Description
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a specialized component of Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps are part of the USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service throughout the nation.
The Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC) is the national program office of the MRC and is housed within the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The DCVMRC supports the MRC network by providing technical assistance, coordination, communications, strategy and policy development, grants and contract oversight, training and other associated services. It functions as a clearinghouse for information and best practices to help communities establish, implement, and maintain MRC units in order to achieve their local visions for public health and emergency preparedness.
The DCVMRC also oversees the 11 MRC Regional Coordinators that represent the 10 MRC regions across the United States and its territories. Please visit our MRC Regional Coordinators page for more information
MRC units are community-based and function as a way to locally organize and utilize medical and non-medical volunteers who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources. MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members with non-medical backgrounds--interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others--can fill other key support positions.
