Project Grant H79TI086744

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRAINING - PROJECT ABSTRACT PROJECT NAME: EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRAINING PROGRAM PROJECT SUMMARY: THE EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS EMS TRAINING PROGRAM WILL MEET THE UNMET NEEDS OF OVER 16,000 PEOPLE IN A TWENTY-MILE RADIUS FROM THE ONLY HOSPITAL (CAH) IN THE RURAL AREA. THIS PROGRAM WILL TRAIN 40 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE ONE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD AS EMT-BASIC, LICENSED EMS WORKERS. NOT ONLY WILL THESE INDIVIDUALS BE TRAINED AS EMS WORKERS, BUT THEY WILL ALSO RECEIVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN ASSISTING THOSE NEEDING EMERGENT CARE THAT HAVE OUD/SUD SITUATIONS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE TO REDUCE THE MORTALITY RATE AMONG THIS POPULATION BY RESPONDING QUICKER WITH BETTER TRAINED PERSONNEL. POPULATION TO BE SERVED: RURAL SERVICE AREA DEFINED BY COUNTY, ZIP CODE, CENSUS TRACT AND CITY/VILLAGE/TOWNSHIP AND POPULATION (9 ZIP CODES AND TOTAL POPULATION = 16,031. THE AREA IS A 20-MILE RADIUS FROM THE ONLY HOSPITAL IN THE SERVICE AREA. GOAL 1: RECRUIT A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN TRAINING TO BE AN EMT-BASIC EMPLOYEE AND/OR VOLUNTEER AND ARE WILLING TO COMPLETE TRAINING NEEDED TO MAINTAIN LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS RELEVANT TO SERVE IN AN EMS AGENCY IN THE RURAL SERVICE AREA. GOAL 2: PROVIDE EMT-BASIC TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST AND PASSION FOR WORKING AND/OR VOLUNTEERING IN EMS SERVICES IN THE RURAL SERVICE AREA. GOAL 3: PLACE TRAINED EMT-BASIC IN THE RURAL SERVICE AREA AS EITHER EMPLOYEES AND/OR VOLUNTEERS TO ENHANCE BOTH THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF QUALIFIED EMS STAFF. GOAL 4: ESTABLISH TRACKING SYSTEMS IN COORDINATION WITH THE GAHHS IT DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE REPORTING AND OTHER DATA GATHERING TECHNIQUES TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMS TRAINING PROGRAM AND TO STUDY ONCE IMPLEMENTED THESE ENHANCED SERVICES INFLUENCED A REDUCTION IN THE DEATH RATE AND/OR THE IMPACT OF LONG-TERM DEBILITATION ON THOSE SUFFERING FROM SUD/OUD DISORDERS REQUIRING EMERGENT SERVICES.