The primary goal of the Indian Health Service Emergency Medical Services for Children
Program is to prevent childhood illness or injury. However, when prevention fails,
the goal is to ensure that all ill or injured American Indian and Alaskan Native
children and adolescents receive state-of-the-art emergency medical care from all levels
of emergency medical providers.
IHS and HRSA Collaboration
The Emergency Medical Services Act of 1984 identified American Indian and Alaska
Native children as a special, targeted population. In 1999, an interagency agreement
(IAA) was established between the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
and the Indian Health Service to share the expertise of the HRSA EMSC Program with the
American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Objectives of the HRSA IHS IAA include
the provision of pediatric equipment and training for IHS and tribal EMS programs,
improving emergency response in schools in reservation communities, injury prevention,
and enhancing relationships between Tribal EMS programs and the EMS Bureaus of the 25
States having tribal reservations within their exterior boundaries.
Program Objectives:
- Enhance the pediatric capability of the IHS Emergency Medical Systems;
- Ensure that Federal resources are used efficiently and within existing regulations.
- Improve Medical Direction for pre-hospital providers who serve pediatric patients
- Administer interagency agreements and awards related to Emergency Medical Services
for Children.
Links for:
|