EMS for Children

EMSC is a specialty care program and a subdivision of the EMS Systems Division at the EMS Authority.  The goal of the EMSC program is to ensure that acutely ill and injured children have access to high quality, coordinated, and comprehensive emergency and critical care services appropriate for the special needs of children.  The EMSC model provides a continuum of care beginning with the detection of sick or injured children and transport to the appropriate emergency department through rehabilitation.  The EMSC program manager at the EMS Authority provides technical assistance to the local EMS agencies in the integration of EMSC into their local EMS system.  The technical assistance by EMS Authority includes an emphasis on quality of care, continuity of care, family-centered care, cultural diversity, care for children with special needs, and rehabilitation.

EMS for Children Educational Forum
  • 25th Annual EMS for Children Educational Forum [PDF]
  • 23rd Annual EMS for Children Educational Forum [PDF]
  • 22nd Annual EMS for Children Educational Forum [PDF]
Documents
EMSC Technical Advisory Committee
EMS for Children Regulations

California statute mandates the EMS Authority to adopt necessary regulations to carry out the coordination and integration of all state activities concerning EMS (Health and Safety Code § 1797.107).

In addition, the statute allows the EMS Authority to establish guidelines for hospital facilities, in cooperation with affected medical organizations, according to critical care capabilities (Health and Safety Code § 1798.150).

The Legislature added Chapter 12, (Statutes of 1996, chapter 197) the California Emergency Medical Services for Children Act of 1996, commencing with Section 1799.202 of Division 2.5 to the Health and Safety Code, requiring the EMS Authority to ensure that children received adequate and appropriate EMS necessary to prevent loss of life and human potential.

As a result of these statutes, the EMS Authority established a multidisciplinary technical advisory committee for the development of EMS for Children Regulations for California.

The key areas to be addressed within the regulatory recommendations are: hospital designation criteria, data collection and quality improvement processes, time-critical intervention values and pre-hospital EMS policies. The overall goal of the regulations is to establish statewide consistency in EMSC policy and program elements, support coordination of limited resource of pediatric specialty centers, and improve pediatric patient care within the California EMSC programs.

Emergency Medical Services for Children Regulations

Pediatric Trauma Regulations

EMS for Children Regulations Data Submission Information

EMSC Coordinator Contact Information:
Feuy Saechao, MPA
Phone: (916) 903-9019
Email: Feuy.Saechao@emsa.ca.gov