Community Paramedicine Act of 2024

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants to qualified entities to support community paramedicine programs.

A grant received under subsection (a) may be used for any of the following:

(1) Hiring community paramedicine personnel.

(2) Recruiting and retaining community paramedicine personnel.

(3) Reimbursing costs associated with a medical director providing medical oversight (as the terms medical director and medical oversight are defined in section 303(k)(13) of the Controlled Substances Act).

(4) Purchasing necessary equipment, including personal protective equipment, uniforms, medical supplies, and vehicles.

(5) Reimbursing costs associated with certification and recertification courses.

(6) Conducting public outreach and education on the patient-centered outcomes that can be achieved through community paramedicine.

(7) Any other activity the Secretary determines appropriate related to paramedicine services.

To be qualified to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be (subject to paragraph (2)) one of the following:

(A) An emergency medical services agency (as defined in section 303(k)(13) of the Controlled Substances Act).

(B) A State, Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, county, or municipality.

(C) An organization representing the interests of one or more emergency medical services organizations.

A for-profit entity is ineligible to receive a grant under this section, but is eligible to receive a subgrant from, or enter into a contract with, a grantee under this section to provide items or services in connection with the grant.

To seek a grant under this section, a qualified entity shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may require.

Any such application shall, at a minimum, include the following:

(A) A description of the financial need of the qualified entity.

(B) The costs and benefits of the community paramedicine program to be supported through the grant.

A qualified entity may submit an application for a grant under this section jointly with one or more other qualified entities.

The Secretary, after consultation with national community paramedicine, national fire service, national emergency medical service, and Tribal health organizations, shall appoint an advisory board—

(1) to advise the Secretary on carrying out the grant program under this section;

(2) to assist the Secretary in preparing the report required under subsection (a); and

(3) to conduct peer review of applications for grants under this section.

In selecting the recipients of grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider each of the following:

(1) The recommendations of the advisory board appointed under paragraph (1) with respect to the applications for such grants.

(2) The need in the geographic area involved for the community paramedicine program proposed to be funded.

The Secretary shall give notice of the grant program under this section to the heads of community emergency management for Tribal communities.

The maximum amount of an award under this section shall be—

(1) in the case of a qualified entity applying individually, $750,000; and

(2) in the case of two or more qualified entities applying jointly, $1,500,000.

The period of a grant under this section shall not exceed 5 years.

Of the amount received through a grant under this section for a fiscal year, a grantee may use not more than—

(1) 10 percent for administrative costs for the first year of grant funding; and

(2) 5 percent for administrative costs for any subsequent year of grant funding.

As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, a qualified entity shall agree to submit to the Secretary such information as the Secretary may require regarding the activities funded through the grant and the results of such activities.

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress—

(1) detailing the challenges of establishing and operating community paramedicine programs, especially to serve rural and underserved communities;

(2) demonstrating the cost-savings and value of community paramedicine programs to patients, communities, and the health care system; and

(3) providing recommendations for—

(A) establishing, and providing support for ongoing operations of, community paramedicine programs;

(B) serving rural and underserved communities through such programs; and

(C) best practices for community paramedicine programs.

In this section, the term community paramedicine means mobile-integrated health care through which communities utilize specially trained paramedics, often teamed with other health care practitioners or social workers, to—

(1) address health problems;

(2) minimize the use of emergency care resources in circumstances when non-emergency resources like community paramedic or mobile integrated healthcare (MIH) programs might be used, thereby making emergency resources more available; and

(3) enhance access to primary care for medically underserved populations and those with acute and chronic health issues.

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.

Of the amount appropriated to award grants under this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary—

(A) shall reserve 15 percent for applicants proposing to use a grant to serve one or more Tribal communities; and

(B) if the full amount of such reservation is not obligated, may reallocate the unobligated portion for grants to other qualified entities.