Expanding EMS Recruitment and Training in Franklin County, ME - Abstract
SAMHSA EMS Training TI-21-005
NorthStar Emergency Medical Services (NorthStar), a nonprofit rural emergency medical service, part of MaineHealth d/b/a Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) will implement Franklin County, Maine’s Rural Emergency Medical Services Training Project to recruit and train emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in the federally designated rural catchment area of Franklin County (FC), Maine. NorthStar, the sole EMS provider in FC, is part of FMH and also MaineHealth, an integrated not-for-profit health system. Healthy Community Coalition, also a division within the same company, will collaborate to accomplish project goals. Population served is 40,000 and includes EMS personnel, those who could be recruited and trained to serve as EMS personnel, and FC residents. The population like many other rural communities is older, sicker, and poorer. Over 50% of the aging population have more than 3 coexisting chronic illnesses, with 13.7% living below the poverty level. The majority of the population face multiple socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Goals and Objectives include: Goal 1: Increase recruitment, training and retention of EMS personnel in FC, ME by implementing recruitment and training programs. The total unduplicated number of individuals we propose to train with grant funds during the project period is 100. Objectives 1.1: By 7/31/2022, program staff will recruit and train 20 EMS personnel. Objective 1.2: By 5/31/2022, staff will provide EMS career information to 1,000 individuals at 8, state-wide middle/high-schools and career events using face-to-face, virtual and social media platforms. Objective 1.3: By 3/31/2022 NorthStar will provide EMS career information and job-shadowing experiences to 20 University of Maine Farmington students. Objective 1.4: By 6/30/2022, NorthStar will offer Emergency Medical Response training to 20 local fire department, law enforcement officers and volunteer first responders. Objective 1.5: By 7/31/ 2022, NorthStar will strengthen retention strategies to engage 80% of EMS personnel in career expansion programs. Objective 1.6: By 7/31/2022, NorthStar will provide Bridge Program Training to 10 students. Objective 1.7: By 6/15/2022, NorthStar will have conducted a 2-day skills fair/conference. Goal 2: Provide EMS personnel with training to understand, and provide safe, stigma free treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, including Opioid Use Disorder. Objective 2.1: By 6/30/2022, 75% of EMS personnel will have received mental health and substance use disorder training via SAMHSA’s Technology Transfer Centers. Objective 2.2: By 1/31/2022, 75% of EMS personnel will have received Opioid Use Disorder and Naloxone training Objective 2.3: By 11/30/2021, provide four Stigma prevention trainings to reach 75% of EMS personnel. Objective 2.4: By 6/30/2022, 50% of EMS personnel will have received Mental Health First Aid/Trauma Debriefing and Suicide Prevention education. Goal 3: To ensure EMS personnel have the equipment and training tools needed to provide high quality care. Objective 3.1: By 7/31/2022, NorthStar staff will utilize appropriate training equipment in training classes.
