An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a 3-hour public workshop at the 2017 Preparedness Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, as similarly done in each of the last five years via the Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events. Through this workshop, the committee will convene a panel of individuals with expertise in local, state, and international disaster health volunteerism and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Contemporary examples of the complex disaster volunteering web will be examined and discussions will center on how a stronger and better volunteer capacity might be developed for the future.

Specifically, presentations and discussions will be designed to help participants:

• Examine key resources and tools that will enhance or sustain professional work or volunteer roles in planning for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and other public health emergencies.
• Explore opportunities to engage with local, state, federal, NGO and private sector stakeholders to support development of a robust, scalable and regularly engaged disaster health volunteer workforce.
• Discuss the key characteristics desired of disaster health volunteerism in 2042.

The committee will develop the agenda for the workshop session, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. A brief workshop proceedings will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines, based on the presentations and discussions held during the workshop.