This notice announces the opportunity to apply for supplemental funding under the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) State Partnership Rural Expansion Program. The purpose of this demonstration project is to improve and expand emergency medical services (EMS) systems for children to ensure access to age-appropriate, high-quality care during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural, remote, and/or tribal areas. Supplemental funds will support demonstration projects in rural, remote, and/or tribal areas that respond to gaps in the readiness to care for children in prehospital EMS and hospital Emergency Department (ED) systems to advance existing EMSC State Partnership Program performance measure priorities.
You may select objectives related to the following EMSC State Partnership Program performance measure priorities:
• Objective 1: Increase the number of hospitals in rural, remote and/or tribal communities that are recognized by a state, regional, or territorial pediatric medical recognition program (supports HRSA performance measure EMSC 04).
• Objective 2: Increase the number of pediatric emergency care coordinators in rural, remote, and/or tribal EMS agencies (supports HRSA performance measures EMSC 02).
In addition, you are encouraged to incorporate strategies that are responsive to specific gaps in provider or system pediatric readiness that address state-based needs heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as:
• Pediatric behavioral/mental health
• Trauma-informed care
• Management of multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C)
• Culturally responsive care
• Child abuse and neglect
