The current Idaho Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Project has been in existence since October of 1999. It is part of the Emergency Medical Services Bureau and is supported by a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

BACKGROUND

The National EMSC program is designed to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity sustained due to severe illness or trauma. It aims to ensure state-of-the art emergency medical care is provided to all children and adolescents and to ensure that pediatric service is well integrated into an emergency medical services system. This requires access to optimal resources and the assurance that the entire spectrum of emergency services, including primary prevention of illness and injury, acute care, and rehabilitation, is provided to children and adolescents as well as adults.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Idaho’s current EMSC Partnership Grant is focused on meeting the federal performance measures:

• Increase the percentage of agencies in Idaho that have on-line and off-line pediatric medical direction at the scene of an emergency for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers by 15%.
• Increase the percentage of BLS and ALS patient care units that have the essential pediatric equipment and supplies, as outlined in national guidelines, by 50%.
• The existence of a statewide, territorial, or regional standardized system in Idaho that recognizes hospitals that are able to stabilize and/or manage pediatric trauma.
• Increase the percentage of hospitals in Idaho that have both written pediatric inter-facility transfer guidelines and agreements to 75%.
• By the end of May 2009, 100% of the new pediatric recertification requirements will be included in the Idaho EMS Certification Standards Manual and changes communicated to all agencies and providers.
• Ensure EMS providers in the state are educated on the importance of practicing family-centered care.

EMSC SUBCOMMITTEE

The EMSC Subcommittee is a statewide, multidisciplinary subcommittee of the EMS Advisory Committee. The committee is comprised of experienced practitioners from their respective fields focused on the care of children and adolescents. The Committee meets quarterly to provide guidance and assistance to the EMSC Project.