The 1889 Jefferson Center for Population Health is helping spread the word about volunteer opportunities to help the PA Department of Health (PA DOH) combat COVID-19.

Contact tracing is one of the most important roles in the Commonwealth’s efforts to re-open Pennsylvania. The 1889 Jefferson Center for Population Health is working as a partner with the PA DOH on contact tracing efforts. The PA DOH is currently seeking contact tracers who represent trusted messengers in each community.

Individuals can volunteer their services through Pennsylvania’s online registry for medical and non-medical volunteers found at SERVPA (http://www.serv.pa.gov), and you can download a document with further information here.

The PA DOH is seeking individuals who speak additional languages and who may have experience in working within local communities or with specialized/targeted populations such as faith leaders, service providers within the homeless community, providers who work with individuals living with disabilities, and individuals from other vulnerable communities.

Volunteering will afford individuals the opportunity to provide service to their local community and state in the fight against COVID, while offering a new skillset and potential pathway into public health work or future efforts.

Volunteers with availability beyond 15 hours per week have been prioritized in the onboarding process, but as the internal infrastructure is developed at the PA DOH, they will be working to onboard volunteers with more limited availability.