COVID-19 Volunteers

The MOA has received a number of calls from members looking for ways to volunteer their skills. Michigan.gov has created a webpage with links for volunteers and donations. The www.michigan.gov/fightcovid19 site has options for Healthcare Providers, Public Health & Community volunteers. The site also links for donating PPE materials and a link to the Red Cross for blood donations. 

Personal Protective Equipment Donations

As many news reports have stressed, there is a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) healthcare responders need in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare facilities across the state are asking for assistance to help protect healthcare workers and limit the spread of the virus.

Here are the materials most needed at this time:

In order to ensure the supplies are distributed efficiently and to the areas of greatest need, donations can be directed to the Michigan Community Service Commission at [email protected] or call (517) 335-4295.

Personal Protective Equipment for Michigan (PPE for MI) is a volunteer effort led by medical students throughout Michigan working to facilitate personal protective equipment (PPE) donations from community members to healthcare workers in need.
For more information and to donate email: [email protected] or visit: www.ppeformi.com

Licensed physician volunteers needed for telemedicine program 

The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Spartan Street Medicine program is seeking licensed physician volunteers associated with MSU to help supervise medical students and future Spartan DOs in conducting telemedicine sessions for the underserved.  

Scope of services being offered include:

• Assessing the status of chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, osteoarthritis and more.

• Advising patients about healthy habits and answering informational questions about health conditions.

• Directing patients to other treatment settings when necessary.

• Providing resources such as referrals to primary care, housing, dental services, etc.

• Treating some acute medical problems such as rashes, conjunctivitis, skin infections, diarrhea, etc. Writing prescriptions or refills as appropriate.

• Listening and treating patients with compassion, and offering a reassuring presence.

With the help of the City Rescue Mission, two-hour sessions, twice a week, are initially being offered with the hope to offer more sessions at additional sites in the future and ensure this population continues to receive the care they need. Those interested in volunteering can choose how often they’d like to participate.

Interested? Contact Jennifer Miller [email protected] for more information.

Residents, Medical Students and Physicians:
COVID-19 Creates Urgent Staffing Needs for at State Psychiatric Hospitals

First, licensed healthcare professionals who can assist by covering patient care duties including shift work. This may include psychiatric residents or faculty and medicine residents or faculty of any specialty who can provide for the basic physical or psychiatric healthcare needs of the psychiatric patients.

The call to action is for residents in training and faculty who may be willing to work as contracted healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 crisis. The State of Michigan is willing to consider various arrangements of part-time evening, weekend, day shift or full-time coverage at our various locations. If you or someone you know is interested and willing to serve for a paid position within the Michigan hospitals in any of these capacities, please contact Dr. George Mellos at [email protected]

Second, we are seeking a broad range of volunteers including medical students who may currently be unable to work at their usual duties. As a volunteer, the residents would be assigned to support the healthcare workers and other staff, taking temperatures and doing tasks that do not require licensure or clinical supervision.

For those interested in this type of activity, please contact Mary Luchies, Central Behavioral Specialist and the volunteer coordinator, at [email protected]

MHA Job Board - Connecting Hospitals 
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA) has launched a free, online job website in response to Michigan hospitals’ need to share staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the COVID-19 has spread it has stretched the staffing needs for hospitals in some areas while some employees have been displaced or sidelined due to the halting of elective surgeries or other factors.

The goal of the site is to support the communication of available workforce between hospitals. The website offers a very simple platform for hospitals to post what kinds of providers they need and the required skill sets. Hospitals with staff that have been displaced are encouraged to check the website for potential temporary assignments and directly contact the person identified in the post to discuss any relevant details.
The MHA Connection

The MOA is monitoring updates and recommendations from MDHHS, CDC, World Health Organization and local health agencies.
If you have any comments or questions for the MOA, please use the link below to contact the MOA directly and we will respond accordingly. 

Comments or questions? Contact the MOA