During large disasters, you can use your professional skills as a licensed healthcare provider to deliver hands-on care and education to disaster-affected clients. The work setting is generally in emergency shelters or on outreach teams in the community. (Keep in mind, you could be assigned to another work location once you arrive on scene depending on the needs of the operation.)
If volunteering as a Disaster Health or Disaster Mental Health professional interests you, great! As a first step, please review the criteria to find out if you're eligible:
Do you meet the eligibility criteria for Disaster Health Services or Disaster Mental Health?
On average, the Red Cross responds to a disaster every 8 minutes. These disasters can disrupt ongoing treatment, exacerbate existing healthcare concerns, and create new health or mental health care needs in those affected. Red Cross volunteers use their professional skills to help meet immediate needs and refer clients for ongoing, specialized care. Each volunteer shift you take is another opportunity to help people in their hour of greatest need.
Requirements
Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.