Bill Text: CA SB944 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Community Paramedicine Act of 2018.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-08-16 - August 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB944 Detail]
Download: California-2017-SB944-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
March 21, 2018 |
Senate Bill | No. 944 |
Introduced by Senator Hertzberg |
January 29, 2018 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Existing law, the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act, governs local emergency medical services (EMS) systems. The act establishes the Emergency Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for the coordination and integration of emergency medical services. Among other duties, the authority is required to develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems, provide technical assistance to existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing the components of emergency medical services systems, and receive plans for the implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems from local EMS agencies.
This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that establishes statewide guidelines for, and
authorizes the implementation of, community paramedicine programs in California, as specified.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1797.272 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:1797.272.
(a) The county board of supervisors shall prescribe the membership, and appoint the members, of the emergency medical care committee. If two or more adjacent counties establish a single committee, the county boards of supervisors shall jointly prescribe the membership, and appoint the members of the committee.SEC. 2.
Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 1800) is added to Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:CHAPTER 13. Community Paramedicine
Article 1. General Provisions
1800.
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Community Paramedicine Act of 2018.1801.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish state guidelines that govern the implementation of community paramedicine programs by local EMS agencies in California.Article 2. Definitions
1810.
Unless otherwise indicated in this chapter, the definitions contained in this article shall govern the provisions of this chapter.1811.
“Alternate destination facility” means a treatment location that is an authorized mental health facility or an authorized sobering center, but not a general acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250.1812.
“Authorized mental health facility” means a facility that is a licensed psychiatric hospital, a licensed psychiatric health facility, or a certified crisis stabilization unit, and has at least one registered nurse staffed onsite at the facility at all times.1813.
“Authorized sobering center” means a facility that is a federally qualified health center or a federally qualified county clinic and has at least one registered nurse staffed onsite at the facility at all times.1814.
“Community paramedic” means a paramedic licensed under this division who has completed the core curriculum for community paramedic training described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 1831, has received certification in one or more of the community paramedicine program specialties described in subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive, of Section 1815, and is accredited to provide community paramedic services by a local EMS agency as part of an approved community paramedicine program.1815.
“Community paramedicine program” means a program developed by a local EMS agency and approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority to provide community paramedic services consisting of one or more of the program specialties described in subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive, under the direction of medical protocols developed by the local EMS agency that are consistent with the minimum medical protocols established by the authority. Community paramedic services may consist of the following program specialties:1816.
“Community paramedicine provider” means an advanced life support provider who has entered into a contract to deliver community paramedic services as part of an approved community paramedicine program developed by a local EMS agency.1817.
“Public agency” means a city, county, city and county, special district, or other political subdivision of the state that provides first response services, including emergency medical care.Article 3. State Administration
1830.
(a) The Community Paramedicine Oversight Committee is hereby created within the Emergency Medical Services Authority to advise the authority on, and approve minimum medical protocols for, the community paramedicine program specialties described in Section 1815.1831.
(a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall develop, in consultation with the Community Paramedic Oversight Committee, regulations that establish minimum standards for the development of a community paramedicine program.1832.
(a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall develop and, after approval by the Community Paramedicine Oversight Committee, establish minimum medical protocols for each community paramedicine program specialty described in Section 1815.1833.
(a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall submit an annual report on the community paramedicine programs operating in California to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature. The authority shall submit its first report six months after the authority adopts the regulations described in Section 1831, and every January 1 thereafter for the next five years.1834.
(a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall review a local EMS agency’s proposed community paramedicine program to ensure it is consistent with the authority’s regulations and the provisions of this chapter.1835.
A community paramedicine pilot program approved under Health Workforce Pilot Project No. 173 before January 1, 2019, is authorized to continue operations until six months after the regulations described in Section 1831 become effective.Article 4. Local Administration
1840.
A local EMS agency may develop a community paramedicine program that is consistent with the Emergency Medical Services Authority’s regulations and the provisions of this chapter and submit it to the authority for approval pursuant to Section 1834.1841.
A local EMS agency that opts to develop a community paramedicine program shall do all of the following:Article 5. Miscellaneous
1850.
A person or organization shall not provide community paramedic services or represent, advertise, or otherwise imply that it is authorized to provide community paramedic services unless it is expressly authorized by a local EMS agency to provide those services as part of a community paramedicine program approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority.1851.
A community paramedic shall provide community paramedic services only if he or she has been certified to perform those services by a local EMS agency and is working as an employee of an authorized community paramedicine provider.1852.
The disciplinary procedures for a community paramedic shall be consistent with subdivision (d) of Section 1797.194.1853.
Entering into an agreement to be a community paramedicine provider pursuant to this chapter shall not alter or otherwise invalidate a public agency’s authority to provide or administer emergency medical services pursuant to Section 1797.201 or 1797.224.1854.
The liability provisions described in Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1799.100) shall also apply to this chapter.SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that establishes statewide guidelines for, and authorizes the implementation of, community paramedicine programs in California that utilize existing providers, promote continuity of care, and maximize existing efficiencies within the first response and emergency medical services system.