Health, Health Systems Improvement, Emergency Medical Services

Rule R426-6

Emergency Medical Services Competitive Grants Program Rules

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 33576
Filed: 04/26/2010 01:54:58 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The rule is revised to match the change in S.B. 178 from the 2010 Legislative Session. Grant funds are available to all licensed or designated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies. (DAR NOTE: S.B. 178 (2010) is found at Chapter 161, Laws of Utah 2010, and was effective 05/11/2010.)

Summary of the rule or change:

Rule change will allow grant funds to be distributed not only to rural agencies but to agencies statewide.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 26-8a-207

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

No effect on state budget as the available grant monies remain the same. Grant monies will be distributed to both rural and urban EMS Agencies.

local governments:

Grants are a voluntary process. This rule change will make grant monies available to all providers. The impact is anticipated as positive.

small businesses:

Grants are a voluntary process. This rule change will make grant monies available to all providers. The impact is anticipated as positive.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

Grants are a voluntary process. This rule change will make grant monies available to all providers. The impact is anticipated as positive.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

Grants are a voluntary process. The application process has been developed with input from regulated providers and will not pose a barrier for grant monies.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

Making grants available to all EMS agencies will have a positive fiscal impact.

David N. Sundwall, MD, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Health
Health Systems Improvement, Emergency Medical Services
3760 S HIGHLAND DR
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84106

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Allan Liu at the above address, by phone at 801-273-6664, by FAX at 801-273-4165, or by Internet E-mail at aliu@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

06/14/2010

This rule may become effective on:

06/21/2010

Authorized by:

David Sundwall, Executive Director

R426. Health, Health Systems Improvement, Emergency Medical Services.

R426-6. Emergency Medical Services Competitive Grants Program Rules.

R426-6-1. Authority and Purpose.

(1) This rule is established under Title 26, Chapter 8a.

(2) The purpose of this rule is to provide guidelines for the equitable distribution of competitive grant funds specified under the Emergency Medical Services Grants Program.

 

R426-6-2. Definitions.

(1) County EMS Council or Committee means a group of persons recognized by the county commission as the legitimate entity within the county to formulate policy regarding the provision of EMS.

(2) Multi-county EMS council or committee means a group of persons recognized by an association of counties as the legitimate entity within the association to formulate policy regarding the provision of EMS.[

(3) "Rural area" means an exclusive geographic service area as provided under Section 26-8a-402, that is a city, town, or other similar community with a population of 10,000 or less based on the most recently published data of the United States Census Bureau.

(4) "Rural county area" means an exclusive geographic service area as provided under Section 26-8a-402, that is a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class as provided under Section 17-50-501.]

 

R426-6-3. Eligibility.

(1) Competitive grants are available for use specifically related to the provision of emergency medical services.

(2) Grantees must be in compliance with the EMS Systems Act and all EMS rules during the grant period.

[(3) If an entity is considered a rural area or a rural county area, and fits the following criteria, they are eligible for competitive grant funds:

(a) licensed EMS agencies;

(b) designated EMS agencies;

(c) political subdivisions of Utah state or local governments that are seeking grants to provide for initial training to become licensed or designated EMS agencies; and

(d) non-profit entities that are seeking grants to provide for initial training to become licensed or designated EMS agencies.

(4)](3) An applicant that is six months or more in arrears in payments owed to the Department is ineligible for competitive grant consideration.

 

R426-6-4. Grant Implementation.

In accordance with Title 26, Chapter 8a, awards shall be implemented by grants between the Department and the grantee.

(1) Grant awards are effective on July 1 and must be used by June 30 of the following year.

(2) Grant funding is on a reimbursable basis after presentation of documentation of expenditures which are in accordance with the approved grant awards budget.

 

R426-6-5. Competitive Grant Process.

(1) The Grant Program Guidelines, outlining the review schedule, funding amounts, eligible expenditures, and awards schedule shall be established annually by the EMS Committee.

(2) The department may accept only complete applications which are submitted by the deadlines established by the EMS Committee.

(3) It is the intent of the EMS Committee that there be local EMS council or committee review of EMS grant applications. Therefore, copies of grant applications should be provided by grant applicants to their respective county EMS councils or committees and the multi-county EMS councils or committees, where organized, for review and recommendation to the State Grants subcommittee.

(4) Agencies that are licensed or designated, whose EMS service area includes multiple local EMS Committee jurisdictions will be reviewed separately by the State Grants Subcommittee.

(5) The Grants Subcommittee shall review the competitive grant applications and forward its recommendations to the EMS Committee. The EMS Committee shall review and comment on the Grants Subcommittee recommendations and forward to the Department.

(6) Grant recipients shall provide matching funds in the amount specified in the Grant Program Guidelines.

(7) The Grants Subcommittee may recommend reducing or waiving the matching fund requirements where appropriate in order to respond to special or pressing local or state EMS issues.

(8) The Grants Subcommittee shall make recommendations based upon the following criteria:

(a) the impact on patient care;

(b) a description of the size and significant impediments of the geographic service area;

(c) the population demographics of the service area;

(d) the urgency of the need;

(e) call volume;

(f) the per capita grant allocated to each agency, and its relative benefit on the agency to provide EMS service;

(g) local county recommendation;

(h) a description of the agency; and

(i) percent of responses to non-residents of the service area.

 

R426-6-6. Interim or Emergency Grant Awards.

(1) The Grants Subcommittee may recommend interim or emergency grants if all the following are met:

(a) Grant funds are available;

(b) The applicant clearly demonstrates the need;

(c) the application was not rejected by the Grants Subcommittee during the current grant cycle; and

(d) Delay of funding to the next scheduled grant cycle would impair the agency's ability to provide EMS care.

(2) Applicants for interim or emergency grants shall:

(a) submit an interim/emergency grant application, following the same format as annual grant applications; and

(b) submit the interim/emergency grant application to the Department at least 30 days prior to the EMS Committee meeting at which the grant application will be reviewed.

(3) The Grants Subcommittee shall review the interim/emergency grant application and forward recommendations to the EMS Committee. The EMS Committee shall review and comment on the Grants Subcommittee recommendations and forward to the Department.

 

KEY: emergency medical services

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [July 9, 2009]2010

Notice of Continuation: October 31, 2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 26-8a