PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Gives grants, run by the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary, to eligible groups so they can improve emergency medical care in rural places or for people who live in rural places. Eligible groups are local or tribal government EMS agencies (including fire-based ones) or nonprofit EMS agencies that are tax-exempt. To get a grant, an eligible group must apply when and how the Secretary requires. Grants must be used for things like training staff to get and keep licenses and certifications, running courses that qualify people to work as EMS providers, paying for required training, buying EMS equipment, and training staff about mental health and substance use in emergency care. Grants can also be used to recruit and keep staff (including volunteers), build tech-based education, buy OSHA-required personal protective gear, or buy legally marketed drugs or devices for emergency overdose treatment. Each grant can be no more than $200,000. Money is authorized as needed for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, and up to 10% of what’s provided each year can pay program administrative costs. Definitions: “Emergency medical services” means medical care given outside a hospital by licensed or nonprofit providers in emergency situations, including EMTs and paramedics. “Rural area” means a nonmetropolitan statistical area, any area a State calls rural by law or rule, or a rural census tract of a metro area under the latest RUCA codes.

Title 42, §290ee–10

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall award grants to eligible entities to enable such entities to provide for improved emergency medical services in rural areas or to residents of rural areas.

(b)To be eligible to receive grant under this section, an entity shall—

(1)be—

(A)an emergency medical services agency operated by a local or tribal government (including fire-based and non-fire based); or

(B)an emergency medical services agency that is described in section 501(c) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of title 26; and

(2)submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(c)An entity—

(1)shall use amounts received through a grant under subsection (a) to—

(A)train emergency medical services personnel as appropriate to obtain and maintain licenses and certifications relevant to service in an emergency medical services agency described in subsection (b)(1);

(B)conduct courses that qualify graduates to serve in an emergency medical services agency described in subsection (b)(1) in accordance with State and local requirements;

(C)fund specific training to meet Federal or State licensing or certification requirements;

(D)acquire emergency medical services equipment; and

(E)ensure emergency medical services personnel are trained on mental health and substance use disorders and care for individuals with such disorders in emergency situations; and

(2)may use amounts received through a grant under subsection (a) to—

(A)recruit and retain emergency medical services personnel, which may include volunteer personnel;

(B)develop new ways to educate emergency health care providers through the use of technology-enhanced educational methods;

(C)acquire personal protective equipment for emergency medical services personnel as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; or

(D)acquire drugs or devices approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.] for emergency treatment of known or suspected overdose.

(d)Each grant awarded under this section shall be in an amount not to exceed $200,000.

(e)In this section:

(1)The term “emergency medical services”—

(A)means resources used by a public or private nonprofit licensed entity to deliver medical care outside of a medical facility under emergency conditions that occur as a result of the condition of the patient; and

(B)includes services delivered (either on a compensated or volunteer basis) by an emergency medical services provider or other provider that is licensed or certified by the State involved as an emergency medical technician, a paramedic, or an equivalent professional (as determined by the State).

(2)The term “rural area” means—

(A)a nonmetropolitan statistical area;

(B)an area designated as a rural area by any law or regulation of a State; or

(C)a rural census tract of a metropolitan statistical area (as determined under the most recent rural urban commuting area code as set forth by the Office of Management and Budget).

(f)(1)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.

(2)The Secretary may use not more than 10 percent of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year for the administrative expenses of carrying out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(D), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, which is classified generally to chapter 9 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of Title 21 and Tables. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 254c–15 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 118–84.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 290ee–10, act

July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 550, as added Pub. L. 115–271, title VIII, § 8214, Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 4116, which related to sobriety treatment and recovery teams, was renumbered section 550A of act

July 1, 1944, by Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1237, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5677, and transferred to section 290ee–5a of this title.

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(1), substituted “the Assistant Secretary,” for “the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’)”. Subsec. (c)(1)(E). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(2)(A), added subpar. (E). Subsec. (c)(2)(D). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(2)(B), added subpar. (D). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(3), (4), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f) and struck out former subsec. (f). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (f) read as follows: “The Secretary may not award a grant under this section to an entity unless the entity agrees that the entity will make available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant in an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount received under the grant.” Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(5), substituted “2024 through 2028” for “2019 through 2023”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(4), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f). 2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(1), substituted “in rural areas or to residents of rural areas” for “in rural areas”. Subsecs. (b) to (f). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(2), added subsecs. (b) to (f) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (f) which related to eligibility for grants, use of funds, preference for certain grant applications, matching requirement, and definition of “emergency medical services”, respectively. Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(3), substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2002 through 2006”.

§290ee–10 Rural Emergency Medical Service Training and Equipment Assistance Program