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COVID-19 SERV-OR Vaccinator Workforce FAQ



Licensed/certified health professional in Oregon or another state, as well as retired health professionals who were licensed/certified in Oregon within the last 10 years, are all encouraged to register with SERV-OR.

Start your SERVOR application today and start receiving notifications of vaccination events that need your help!

Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units are locally managed counties or regions in the state. Join your local MRC for local volunteer opportunities. If you don’t see an MRC that is local to you, you are invited to join the nearest unit to where you live or work.

Questions about your local unit? Reach out to the local MRC Coordinator in your jurisdiction. *Please note that call volumes are extremely high; email is the preferred method for contact.

​MRC​Coordinator​Email​Phone
​Cannon BeachLila Wickham​lilawickhamrn@gmail.com503-436-8052
​Clackamas CountyKirsten Ingersoll​kingersoll@co.clackamas.or.us503-742-5954
​Columbia CountyMike Paul
​Michael.paul@columbiacountyor.gov​503-366-3929
​Coos CountyCynthia Rodriguez
cynthia.rodriguez@chw.coos.or.us​
541-266-6809
​Eastern OregonJoe Johnson
JJohnson@bakercounty.org​541-566-0214
​Linn CountySamantha Buckley
sbuckley@co.lincoln.or.us​541-967-3888
​Lincoln CountyErik Anderson
eanderson@co.linn.or.us​

541-265-0657
​Marion CountyChris Henshaw
Chenshaw@co.marion.or.us​

503-365-3186
​Multnomah CountyChris Wirthchris.m.wirth@multco.us
971-271-2729
​Nehalem Bay
​Velda Handler
​VeldaRN@g​mail.com 
​503-812-4491​
​Wasco CountyTanya Wray​tanyaw@co.wasco.or.us
541-506-2631
​Washington CountyAbby Morris 
​abby_morris@co.washington.or.us
503-846-8292
​Yamhill CountyGene Biggs​biggsge@co.yamhill.or.us

503-434-6309

 

  • State Managed Volunteer Pool (SMVP) is the pool of volunteers deployed by Oregon Health Authority. We may request your support statewide, but usually try to notify you of volunteer opportunities closer to where you live.
    For questions about the SMVP, email SERV.OR@state.or.us
  • Retired/lapsed credentials? If you were previously licensed or certified in Oregon, you should join the State Managed Volunteer Pool for PREVIOUSLY LICENSED/CERTIFIED professionals. We will run a background check before accepting you into the SMVP at which point you will be notified of volunteer opportunities by OHA.
    Your license must be lapsed by fewer than 10-years and when lapsed needed to be in good standing.

    We have provided more details here for previously licensed/certified professionals in Oregon.

Yes, with some license and training requirements:

  • You must have been previously licensed or certified to provide health care services in Oregon within the last 10 years
  • Your license or certification must have been in good standing when it was surrendered. (See the description of “in good standing”)
  • Oregon Health Authority will conduct a criminal background check
  • Prior to being eligible for activation, you must complete this course:
    • Disaster Triage for Epidemics (20 mins)
    • Professional Standards and Conduct

"In good standing" means that:

  • A health care provider is currently certified, registered or licensed/certified, does not have any disciplinary restrictions placed on any certificate, registration or license, and who is not suspended or on probation with any certifying, registering or licensing agency that issued a certificate, registration or license for any reason; or
  • At the time the health care provider was last certified, registered or licensed/certified the health care provider: (i) Did not have any disciplinary restrictions placed on a certificate, registration or license; and (ii) Was not on probation or did not have a certificate, registration or license revoked or suspended by the certifying, registering or licensing agency that issued the certificate, registration or license, for any reason.
  • An individual is not in good standing if he or she voluntarily surrendered a certificate, registration or license while under investigation by a certifying, registering, or licensing board or surrendered a certificate, registration or license in lieu of discipline.
  • Emergency Re-activate your license through your regulatory board.
    Some Oregon Regulatory Boards are offering Emergency Re-activation. See if you qualify by visiting their webpages.
    • Oregon Medical Board (OMB):
      • Option 1: Complete OMB’s process using this Physician Reactivation page then come back and register with SERV-OR
      • Not planning to re-authorize with OMB?
        Register with SERV-OR as previously licensed/certified. You will receive a background check to be deployed. You can then vaccinate as a “non-licensed/certified medical assistant”, under the direction of a delegate
    • Oregon State Board of Nursing:
      • Option 1: Visit OSBN’s Post-Emergency Staffing Authorizations page to learn if you qualify and to apply. Then, come back and register with SERV-OR
      • Not planning to re-authorize with OSBN?
        Register with SERV-OR as previously licensed/certified. You will receive a background check to be deployed. You can then vaccinate as a “non-licensed medical assistant”, under the direction of a delegate
    • Is your licensing/certification board not listed here?
      • Option 1: Check with your regulatory body to see if there is an emergency re-authorization process for re-activating your credentials
      • Not able to re-authorize with your board?
        Register with SERVOR as previously licensed. You will receive a background check to be deployed. You can then vaccinate as a “non-licensed medical assistant”, under the direction of a delegate

