KRS 311A.024: Emergency Medical Services Education Grant Program -- Establishment

-- Terms -- Fund -- Board oversight and administration.

(1) There is hereby established an Emergency Medical Services Education Grant

Program overseen by the board to in crease the number of persons seeking

paramedic initial certification, provide more facilities for certification, and

encourage persons to be employed by Class I ground ambulance providers located

in Kentucky. The program shall consist of three (3) components:

(a) Student tuition support;

(b) Agency support; and

(c) Emergency medical services training program support.

(2) The student tuition support component shall be used for the training and education

of individuals seeking initial paramedic certification under this chapter who are

employed by a Class I ground ambulance provider. The tuition support shall be paid

periodically to the emergency medical services training and education institute or

other operator of an emergency medical services training progra m in which the

person is enrolled seeking paramedic certification. The board shall, at a minimum,

promulgate administrative regulations on the following aspects of this component:

(a) Time limits for the individual seeking initial paramedic certification t o

complete certification and begin or continue service with a Class I ground

ambulance provider;

(b) Minimum service length requirements that may be imposed by the board, by

contract, or both, on the individual seeking initial paramedic certification;

(c) Uses of the funds, including but not limited to a prohibition against spending

funds on prerequisite courses not included in the core course content of the

paramedic certification program;

(d) Providing priority consideration for geographic areas that ar e underserved in

terms of paramedic coverage, including those with lower populations and

higher emergency medical response times, and for agencies that do not meet

national standards of minimum staffing levels or response times for the

dispatch of emergency medical care; and

(e) Any other aspect necessary to implement the student tuition support

component.

(3) The agency support component shall be used to reimburse Class I ground

ambulance providers the wages paid to an employee while the employee seeks

initial paramedic certification. The board shall, at a minimum, promulgate

administrative regulations on the following aspects of this component:

(a) Maximum reimbursement for each employee of a Class I ground ambulance

provider seeking initial paramedic certification;

(b) Maximum number of employees eligible for wage reimbursement within each

Class I ground ambulance provider; and

(c) Any other aspect necessary to implement the agency support component.

(4) The emergency medical services training program support component shall be used

to provide funding to existing and start -up emergency medical service training

programs that are certified or seeking certification by the board and that offer or

will offer initial education courses for emergency medical technician, advanced

emergency medical technician, and paramedic programs. The board shall, at a

minimum, promulg ate administrative regulations on the following aspects of this

component:

(a) Grant ceilings per applicant;

(b) Applicant qualification priorities, including but not limited to those that are

nonprofit entities operating under KRS Chapter 273 and those th at are serving

or plan to serve areas in need of improved emergency medical service

coverage;

(c) Time limits for commencing the classes or programs for which the grant was

sought;

(d) 1. Eligible costs, which shall include but not be limited to:

a. Computer and computer-related equipment and software;

b. Medical and training equipment, such as cardiac monitors,

defibrillators, mannequins, and other medical equipment, personal

protective gear, and durable emergency medical and trauma

education simulation equipment;

c. Personnel costs used in directly delivering the education program;

and

d. Services used in operating the program; and

2. Ineligible costs, which shall include but not be limited to:

a. Real property purchases or improvements;

b. Building construction, renovation, or maintenance;

c. Personnel costs not directly related to delivering the education

program, such as that related to educator training, including travel

and meals, and perquisites that are part of a compensation

package;

d. Lobbying; and

e. Uniforms and clothing; and

(e) Any other aspect necessary to implement the emergency medical services

training program support component.

(5) (a) There is established in the State Treasury a trust and agency account to be

known as the emergency medical services education grant fund.

(b) The fund shall be administered by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical

Services.

(c) The fund shall consist of state appropriations, contributions, donations, and

gifts.

(d) Amounts deposited in the fund shall be u sed for the purposes outlined under

this section.

(e) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, fund amounts not expended at the close of a

fiscal year shall not lapse but shall remain in the fund.

(f) Moneys deposited in the fund are hereby appropriated for the purposes set

forth in this section.

(6) The board shall admin ister the Emergency Medical Services Education Grant

Program. The board may cease any or all components of the program once the

desired goals have been achieved in the judgement of the board. The board shall

provide staffing for the program and may use mon eys in the emergency medical

services education grant fund to do so. Staffing and administrative costs shall not

exceed five percent (5%) of the fund amount. The board may promulgate any

administrative regulations necessary, in addition to those listed in subsections (2) to

(4) of this section, for its implementation and operation.