FY09 Announcement of Availability of Funds for the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) Program.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response announces the availability of grants to support the efforts of eligible entities to develop, refine, and maintain existing Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) Programs. The ESAR-VHP program is a national program intended to help health professionals volunteer in public health emergencies and disasters by providing verifiable, up-to-date information regarding a volunteer?s identity and license, credentials, and privileges to hospitals or other medical facilities that require a volunteer?s services. Section 319I of the Public Health Service (PHS) authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to award a grant for activities relating to the ESAR-VHP network, a national interoperable network of systems. Each system is maintained by a State or group of States, for the purpose of verifying the credentials, certifications, licenses, accreditations, and hospital privileges of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health services during a public health emergency.