Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC)
The United States Congress enacted legislation in 1984 authorizing the use of federal funds for EMSC. The Section of Emergency Medical Services, Arkansas Department of Health has hosted the EMSC Program for over eleven years. The purpose of this program is to assist the State with its capacity to improve the care of sick or injured children during an emergency situation through education, prevention and advocacy. The Health Resource and Services Administration fund the EMSC Program through a State Partnership grant. This grant is intended to solidify the integration for a pediatric focus within the state’s EMS system.
State Partnership grants are required to work on EMSC specific performance measures. The performance measures are designed to demonstrate national outcomes of the EMSC Program and to improve the delivery of emergency care services to children. Some of the key items addressed by the performance measures include:
- On/Off line pediatric medical direction at the scene of an emergency
- Essential pediatric equipment and supplies on ambulance vehicles
- Trauma system that recognizes hospitals with the ability to stabilize children
- Inter facility transfer agreements for pediatric patients
- Pediatric emergency education for emergency medical services technicians
EMSC Committee Information
Presentation Material