What can you do to help?

There are many ways that volunteers can help in improving the health and wellbeing of persons in Lee County. Some of these include provision of direct care by licensed health professionals both in their own private offices and in indigent clinics.

There are also many opportunities for non-medical personnel to contribute their
time and talents.

Licensed Health Care Professionals:

Lee We Care:
The Lee County Health Department works in partnership with the Lee County Medical Society, three non-profit indigent care agencies, and all local hospitals to provide volunteer medical specialty services to uninsured, low income persons who have nowhere else to turn when they become ill.

Non-profit clinics:

Medical volunteers can treat patients on-site at the health department, the Salvation Army’s Primary Care Clinic and Interim Care Center, the Senior Friendship Center, and Project Dental Care. Retired physicians, nurses and dentists may obtain limited licenses with which they can provide uncompensated care to the indigent.

The Volunteer Health Care Provider Program (section 766.1115, F.S.) gives health care providers the opportunity to volunteer and use their skills for helping others without having to worry about liability. This statute extends legal protection if a lawsuit results from volunteer services. For further information about this program, email Wendy Wilderman@doh.state.fl.us or telephone (941) 332-9546.

The Lee County Health Department benefits from a variety of volunteer services from the community:

• The Rotary and Kiwanis clubs provide support to our community immunization clinics by assisting with paperwork and controlling crowd traffic.

• The WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) department recruits volunteers for its Breastfeeding Buddies program. Volunteers trained through this program work on a one-to-one basis with new mothers and their infants, lending support and encouraging breastfeeding throughout the first six months of an infant's life, thereby ensuring a healthy start to a healthy future.

• Another avenue of volunteerism is through the wonderful donation of goods from churches and women's groups. Infant layettes, stuffed animals, baby blankets and quilts, and many other home-made items are donated to the health department. These gifts are very much appreciated by the grateful families who cannot afford to purchase such items. Favorites in the Immunization department are the finger puppets crafted by a women's church group. These cute, tiny dolls help ease children's fears during immunizations.

Volunteers are most welcomed in many areas:

• Someone with publishing or printing skills is needed to operate our Reisograph, a printing machine used for newsletters, pamphlets, and forms.
  

• Clerical assistance is always in demand, as are interpreters for our Spanish and Haitian population.
  
• Volunteers are also needed to assist in our outreach programs for teenage pregnancy prevention, injury prevention, prevention of tobacco use by youth, and chronic diseases.
  

Whatever your skill, it can be put to good use by the Lee County Health Department Volunteer Program!

For more information, please contact Amanda Richmond at (941) 332-9510 or email:Amanda_Richmond@doh.state.fl.us