Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Regionalization of Care | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the EMSC SPROC grant?

The Emergency Medical Services for Children State Partnership Regionalization of Care (EMSC SPROC) grant is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) discretionary grant program (CFDA 93.127). Its purpose is to reduce illness, injury complications, and preventable deaths among children and youth who experience severe illness or trauma by strengthening how emergency care systems serve pediatric patients.

What problem is this grant trying to solve?

The opportunity focuses on improving pediatric emergency outcomes in systems that were historically designed around adult patients. Rather than creating separate pediatric EMS systems, the program aims to strengthen pediatric capability across the existing EMS and emergency care continuum so children receive appropriate care more reliably.

Does the program fund a separate emergency medical services system just for children?

No. A central principle of the program is not to build separate EMS systems exclusively for children, but to improve the pediatric readiness and performance of the broader EMS and emergency care systems that already exist.

What does "EMS for Children" mean in this funding notice?

In this notice, "EMS for Children" is treated as a full continuum of care: prevention and pre-hospital response, hospital-based emergency care, rehabilitation, and the child’s reentry into the community after emergency treatment.

What does "regionalization of care" mean in this opportunity?

Regionalization means creating an organized network across a defined geography or population that uses shared protocols, care pathways, and tiered levels of definitive care. The goal is to ensure children can be stabilized locally and then moved efficiently to the most appropriate facility when higher-level pediatric resources are needed.

Why is regionalization emphasized?

The grant emphasizes regionalized systems to help children reach pediatric expertise faster and more reliably, particularly in rural, territorial, insular, and tribal communities where specialized pediatric resources may be limited or distant.

What national guidance does the program align with?

The program is grounded in national guidance on improving emergency care, including themes highlighted by the Institute of Medicine related to regionalization, coordination, and accountability, and the National Quality Forum’s Regionalized Emergency Care Framework.

Which part of the National Quality Forum framework is the focus for this funding cycle?

This SPROC funding cycle narrows its focus to Domain 1 of the National Quality Forum framework: Capability, Capacity, and Access.

What are the five practical areas applicants are expected to address under Domain 1?

Applicants are expected to address five areas through system development work: (1) system-level public health initiatives, (2) pre-hospital capabilities, (3) real-time capacity information plus categorization of participating agencies and facilities, (4) preparedness, monitoring, and data sharing, and (5) legal and regulatory frameworks that enable the system to function across organizations and, when necessary, across state borders.

What kinds of changes is the grant trying to produce in practice?

The notice emphasizes building systems where pediatric emergency care is not dependent on chance or informal relationships. Instead, it should be supported by clear roles, reliable information flow, shared pathways and protocols, and enforceable policies that make the network function consistently.

What is a "pediatric facility recognition program" in the context of this grant?

A pediatric facility recognition program is a core deliverable encouraged by the grant. It is intended to be developed or expanded and paired with a broader regionalized network connecting community hospitals, EMS agencies, and specialty centers, supporting more consistent pediatric readiness and coordinated transfers.

If an applicant already has a pediatric facility recognition program, what does the grant expect?

If a recognition program already exists, the expectation is to expand it by increasing the number of recognized facilities and explicitly including tribal, rural, insular, and/or territorial facilities, rather than concentrating recognition primarily in well-resourced urban centers.

How does the grant expect recognized facilities and the regional network to improve care?

The coordinated approach is meant to improve pediatric readiness at participating facilities (their ability to rapidly stabilize and treat children), strengthen and standardize pediatric transfer processes to higher levels of care, and increase access to pediatric specialists through networks, consultation arrangements, and coordinated referrals.

Is cross-border participation allowed or expected?

Yes. The notice states that applicants are expected to identify hospitals and related healthcare facilities in the regional network, including facilities beyond state borders when that makes sense for access and transport realities.

What is the project period for this grant?

The notice describes a four-year project period with a multi-year set of milestones and targets.

What milestones and timelines are included in the notice?

The notice lays out expected milestones across the project period, including: identifying network hospitals and related facilities by December 2016 (including beyond state borders when appropriate), establishing baseline data by May 2017, developing a pediatric facility recognition program and operationalizing the regionalized network by May 2018 (or expanding an existing recognition program with broader inclusion), and demonstrating measurable improvement by May 2020 in pediatric readiness scores and selected pediatric emergency clinical quality performance metrics.

What is meant by "baseline data" for the network?

The notice indicates that baseline data should be established for facilities within the network by May 2017. This baseline is intended to support later measurement of improvement over time.

What outcomes are expected by May 2020?

By May 2020, the program expects measurable improvement in the pediatric readiness score of hospitals in the network and recognition program, along with improved clinical quality performance metrics for pediatric emergency services. The specific quality measures are to be selected and justified by the applicant.

What are SMART objectives and why are they required?

Applicants must propose SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) that map directly to the program’s goals. The notice also expects applicants to translate objectives into detailed action steps, concrete products or deliverables, and clearly defined health outcomes.

Is this primarily a planning grant or an implementation grant?

Based on the notice language, it is not described as only a planning grant. It is framed as a system-building effort with expected performance improvements and measurable accountability.

What is the program logic model referenced in the announcement?

The announcement references a program logic model provided in an appendix. It is described as a guide to link activities to outputs and longer-term outcomes, reinforcing expectations for measurable progress.

What is the pediatric readiness score mentioned in the notice?

The pediatric readiness score is an evaluation tool derived from a national pediatric readiness assessment. It is described as a weighted score normalized to a 100-point scale, built from selected assessment items.

What does the pediatric readiness score emphasize?

The weighting emphasizes domains such as coordination of care, staffing, quality improvement, patient safety, policies and procedures, and equipment and supplies. The notice frames pediatric readiness as dependent on leadership, clinical capability, operational reliability, and appropriate tools.

What types of improvements does the program want to see (beyond one-time activities)?

The notice signals it is looking for improvements reflected in overall system and facility capability, not just isolated trainings or one-time purchases. Improvements should show up in consistent delivery of appropriate pediatric emergency care and measurable readiness and quality gains.

Who is the sponsoring agency for this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

What type of grant is this?

It is described as an HRSA discretionary grant program.

What is the CFDA number listed for this program?

The notice lists CFDA 93.127.

What is the application closing date mentioned in the notice?

The notice lists an original and current closing date of January 20, 2016.

How many awards are expected?

The notice indicates an expected four awards.

What is the eligibility category described in the provided summary?

The eligibility category is listed broadly as "Others," with the note that further clarification is typically provided in the full funding notice.

What communities are specifically emphasized for inclusion and improved access?

The notice highlights improving access for children in rural, territorial, insular, and tribal communities, and it encourages recognition and network designs that explicitly include these partners.

What does the notice say about real-time capacity information and categorization?

One of the five required system development areas is real-time capacity information plus categorization of participating agencies and facilities, supporting better coordination and routing/transfer decisions across the regional network.

What does the notice say about legal and regulatory frameworks?

Legal and regulatory frameworks are explicitly listed as a required development area, intended to allow the system to function across organizations and, when necessary, across state borders.

What does the notice say about preparedness, monitoring, and data sharing?

Preparedness, monitoring, and data sharing are included as a required area under Domain 1, reflecting expectations for coordinated readiness and performance tracking across the regional system.