EMS for Children

The mission of the Emergency Medical Services for Children (E.M.S.C.) Program is to reduce child and youth mortality and morbidity caused by severe illness or trauma. EMS for Children aims to ensure that

State of the art emergency medical care is available for the ill and injured child or adolescent;
Pediatric service is well integrated into an emergency medical service system backed by optimal resources; and
The entire spectrum of emergency services, including primary prevention of illness and injury, acute care and rehabilitation is provided to children and adolescents as well as adults, no matter where they live, attend school or travel.

Goals and Objectives

Montana EMSC's Program focuses on:

Strengthening Montana's Pediatric Readiness.
Increasing the number of Montana hospitals that are formally recognized as Pediatric Prepared or a Pediatric Capable Facility.
Increasing Montana's Emergency Medical Services Prehospital Pediatrics capabilities.

New Additions

The Engage-Calm-Distract Toolkit was developed for medical providers with strategies for reducing children's distress reactions and providing distraction activities when performing medical procedures.

The purpose of the EMSC Advisory Committee is to help EMSTS reduce the incidence of pediatric injury and illness in Montana, as well as to promote and advance excellence in the care of injured children.

EMSC/Pediatric Ready Advisory Council Members

List of all advisory committee members
Committee Member	Affiliation
Alyssa Johnson, RN, CEN	Trauma Systems Manager - EMS & Trauma Systems - DPHHS
Ann Kurtz	MT VDRS Reporting System
Ben King	BP Medicine CEO
Laura Forcella	St. Vincent Health Care, Pediatric Nurse Manger
Lori Roberts	Lifelong Learning Librarian/EMT - Montana State Library
Jennifer Banna	MT Family to Family Health Information Center - University of Montana
Buck Herron	MT VDRS/Retired Law Enforcement
Janet Miller	EMS Provider, FAN Representative, Co-Chair
Katie Sheely	Children's Special Health Services, Nurse Consultant
Cindee McKee	Montana Hospital Association (MHA)
Dwight Nelson	Director of MT Traffic Education
Don McGiboney	Hospital Disaster Preparedness - DPHHS
Francine Janik	MT EMS Licensing Specialist
Vacant	State Medical Director
Jack Trethewey	Fire Based EMS
Jamey Petersen	OPI/School Health Rep
Jason Mahoney	Montana Pediatric Liason Contractor
Maureen Ward	Injury Prevention Program Manager - EMSTS - DPHHS
Jaunita Bueter, RN	Montana School Nurse's Association
Jennifer Wilson	MDT CPS Representative
Jenny Jo Allen	ASPEN/IPV Rep
Jeremy Virts	MT EMS Association VP/Great Falls
John Gildeaed, MD	Physician
Kari Tutwiler	State FICMR Coordinator - DPHHS
Kira Huck	Safe Kids MT Rep
Koren Bloom	Safe Kids Coalition & Paramedic - Billings
Vacant	EMS for Children Program Manager - EMS & Trauma - DPHHS
Janet Trethewey	Cardiac Ready Communities - EMS & Trauma - DPHHS
Hannah Yang	Epidemiologist - EMS & Trauma - DPHHS
Dr. Emily Hall	Kalispell/Montana AAP Representative
Lanette Perkins	Cultural Liason
Lyndy Gurchiek	Big Sky EMS Rep
Mackenzie Petersen	MT CSHN Section Supervisor
Rich Lammers	MT Emergency Physician Association
Shari Graham	EMS Systems Manager
Stacy Stellflug	MSU
Stephanie Morton	HMHB Rep
Steve Schmidt	Buckle Up Missoula/DUI Task Force
Terry Mullins	MT EMSTS Section Supervisor
Tracie Kiesel	Buckle Up Tri-County Rep
Wendy Olson	MT Buckle Up Rep/Kalispell

2022 Upcoming EMSC/Child Ready Advisory Committee Meetings:

List of advisory committee meeting dates in 2022
March 4, 2022 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Virtual	For more information please contact: Robin Suzor EMSC/Child Ready Manager rsuzor@mt.gov (406) 444-0901
June 3, 2022 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Cogswell Building Rooms C207 & C209 1400 E. Broadway Street Helena, MT	For more information please contact: Robin Suzor EMSC/Child Ready Manager rsuzor@mt.gov (406) 444-0901
September 2, 2022 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Cogswell Building Rooms C207 & C209 1400 E. Broadway Street Helena, MT	For more information please contact: Terry Mullins EMSTS Section Supervisor terence.mullins@mt.gov (406) 444-4460
December 2, 2022 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Virtual	For more information please contact: TBD

Meeting Minutes

January 2022

Montana's Pediatric Facility Recognition Criteria Has Two Levels of Recognition

Montanans voluntary certification program recognizes hospitals that meet specific criteria for personnel training, equipment and facilities that support optimal care for ill or injured infants, children and adolescents.

Pediatric Prepared Facility

Pediatric Prepared Emergency Care is a voluntary program recognizing hospitals that have demonstrated their ability to provide advanced pediatric care for the majority of pediatric medical emergencies including illness and injury. Pediatric Prepared Emergency Care is a partnership between hospitals, physicians, nurses, emergency personnel and the Emergency Medical Services for Children program at EMS & Trauma Systems and Child Ready MT within Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

Hospitals Recognized as a Pediatric Prepared Facility:

List of facilities and their cities
Facility	City
St. Vincent Health Care	Billings
Northern Montana Hospital	Havre
North Valley Hospital	Whitefish
Beartooth Billings Clinic	Red Lodge
Kalispell Regional Healthcare	Kalispell
Billings Clinic	Billings
St. Patrick/Providence Hospital	Missoula
Benefis Health System	Great Falls
Community Medical Center	Missoula
Bozeman Health	Bozeman
St. James Healthcare	Butte

(October 2019)

Pediatric Capable Facility

Pediatric Capable Emergency Care is a voluntary program recognizing hospitals that have the ability to provide limited pediatric care and have a system in place to transfer to a pediatric prepared facility.

Hospital Recognized as a Pediatric Capable Facility:

List of facilities and their cities
Facility	City
Stillwater Billings Clinic	Columbus
Phillips County Hospital	Malta
Central Montana Medical Center	Lewistown
Community Hospital of Anaconda	Anaconda
Big Horn County Memorial Hospital	Hardin
Daniels Memorial Healthcare Center	Scobey
Pondera Medical Center	Conrad

(October 2019)

What we hope to accomplish:

A Regional Council will be comprised of providers, nurses, mid-level providers, EMS and clinical support staff. We recognize that each region has both similarities and differences.
A statewide goal of standards of care for pediatrics to help ensure the right care, in the right place, at the right time and with the right resources no matter where the child lives.
The MT EMSC and Child Ready MT will be scheduling Pediatric Facility Recognition Site visits with Montana hospitals. During these visits assessments will be conducted using the Montana Pediatric Facility Recognition Criteria. The new Montana Pediatric Facility Recognition Criteria follows the Guidelines for Care of Children in the Emergency Department endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). The Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics has given their endorsement as well.