The Saline County Health Department has received a $10,000 grant to help develop its new medical reserve corps program, according to department officials.

Louise England, the department's grant writer, said the money will be used to train volunteers, hire a part-time program coordinator and help supply the department's trailer, a relatively new asset that was also purchased with grant money.

The grant comes from the National Association of City and County Health Officials, according to SCHD Administrator Gayle Thomas.

The medical reserve corps is a part of a federal volunteer program, Citizens Corps.

The Saline County MRC, which was started late last year, is one of 11 in the state so far.

England said there were 10 volunteers signed up; they meet monthly with Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Corbin Allred.

The group met for the first time Feb. 15 and at its April meeting began formal training, England said.

Volunteers for MRCs generally are people with some experience in health care professions who because of retirement or other reasons have time to devote to training and can respond immediately in an emergency, according to SCHD officials.

The role of MRC volunteers in an emergency can vary from assisting with triage to helping with paperwork.

England also reported Wood and Huston Bank had pledged $500 to the Saline County Health Fund, a non-profit corporation created by the department to help raise money for special projects.

One of the top priorities for the health fund is finding resources to start a dental program. Equipment has already been donated by the Missouri Dental Association, Thomas said.

The next step is to raise money to pay for a dentist and dental assistant to provide services, and English hopes to win a Robert Wood Johnson foundation grant. The grant, which can be for as much as $500,000 over four years, requires matching funds.

On the Net:

http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov

http://www.citizencorps.gov

Contact Eric Crump at

marshalleditor@socket.net