related to emergency command structure and volunteer roles.  Individuals who are interested in serving the public health system with immunization clinics, physician outreach, or health education can be trained to serve under the public health system.