42 U.S.C. § 290ee–10: Rural emergency medical…

Summary

The Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary, must give grants to eligible emergency medical services (EMS) agencies to improve care in rural areas or for people who live there. Eligible agencies are those run by local or tribal governments (including fire and non-fire departments) or EMS agencies that are 501(c) tax-exempt. Applicants must apply when and how the Secretary requires and provide the needed information. Grants must pay for training to get or keep EMS licenses and certifications, run courses that qualify people to work as EMS providers under state and local rules, meet federal or state training requirements, buy EMS equipment, and train staff about mental health and substance use care in emergencies. Grants may also be used to recruit and keep staff (including volunteers), develop tech-based education, buy OSHA-required protective gear, or buy drugs or devices legally marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for emergency overdose treatment. Each grant can be no more than $200,000. Definitions: emergency medical services means licensed public or nonprofit care given outside a hospital in emergencies, including paid or volunteer EMTs, paramedics, or state-equivalent providers. Rural area means a nonmetropolitan statistical area, an area a State calls rural, or a rural census tract of a metro area as defined by the most recent rural-urban commuting area codes from the Office of Management and Budget. Funding is authorized as needed for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, and up to 10 percent of each year’s appropriation may be used for administrative costs.

Title 42, §290ee–10

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

(a)Grants

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)Eligibility; application

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)Use of funds

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)Grant amounts

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

(e)Definitions

In this section: (1)

(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)Authorization of appropriations

(1)In general

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)Administrative costs

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