On-Demand Education: EMS – Essential in Name or Essential in Practice?
Across the country, EMS leaders are advocating for legislation that recognizes emergency medical services as an essential public service. But an important question remains: Does designating EMS as essential actually require local governments to provide and fund it – or does it simply acknowledge what EMS professionals and their communities have known for decades?
Not all essential service laws are created equal. Some establish meaningful governmental responsibilities, while others offer recognition without enforceable service obligations or sustainable funding mechanisms.
Building on PWW Advisory Group’s report, Essential in Name or Practice?, representatives from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI) and PWW Advisory Group (PWW|AG) examined the evolving landscape of state EMS essential service legislation, including which states have adopted designation laws, how those laws differ, and what they actually require.
Presenters explored the practical realities of advancing meaningful legislation. Why do some lawmakers and local government organizations oppose mandatory EMS service and funding requirements? What concerns are legitimate? And how can EMS advocates develop effective strategies to overcome resistance, build unlikely alliances, and advance legislation that establishes both responsibility and accountability?
Because calling EMS essential shouldn’t be the finish line. It should be the starting point.
Topics Discussed:
A legislative advocacy framework that incorporates governmental accountability, sustainable funding, stakeholder engagement, and measurable EMS service expectations.
State EMS essential service designation laws based on their provisions for governmental responsibility, mandatory service delivery, and funding obligations.
Legislative, political, or financial barriers to enacting EMS essential service laws that require local jurisdictions to ensure service availability and establish sustainable funding.
Evidence-based advocacy and stakeholder engagement strategies that EMS leaders can use to address legislative opposition and build support for meaningful EMS essential service legislation.
Watch the recording and download the handout here: https://www.pwwag.com/resources/essential-name-or-essential-practice-webinar-handouts