Texas’ EMS Education & Recruitment Program
Identifying the Solution
Attendees at TEMSA’s EMS EVOLUTION 2021 faced a common problem: a decreasing number of EMS professionals in Texas.
The attendees huddled and determined that the state of Texas could use the federal ARPA money to fund an EMS education and recruitment program. Following the conference, TEMSA members approached key lawmakers about creating the funds during the October 2021 special session.
Click here to view the plan that TEMSA submitted to the Texas Legislature.
The Problem
The Covid-19 pandemic and a variety of other factors have led to a dramatic decrease in the number of EMS professionals in Texas.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) released data indicating that only 35 percent of
licensed Texas EMS professionals submitted a patient care report during the first eight months
of 2021.
The Solution
Texas lawmakers passed SB 8 during the Texas Legislature’s October 2021 special session to create the EMS Workforce Recruitment and Retention program.
The program dedicated $21.7 million to add 2,500 new EMS professionals in Texas.
Click here to view the November 2022 report.
Click here to view the state’s website.
$9 Million in Scholarships
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced over $9 million in EMS scholarships on May 18, 2023.