National Volunteer Week is April 17 through 23, 2022. The Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is grateful for the outstanding volunteers who have joined our team. We could not do what we do without these high-quality volunteers with can-do attitudes. The SMP program was designed to incorporate volunteers to provide peer-to-peer education in our outreach efforts, so we do rely heavily on their involvement. We’d like to take a moment with this blog to thank our current volunteers, to tell you a little bit about what they do to keep our organization running, and to explain how you can join our volunteer force.

What WI SMP Volunteers Do

The Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol team of staff and volunteers work together to help prevent Medicare waste and fraud and safeguard Medicare beneficiaries. We teach other community members how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, abuse, and errors. Volunteers provide this outreach and education in their communities. Tasks include distributing materials to various sites in the area, staffing informational tables or booths at outreach events, answering questions at the various functions, and giving presentations about SMP’s mission to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, abuse, and errors.

Don’t worry, we provide our volunteers with plenty of training! The program provides both in-person and online instruction to ensure team members have the knowledge, ability, and confidence to answer questions for fellow community members.

Volunteering Has Health Benefits!

Did you know there are health benefits to volunteering? It’s been proven that volunteering can lead to reduction of depression, chronic pain, and stress, as well as stronger social connections. Volunteering is a great way to find meaning and purpose for yourself – while helping your community at the same time. Studies have found evidence of lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan for those who volunteer.

How to Join WI SMP Volunteer Team

Take a look at our volunteer page to learn more about the volunteer roles and see if something is of interest. All positions require orientation and training, and some positions also require background checks. We don’t have a minimum monthly time commitment, but we do ask for a commitment of at least a year since the onboarding process and training program are extensive.

We are looking for people who are committed to upholding the SMP mission, its values, and can represent SMP in a professional manner. Many of the people we help are in a vulnerable position, so it is crucial we hire trustworthy and reliable volunteers. As such, we require volunteers to first complete an application form and then we conduct an interview. Our screening process also can include two reference checks, criminal background check, driving records check, and educational/employment background checks depending on the volunteer role you select. For more information on the Wisconsin SMP volunteer program and/or to submit an application, please check out our volunteer page.

Thank You to Our Volunteers

Thanks again to all our volunteers, and happy National Volunteer Appreciation Week from Wisconsin SMP! We absolutely could not be such a force in the fight against Medicare fraud without each and every member on our team.