West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services

The Federal EMSC Program is designed to ensure that all children and adolescents, no matter where they live, attend school, or travel, receive appropriate care in a health emergency. It is administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Since its establishment, the EMSC Program has provided grant funding to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.

The EMSC Program is designed to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity resulting from severe illness or trauma. It aims to:

1. Ensure that state-of-the-art emergency medical care for the ill or injured child and adolescent is available when needed;
2. Ensure that pediatric services are well integrated into the existing state emergency medical services (EMS) system and backed by optimal resources;
3. Ensure that the entire spectrum of emergency services, including primary prevention of illness and injury, acute care, and rehabilitation, is provided to children and adolescents at the same level as adults.

Look for upcoming announcements regarding the West Virginia EMSC Program.

Highlights

• Memorandum: Ambulance Child Occupant Protection System and "The DO's and DON'Ts of Transporting Children in an Ambulance", released December 9, 2009, in regards to pediatric protection in ambulances.