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Abstract: During emergencies, federal, state and local governments, as well as private sector entities, rely upon licensed volunteer health practitioners (VHPs) to provide emergency health services. However, VHPs and the entities that send and host them have been met with a barrage of legal questions underlying their deployment and use. These legal issues have inhibited the full realization of volunteer services and contributions. To address these issues, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws produced the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (UEVHPA). This article frames the core legal challenges underlying the deployment and use of VHPs during emergencies, and discusses how the UEVHPA responds to these challenges. This article demonstrates how the act provides a workable structure with meaningful answers to key legal questions for VHPs and the entities that send or host them.
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