The first step toward becoming a public health volunteer just got easier. The Georgia Department of Public Health's (DPH) volunteer health care programs are now collectively united under the name Georgia Responds.

La Kieva Williams, DPH volunteer program director, calls it a "movement" aimed at making the registration process and the coordinated volunteer effort more attractive.

"Georgia Responds serves as a gateway or a portal for volunteers to really maximize their skills. It's a platform for them to see all the benefits of volunteering in one snapshot."

The efforts of volunteers have long been recognized as vital and are perhaps more important today than ever before. Disasters and financial challenges have each taken their toll on many Georgians who would suffer more and for a longer period of time without volunteer help.

The three established programs -- the State Emergency Registry of Volunteers (SERVGA), the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and the Georgia Volunteer Healthcare Program (GVHCP) -- continue to route volunteers to where their efforts are needed most.

"For so long we've had several different volunteer programs that worked in silos, and when you start communicating you realize that you are recruiting the same type of provider that another program is doing," said Williams. "So, collectively we're now in one system and it shows a united front."

The Georgia Responds movement also serves as a way to capture potential volunteers' attention. The updated web page and online registration highlight the benefits for volunteers who are willing to donate their service. The end result is a healthier, safer Georgia, according to Williams.

"If you look at the recent tornadoes, everything from Hurricane Sandy, you see all those people that are in desperate and dire need," Williams said. "Now, not only do you have providers that are ready to help, you have providers that you are comfortable with. Meaning, when you register in this system your credentials are automatically verified, your licensure is automatically verified as well, and you can start building relationships throughout the entire state."

-Story by Eric Jens, DPH Communications