Project Grant H79TI086752

SLHD EMS TRAINING GRANT - SUMMARY: THE SOUTH LINCOLN HOSPITAL DISTRICT (SLHD) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) TRAINING PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE TRAINING LEADING TO CERTIFICATION AS AN ADVANCED EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (AEMT) OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONDER (EMR) FOR UP TO 40 STUDENTS. SLHD EMS WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF TRAINING THAT EMS STUDENTS RECEIVE ON THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. GUEST SPEAKERS WILL HIGHLIGHT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OF LGBTQI+ INDIVIDUALS AND OF MILITARY PERSONNEL, RETURNING MILITARY PERSONNEL, AND VETERANS. POPULATION: THE POPULATION OF FOCUS FOR THIS PROJECT IS AREA RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 21 WITH A DESIRE TO BECOME AN EMS EMPLOYEE, AS WELL AS MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN NEED OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. THIS PROGRAM WILL SERVE RESIDENTS OF LINCOLN, UINTA, AND SUBLETTE COUNTIES, WHICH HAVE A TOTAL POPULATION OF 48,759 AND A POPULATION DENSITY OF 4.42. STRATEGIES: SLHD EMS WILL BRING IN GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TOPICS SUCH AS "QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER" (QPR), MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, AND PEER SUPPORT. ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT WILL BE OFFERED EACH CLASS FOR THOSE STUDYING FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS. A VARIETY OF SIMULATION EQUIPMENT IS BEING REQUESTED OR IS ON HAND FOR REALISTIC CLASSROOM SIMULATION OF SITUATION SEEN IN THE FIELD. GOALS: (1) MAINTAIN OR INCREASE OUR ROSTER OF EMTS. (2) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF TRAINING OFFERED ON WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. (3) INCREASE THE AMOUNT AND TYPES OF TRAINING ON CONNECTING PATIENTS WHO EXPERIENCE AN OVERDOSE TO TREATMENT AND TO REFERRAL TO ONGOING PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT. OBJECTIVES: (A) OFFER 2 COURSES LEADING TO CERTIFICATION AND COUNTING AS CONTINUING EDUCATION BETWEEN 9/30/23 AND 9/29/24. TRAIN UP TO 40 STUDENTS BETWEEN 9/30/23 AND 9/29/24. (B) OFFER 4 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING TO UP TO 40 STUDENTS BETWEEN 9/30/23 AND 9/29/24. (C) OFFER 1 HOUR OF INSTRUCTION ON "QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER" (QPR, AN INTERVENTION THAT CAN BE USED BY ANYONE WHO ENCOUNTERS A SUICIDAL INDIVIDUAL) TO UP TO 40 STUDENTS BETWEEN 1/1/24 AND 9/29/24. (D) OFFER 1-2 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OF LGBTQI+ INDIVIDUALS TO UP TO 40 STUDENTS BETWEEN 1/1/24 AND 9/29/24. (E) OFFER 1-2 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OF ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL, RETURNING VETERANS, AND MILITARY FAMILIES BY HAVING A GUEST SPEAKER WHO IS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT BETWEEN 1/1/24 AND 9/29/24. (F) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF TRAINING OFFERED ON WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS FROM 2 HOURS PER YEAR (OR 5 HOURS PER YEAR FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN AN EMT CLASS) TO 20 HOURS PER YEAR BETWEEN 9/30/23 AND 9/29/24. (G) PURCHASE 50 NALOXONE NASAL SPRAY KITS AND TRAIN ALL EMS STAFF, ALL EMS STUDENTS, AND UP TO 30 LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS ON THEIR USE BETWEEN 9/30/23 AND 9/29/24. (H) OFFER 1-2 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON PEER SUPPORT RESOURCES AVAILABLE LOCALLY TO UP TO 40 STUDENTS BETWEEN 1/1/24 AND 9/29/24, INCLUDING A PRESENTATION BY THE NEAREST ACTIVE ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS GROUP IF POSSIBLE. (I) DEVELOP PROCEDURES TO ENSURE ALL OVERDOSES ARE REPORTED TO THE STATE AND/OR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF THOSE ENTITIES BEGIN COLLECTION OF THAT INFORMATION DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD. (WYOMING DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN SUDORS.) THE TOTAL ANTICIPATED UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS SLHD EMS PROPOSES TO TRAIN IN A YEAR IS 50.