Project Grant H79TI086751

RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRAINING GRANT - THE PROGRAM PROPOSED BY PARKER COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (PCHD EMS) APPROACHES THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF EMS IN RURAL AREAS BY ENHANCING THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF EMS PROVIDERS RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EMERGENCIES, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF TRAINED EMS PROVIDERS IN RURAL AREAS, AND THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE: (1) CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM) - CISM TRAINING FOR 18 PARAMEDICS WILL BE USED TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE ESTABLISHED MENTAL HEALTH PEER-TO-PEER CRISIS TEAM AT PCHD EMS.; (2) CRITICAL CARE PARAMEDIC TRAINING - MANAGING A CRITICAL PATIENT FOR EXTENDED TRANSPORTS FROM RURAL EMERGENCY SCENES CAN POSE A SERVICE GAP FOR PARAMEDICS, DUE TO THE NEED FOR A HIGHER SCOPE OF CARE TO FACILITATE A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THE PATIENT. THIS CLASS WILL ALSO FOCUS ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND PROVIDE ADVANCED PATIENT SIMULATION TRAINING TAILORED TO THE SERVICE AREA.; (3) EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN - BASIC (EMT-B) SCHOOL - THIS PROGRAM WILL SPONSOR 24 UNDUPLICATED SENIORS FROM LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS TO ATTEND EMT SCHOOL HELD IN WEATHERFORD, TEXAS DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR. THIS EMT-B COURSE WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH CLASSES ON SUBSTANCE USE, ADDICTION, OVERDOSE, AND WITHDRAWAL; WITH A SPECIALIZED FOCUS ON RECOGNIZING AND TREATING OVERDOSE. A SMART-MANIKIN WILL ALSO BE PURCHASED TO MEET THE ADVANCED TRAINING NEEDS OF THE EMT PROGRAM.; (4) DISPATCH MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING - PCHD EMS HAS A GOAL TO SEND 12 TELECOMMUNICATORS THROUGH ONLINE EMERGENCY MENTAL HEALTH DISPATCHER TRAINING. THIS COURSE WILL TEACH THE SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH CALLERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES WHILE DISPATCHING THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES.; (5) COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND TRAINING - PCHD EMS WILL PRESENT A COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM FOCUSED ON ACCIDENTAL POISONINGS/INGESTIONS, AND OVERDOSES; AND DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE PAMPHLETS THAT CONTAIN INFORMATION ON LOCAL AND ONLINE RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS DEALING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER. THE TOTAL ESTIMATED NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS PCHD EMS PROPOSES TO TRAIN WITH THE GRANT IS 669: 18 CISM TRAINING, 15 CRITICAL CARE TRAINING, 24 EMT SCHOOL, 12 MENTAL HEALTH DISPATCHER TRAINING, AND 600 THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THE PROGRAM'S RIGOROUS EVALUATION PLAN WILL ENSURE THAT ITS OBJECTIVES ARE MET AND THAT IT MAKES A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE TRAINING WILL INCREASE AWARENESS OF EMS SERVICES AND PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, WHILE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS WILL ENHANCE THE COORDINATION OF RURAL EMS SERVICES AND IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.