What is the Maine EMS for Children (EMS-C) Program?
In 1984, Congress signed into law the federal Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMS-C) Program. The goal of EMS-C is to reduce pediatric mortality and morbidity across the nation by ensuring appropriate and effective pediatric emergency care. The EMS-C Program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).It is the only federal program focused on the emergency care needs of America’s children. Whether in times of a disaster or an everyday emergency, the HRSA EMS-C Program supports every state, U.S. territory and freely associated state to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time for every child. Since its inception, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, and three freely associated states have received funding from the Federal Program.
The Maine EMS-C program focuses collaboratively with Maine EMS services, providers emergency departments and hospital personnel to encourage preparation, education and care for those 18 and under. We work within a federally defined set of performance measures that strike a balance between EMS, hospital and long term resourcing of the State for pediatric response, care and transport.
- EMS-C Performance Measures Summary (PDF)
- EMS for Children Program Performance Measures Manual (PDF)
- Maine EMS-C Overview (PPT) and Maine EMS-C Overview (PDF)
- EMS-C Advisory Committee Overview (PDF)
Safe Transport of Children By EMS
- Documenting Pediatric Transport Method in MEFIRS (PDF) (4/7/2020)
- NASEMSO Safe Transport of Children
- The State of Pediatric Transport (PDF) (courtesy of EMSWorld & Quantum EMS)
- Pediatric Transport Device Comparison (PDF) (from NASEMSO, June 2019)
- Child Passenger Safety - Maine Bureau of Highway Safety
- Ferno Pedi-Mate User Manual (PDF) (current as of Jan 1, 2019)
- Ferno Pedi-Mate Plus User Manual (PDF) (current as of Jan 1, 2019)
- Ferno Neo-Mate User Manual (PDF) (current as of Jan 1, 2019)
- Quantum ACR Pediatric Transport Education (Powerpoint) (current as of March 1, 2019)
Newsletters
Resources for Families and Caregivers
- A Guide to Safety Conversations with Families (PDF)
- Evidence Based Strategies for Child & Adolescent Injury Prevention (PDF)\
- Maine Office of Child & Family Services
- Maine Children's Alliance
- Caring for Children in a Disaster
- Emergency Guidelines for Maine Schools - Revised January 30, 2014 (PDF)
Maine Pediatric Run Report Data
- Data Report Quarter 2, 2019 (Apr. 1 to Jun 30, 2019) (PDF)
- Data Report Quarter 1, 2019 (Jan. 1 to Mar. 31, 2019) (PDF)
State & Local Partners
- Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department
- Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Pediatric Critical Care
Northern New England Poison Center- Maine Chapter - American Academy of Pediatrics
- Child Abuse & Mandated Reporters in Maine
- Consider being a foster parent in Maine! (PDF) Also learn more at A Family for ME
Federal Partners
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- EMSC & Innovation/Improvement Center (EMSC IIC)
- National EMS for Children Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC)
- Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN)
- EMS Agenda for 2050
Reference Resources
Maine EMS makes no recommendations on any particular products or procedures.
Clinical Resources
- Critical Crossroads: Pediatric Mental Health in the Emergency Department (PDF)
- Maine CDC Measles Recommendations and March 8, 2019 Status (PDF)
- Pediatric Vital Signs (PDF) (printable chart)
- Quality Improvement in EMS for Children (PDF)
Disaster Resources
- Taking Care of Your Family During COVID-19 and Other Infectious Disease Outbreaks (PDF)
- Youth and Children with Special Health Care Needs During COVID-19 (PDF)
- Children with Special Health Care Needs in Disaster
If you would like a manual or resource added, please email marc.a.minkler@maine.gov