Championed by the Emergency Nurses Association
(ENA) for many years and a key legislative priority for the association in 2024, the Emergency Medical Services for Children program will continue to support emergency departments after President Biden signed the bill reauthorizing EMSC’s funding through 2029.
The program is critical, as it has been for four decades, as it is the only federal program dedicated to improving emergency care for children. It ensures that all children and adolescents—no matter where they live, attend school, or travel—receive appropriate treatments during a healthcare emergency.
ENA and its members have strongly advocated for the passage of the Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act because it directly supports emergency departments and pre-hospital emergency medical services requiring specialized medications, equipment, and training to care for pediatric patients.
“Emergency nurses know better than anyone how vital it is for emergency departments to have access to specific pediatric equipment and training because children have specific needs,” says ENA President Chris Dellinger MBA, BSN, RN, FAEN. “I have seen first-hand how the EMSC program has helped EDs improve their pediatric care readiness and that has helped improved pediatric outcomes and even save lives.”
The EMSC program has been a longstanding public policy priority for ENA, which is why it applauds the efforts of Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., Rep. Kathy Castor, R-Fla., Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., and Sen. Ted Budd, R-Ga., who introduced and championed EMSC throughout the legislative process.
“As a pharmacist, I understand how critical it is that children receive high-quality care that is specialized to their unique needs. The EMSC program has proven effective at saving lives and provides all hospitals with the resources necessary to treat young patients. I am proud to lead this important bill reauthorizing the program, which is now law, and will continue supporting policies that promote children’s health and well-being,” says Representative Carter.
Established in 1984 and most recently reauthorized in 2019, the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program has enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress and backing from a wide range of healthcare and patient advocacy organizations. Over the years, it has provided funding to enhance pediatric emergency care across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
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