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

  1. State of the art emergency medical care is available for the ill and injured child or adolescent;
  2. Pediatric service is well integrated into an emergency medical service system backed by optimal resources; and 
  3. 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:

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

 

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 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
Amber Bell Children's Special Health Services, Program Manager
Cindee McKee Montana Hospital Association
Colin Tobin DPHHS Emergency Management
Emily Hall, DO Pediatrician/MT AAP Rep
Dawn Gunderson Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Representative
Dwight Nelson Director of MT Traffic Education
VACANT DPHHS EMS Licensing Specialist
Hannah Yang DPHHS EMSTS Epidemiologist
Jamey Petersen OPI/School Health Rep
VACANT Family Rep
Janet Trethewey DPHHS Cardiac Ready Communities
Jason Mahoney, Paramedic Pediatric Liaison
Jennifer Banna U of M-MT Family Health Information Center
Jennifer Wilson MDT Highway Traffic Safety/CPS Rep
Jenny Jo Allen Abuse Support & Prevention Education (ASPEN) Rep
Jeremy Virts, Paramedic MT EMS Association VP, Great Falls Emergency Services
Juanita Bueter MT School Nurses Association
Kari Tutwiler DPHHS FICMMR Coordinator
Kelly Little DPHHS EMS-C Program Manager
Kira Huck Safe Kids MT Rep
Koren Bloom, Paramedic AMR/Safe Kids Coalition
Lanette Perkins, RN Cultural Liaison
Lily Anderson, RN St Vincent Hospital - Pediatrics
Lyndy Gurchiek Big Sky EMS
Maureen Ward DPHHS Injury Prevention Program Manager
Rich Lammers, DO MT Emergency Physician Association
Shari Graham, Paramedic DPHHS EMS Systems Manager
Stacy Stellflug, NP MSU Assistant Professor Pediatrics Trauma
Stephanie Morton Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Rep
Steve Schmidt Buckle Up Missoula/DUI Task Force
Terry Mullins DPHHS MT EMSTS Supervisor
Tracy Kiesel Buckle Up Tri-county Rep
Trish Christensen Children's Mental Health Bureau
Wendy Olson Buckle Up Kalispell Rep

 

2023 Upcoming EMSC Advisory Committee Meetings:

List of advisory committee meeting dates in 2023
For more information please contact: 
Kelly Little, EMSC Manager
(406) 444-0901
June 6, 2023
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Virtual
September 5, 2023
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Virtual
December 5, 2023
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Virtual

 

Meeting Minutes

September 2021

December 2021

March 2022

June 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 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 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. 

The Pediatric Facility Recognition application packet will include the following:


For further information or questions please contact Kelly Little, EMSC Program Manager at (406) 444-0901 or at kelly.little@mt.gov.

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Disclaimer

This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $2,724,632 with 0% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.