OHA cannot deploy volunteers with the State Managed Volunteer Pool in SERV-OR, who are not currently or previously licensed/certified by a state regulatory board.

On March 22, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority issued an Authorization of the Prep Act Expansion of the Vaccinator Workforce in Oregon. OHA's Authorization expands certain student health professions who may administer vaccine in Oregon, after meeting all requirements listed therein. The Authorization does not change the statutory rule for who may register with the State Managed Volunteer Pool in SERV-OR.

The following Medical Reserve Corps Units in SERV-OR will accept student health professionals. When creating a SERV-OR account, students may only join one of these organizations:

  • Linn County MRC
  • Wasco County MRC
  • Washington County MRC
Student health professionals can also seek out other volunteer opportunities through their local health department, health systems, and other organizations that can manage unlicensed vaccinators.

Additionally, check in with your school. Many counties have agreements with health local occupation training programs, colleges and universities, and may have opportunities for students to volunteer as vaccinators.

Yes! Most currently licensed/certified health professionals can join SERV-OR if their credentials were issued by a state regulatory board and are in good standing.

Some exceptions and considerations to this include:

  • Lapsed AND out of state license/certificate? Unfortunately, at this time, Oregon statutes do not permit volunteers to join SERV-OR if their health credentials are expired/lapsed with a regulatory body outside of Oregon.
  • Physicians/PAs licensed out of state
    • Your out of state license must be current and in good standing
    • To volunteer within scope, apply with the Oregon Medical Board for an Emergency Authorization to practice in Oregon using this form: Emergency Authorization Application
  • Nurses licensed out of state
    • Your out of state must be current and in good standing
    • To volunteer within scope, apply with the Oregon State Board of Nursing for an Emergency Authorization to volunteer in Oregon authorization application to be added to the OSBN emergency registry.

You cannot register with the State Managed Volunteer Pool in SERV-OR.

People who are not licensed may only register with one of three Medical Reserve Corps Units in SERV-OR. When creating your account in SERV-OR, unlicensed individuals may only join one of the following Organizations:

  • Linn County MRC
  • Wasco County MRC
  • Washington County MRC

If your county is not listed, your community may still need your help! For example, non-medical volunteers could be asked to support drive-thru clinics with traffic flow, check-in/out of volunteers, staff, or the public. You may be needed to help keep facilities neat and tidy, or even help with event set-up/break-down. There are a lot of ways you may be needed, but the best way to connect will be locally through your local health department or office of emergency management to find out how they are recruiting and managing non-medical volunteers for vaccine distribution.

You can also search for local programs where you may be able to get involved as a non-medical volunteer:

So, you have completed registration at SERV-OR.org, joined an MRC and/or the SMVP. WHAT NOW?

