Health, Family Health and Preparedness, Emergency Medical Services

Rule R426-6

Emergency Medical Services Competitive Grants Program Rules

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Repeal and Reenact)

DAR File No.: 36978
Filed: 10/23/2012 11:38:02 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this filing is to fulfill the Governor's mandate for rule review and simplification.

Summary of the rule or change:

The rule change eliminates redundancy, provides sequential numbering, and reflects best practice updates for all aspects of the Emergency Medical Services Act (Title 26, Chapter 8a).

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Title 26, Chapter 8a

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

No anticipated fiscal impact to state budget because there are no changes in the rule requirements that are imposed by these amendments.

local governments:

No anticipated fiscal impact to local government budgets because there are no changes in the rule requirements that are imposed by these amendments.

small businesses:

No anticipated fiscal impact to small businesses because there are no changes in the rule requirements that are imposed by these amendments.

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

No anticipated fiscal impact to businesses because there are no changes in the rule requirements that are imposed by these amendments.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

No anticipated fiscal impact because there are no changes in the rule requirements that are imposed by these amendments.

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

In response to the Governor's Executive Order to examine all administrative rules and reduce regulatory impact that may be inhibiting economic growth, the rules governing Emergency Medical Services providers are being repealed, simplified and reenacted. Fiscal impact is expected to be positive for business as the requirements are streamlined and updated.

David Patton, PhD, Executive Director

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

Health
Family Health and Preparedness, Emergency Medical Services
3760 S HIGHLAND DR
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84106

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Guy Dansie at the above address, by phone at 801-273-6671, by FAX at 801-273-4165, or by Internet E-mail at [email protected]

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:

12/17/2012

This rule may become effective on:

12/24/2012

Authorized by:

David Patton, Executive Director

R426. Health, Family Health and Preparedness, 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.

 

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) 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.]

R426-6. Emergency Medical Services Per Capita and Competitive Grant Programs Rules.

R426-6-1. Authority and Purpose.

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

(2) The purpose of this rule provides guidelines for the equitable distribution of per capita grant funds and competitive grant funds specified under the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grants Program.

 

R426-6-2. Per Capita and Competitive Grants Eligibility.

(1) Grants are available only to licensed EMS ambulance services, paramedic services, EMS designated first response units, and EMS dispatch providers that are either:

(a) agencies or political subdivisions of local or state government or incorporated non-profit entities; or

(b) for-profit EMS providers that are the primary EMS provider for a service area.

(2) A for-profit EMS provider is a primary EMS provider in a geographical service area if it is licensed for and provides service at a higher level than the public or non-profit provider;

(a) The levels of EMS providers are in this rank order:

(i) Paramedic service;

(ii) Advanced EMT;

(iii) EMT;

(iv) EMR;

(v) EMD.

(b) Paramedic ambulance interfacility transports, EMT ambulance interfacility transports, or paramedic tactical rescue units are not eligible for grant funding because they cannot be the primary EMS provider for a geographical service area.

(3) Grants are available for use specifically related to the provision of emergency medical services. Grant funds cannot be used for rescue and fire equipment.

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

(5) An applicant that is six months or more in arrears in payments owed to the Department is ineligible for per grant consideration.

 

R426-6-3. Per Capita and Competitive Grants Implementation.

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

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

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

(4) Grant awards are effective on July 1 and must be used by June 30 of the following year. No extensions will be given.

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

(6) No matching funds are required for per capita grants.

(7) Per capita funds may be used as matching funds for competitive grants.

 

R426-6-4. Per Capita Application and Award Formula.

(1) Per capita grants are available to eligible providers that complete a grant application by the deadline established annually by the Department.

(2) Agency applicants shall certify agency personnel rosters as part of the grant application process.

(a) A certified individual who works for both a public and a for-profit agency may be credited only to the public or non-profit licensee or designee.

(b) Certified individuals may be credited for only one agency. However, if a dispatcher is also an EMT, EMT-I, EMT-IA, or paramedic, the dispatcher may be credited to one agency as a dispatcher and one agency as an EMT, EMT-I, EMT-IA, or paramedic.

(c) Certified individuals who work for providers that cover multiple counties may be credited only for the county where the certified person lives.

(3) The Department shall allocate funds by using the following point totals for agency-certified personnel: certified Dispatchers = 1; certified EMRs = 1; certified EMTs = 2; certified Advanced EMTs = 3; certified Intermediate Advanced EMTs = 3; and certified Paramedics = 4. The number of certified personnel is based upon the personnel rosters of each licensed EMS provider, designated EMS dispatch agency, and designated EMS first response unit as a date as specified by the Department immediately prior to the grant year, which begins July 1. To comply with Legislative intent, the point totals of each eligible agency will be multiplied by the current county classification as provided under Section 17-50-501.

 

R426-6-5. Competitive Grant Process.

(1) It is the intent of the EMS Committee that there the local EMS council or committee review of EMS grant applications. Therefore, copies of competitive 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.

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

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

(5) 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.

(6) 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: [August 3, 2010]2012

Notice of Continuation: January 5, 2011

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