Education department - population served: upper pine river fire protection district appreciates having been the recipient of samhsa rural EMS training grants for the past three years

The continuation of funding has supported uprfpd in offering high-quality training for EMS providers and advanced training for responding to instances of individuals in behavioral health or substance use crises, including opioid overdose. In FY24, an estimated 50 providers will continue to receive training, certification, and recertification for new and current EMS providers providing services in rural colorado. Project goals and objectives: the program aims to train and maintain EMS personnel by offering EMS training and certification for EMS providers and community partners on EMS skills, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, skills for treating an individual in behavioral health or substance use crisis, and linking these patients with the most appropriate intervention, and available therapy opportunities in the catchment area. Project strategies and interventions: EMS providers at the EMT, paramedic, and community paramedic levels will be trained across uprfpd's primary response area to maintain and advance their skills and maintain current state and national licensing and certificate levels. This education will be augmented with specialized training on behavioral health and substance use disorders, utilizing opioid reversal agents in the case of opioid overdose, and engaging with patients in behavioral health or substance use crises utilizing motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, and other advanced topics, and develop further collaboration with the behavioral health workforce. In addition, the district will continue a project to provide EMS-specific motivational interviewing online training, ensuring that the training is available in various language options to make IT as accessible as possible. The rural EMS training grant will implement a structured data collection process across both tracks to drive project management and strengthen outcomes. In addition, demographic data will be collected to identify trends in EMS providers in colorado. The project director will oversee the quality management of the programs to identify adjustments to improve them.