No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a community paramedicine grant program in rural areas as a new subsection (h) of Section 330A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c), which authorizes rural health care services outreach grants, rural health network development grants, and small health care provider quality improvement grants administered by the Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy. The Secretary, acting through the Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator, awards grants to eligible entities—including emergency medical services agencies, states, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, counties, municipalities, and EMS representative organizations (but not for-profits)—to support such programs, which provide mobile-integrated health care using specially trained paramedics (often with other practitioners) to address health problems, reduce non-emergency use of emergency resources, and enhance primary care access for medically underserved populations. Grants, with maximum awards of $750,000 for individual applicants or $1,500,000 for joint applicants and periods not exceeding 5 years, may fund hiring and training community paramedicine personnel; medical director oversight costs; equipment and supplies; certification; public outreach; and related activities (with administrative costs limited to 10% in year one and 5% thereafter). At least 15% of funds are reserved for Tribal communities (with unobligated amounts reallotted); an advisory board provides peer review; grantees must report results; and the section updates the statutory heading and purpose clause to include the new program.