DOH-Volusia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers saved taxpayers nearly $13,000 over the last fiscal year. Medical Reserve Corp volunteers have conducted flu shot outreach at homeless shelters, and staffed immunization clinics and health fairs. They attended trainings and exercises to prepare them to work in special needs shelters, alternate medical care sites and medicine dispensing locations. They also assisted DOH-Volusia staff as needed. Corps volunteers logged a combined total of 443 hours.

MRC volunteers Larry Westley (left) and Aleta Dick (right) prepare vaccinations at DOH-Volusia. The registered nurses helped DOH staff handle the back-to-school rush for vaccinations.

The recently-released State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) is a five-year plan that engages public health system stakeholders to collectively address Florida’s top health priorities. Consisting of diverse partners from throughout the state, the SHIP Steering Committee meets throughout the five-year timeframe to ensure objectives are being met. The SHIP is structured by eight priority areas interwoven with health equity concepts that address health disparities. The priority areas are: Health Equity; Maternal and Child Health; Immunizations; Injury, Safety and Violence; Healthy Weight, Nutrition and Physical Activity; Behavioral Health (includes Mental Illness and Substance Abuse); Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Other Infectious Diseases; and Chronic Disease and Conditions (includes Tobacco-Related Illnesses and Cancer). Each priority area has a priority area workgroup (PAW) comprised of subject matter experts and managed by an internal and external co-chair. The subject matter experts work collaboratively to determine the PAW’s goals, strategies and objectives for the SHIP and track their progress throughout the range of the plan.

Please follow these links to access the SHIP Executive Summary, SHIP Goals, Strategies and Objectives, and SHA Key Findings.