  • Onboarding
    • Each volunteer unit will send their onboarding requirements. MRC Units’ onboarding may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some conduct interviews
    • We may reach out to you because we need more information to process your application
    • The State Managed Volunteer Pool (SMVP) requires all new volunteers to complete membership paperwork and watch an orientation video immediately. Other trainings (FEMA’s IS-100 and IS- 700 courses) will be due to the state within 1-year of joining. If you wish to be removed from SERV-OR after COVID-19, please email SERV.OR@dhsoha.state.or.us to close your account.
    • Retired/previously licensed or certified? As a previously licensed or certified professional, you are required to complete an additional 20-minute training and receive a background check that will be conducted by the Oregon Health Authority and/or your local MRC unit. See the section on being “Previously Licensed/Certified in Oregon” for more details
    • Once you’ve completed onboarding for your Organizations, you can see if you have been accepted by going to the Organizations tab of your profile. You will also receive an automated email notifying you when you have been accepted
  • What kind of missions may I deploy on?
    • Statewide, counties and Tribes are developing plans and operations for vaccinating communities. SERV-OR may be needed to staff regular weekly vaccine events, deploy to health facilities to support patient vaccination efforts, or even help reach isolated or vulnerable communities through mobile vaccine clinics.
    • Not all deployments will require medical expertise. You may be needed to support data entry, traffic flow, facilities management, site support, check-in, and more! We try to notify you of the exact requirement of a deployment so you can make the best choice for you, when choosing to respond. 
  • How will I learn about volunteer opportunities?
    • Email and text. SERV-OR Organizations will notify you of volunteer needs or event sign-up most often through email.
    • Be sure to mark SERV-OR as a safe sender so our messages don’t go to your Junk or Spam!

      Not hearing from us?

      That’s OKAY! Sometimes we need you to sit tight and keep your contact information up to date in the SERV-OR system so we can call on you when we receive requests for volunteer support.

      Since March 2020, MRC units and the SMVP have been deploying in communities across Oregon, responding to COVID-19’s various public health and medical emergencies. If you’re not hearing from SERV-OR, that could be a good thing! It means your community has all the resources they need to vaccinate without SERV-OR volunteers.

      It could also mean that a request is coming any day. We appreciate you for staying vigilant and ready to respond
  • Can I deploy to any hospital or vaccination event in the state?
    • You may only deploy when you have been explicitly mission assigned by the MRC Coordinators or by the Oregon Health Authority. You may not represent yourself as a SERV-OR volunteer at a vaccination event, unless this has occurred.
      NEVER self-deploy as a SERV-OR volunteer without clear direction to do so from these organizations       – you will have no liability or tort protection if you do this.
On March 22, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority issued an Authorization of the Prep Act Expansion of the Vaccinator Workforce in Oregon. OHA's Authorization expands health professions, students, and retirees who may administer vaccine in Oregon, after meeting all requirements listed therein.

If your professional license or certification is not listed, you have been retired more than 5 years, or you choose not to complete the requirements of the Authorization, you must receive delegation to vaccinate (supervision/training) by a supervising health professional with authority to delegate. You can learn more about professionals with authority to vaccinate in the Vaccinator Categories document. Important note: Not all vaccination sites are able to delegate. Those requiring delegation will be notified of opportunities where they may be engaged as a vaccinator OR if they are needed as non-medical support.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The intent behind delegation is to allow professions outside of the vaccinator scope (e.g., chiropractors, accupuncturists, audiologists, etc.) to be delegated as a vaccinator, increasing the vaccinator workforce in SERV-OR. These volunteers would not be operating outside of their respective scope of practice. Instead, the delegating licensee assumes responsibility for training and oversight of the person (an unlicensed medical assistant) who is delegated authority.

EMS Professionals should review the Emergency Scope Practice Change for EMS Providers in Oregon effective January 14, 2021 regarding approval from their supervising physician to participate in any SERV-OR deployment outside of their jurisdiction.

  • If you are a licensed or certified healthcare volunteer, volunteering as part of SERV-OR and official volunteer deployment during a governor-declared emergency, you will be covered for liability and injury protection under the Oregon Tort Claims Act and are subject to Workers’ Compensation benefits if injured in the course and scope of performing emergency service activities under the direction of a public body.

 

 To learn more, please reference the following Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS)

(ORS 401.025, ORS 401.364, ORS 401.355, ORS 401.368, ORS 401.355 - 401.465)

 

  • The federal emergency declaration also provides indemnification for volunteer medical personnel during the COVID-19 emergency
    • Protections for healthcare workers under the PREP Act

Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, amended December 2020