Education Incentive Grant Program

Application for Funds   

• Introduction
• Eligibility
• EIG Map
• Request Criteria
• Obligation
• Student Obligation
• Funding Amounts
• Distribution of Funding
• Documentation
• Submission

 

Introduction

 The 2008 Legislature, along with the support of the Governor, again awarded the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) $300,000 for FY 2009 to aid rural ambulance services in recruiting, training, and certifying ambulance attendants.  The money will be awarded in the form of “education and training incentive grants” to licensed ambulance services in rural, frontier, and densely settled rural areas of Kansas .  For services in densely settled rural populations, only part-time or volunteer services would qualify.

 The purpose of the money is to assist rural and frontier services with the costs associated with becoming a certified attendant.  It must be clearly understood and agreed upon by the operator of the ambulance service that any dollars awarded through this grant program cannot be used to supplant dollars budgeted to the service.  A “Memorandum of Agreement” between the operator and KBEMS addressing this stipulation is included with the grant application.  Also required is a “Memorandum of Agreement” between the student and the service which stipulates their responsibility.

 The application for Education Incentive Grant (EIG) funds must be submitted by the licensed ambulance service.  To be eligible for receiving grant funds, the service must be currently licensed with KBEMS.  Money may be requested for classes that start on or after July 1, 2008.

 Eligibility

 An eligible student for this program is “a person who agrees to fulfill their year(s) of obligated service with a qualifying licensed ambulance service”. Licensed ambulance services must provide service in rural, frontier and densely settled rural areas of Kansas in order to qualify.  (See map below).  For licensed ambulance services in densely settled rural populations, only part-time or volunteer services would qualify.  (See definitions below). 

 

Rural/Frontier
Densely-Settled Rural

 

 

  “Full-time” is a service that pays a living wage for two or more attendants and they stay at the EMS station 24X7. 

  “Part-time” is a service that pays a living wage for one or more attendants a portion of the day/week.  An example would be two attendants working at the station Monday through Friday from 8-5 and covering the remainder of the time with non-paid or part-time staff on call from home. 

  “Volunteer” is a service that does not staff the ambulance with attendants who are paid a living wage.  The responding staff is paid to be on call, get paid per call, or receive hourly compensation while on call.

 

Request Criteria

 Grant money may be requested based on the following three criteria: 

                  first priority will be given to the initial training and certification as a First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician – Basic.  (EMT-B)                               

                  second priority is for a currently certified attendant gaining an advanced

level certification including Emergency Medical Technician – Intermediate (EMT-I), Mobile Intensive Care Technician (MICT), Training Officer I and II  (TO-I and TO-II), and Instructor/Coordinator (I/C). 

                  third priority is to utilize funds for the recertification of attendants

Obligation

The certified attendant (First Responder, EMT-B, EMT-I, MICT), Training Officer I, Training Officer II, or Instructor/Coordinator, upon signing the Student MOA, agrees to participate as an active volunteer for the named service (as described on the MOA) for a minimum of one or two years based on certification level:        

•     The attendant (First Responder, EMT-B, EMT-I,) agrees to work  for the named service (as described on the MOA) for a minimum of 240 hours per year during the one year of service as required by the sponsoring organization/requesting agency.  The sponsoring organization/requesting agency will schedule the attendant for a minimum of 20 hours per month.

•     The attendant (MICT) agrees to work for the named service (as described on the MOA) for a minimum of 240 hours per year during the two years of service as required by the sponsoring organization/requesting agency.  The sponsoring organization/requesting agency will schedule the attendant for a minimum of 20 hours per month.

•     Training Officer I -   teach (at minimum) four (4) hours of continuing education per month in  a location agreed upon by the sponsoring organization;

•    Training Officer II  -  teach (at minimum) one (1) first responder course within  the two year period, immediately following a course completion, in  a location agreed upon by the sponsoring organization; or

•     Instructor Coordinator - teach (at minimum) one (1) EMT course within the two year period, immediately following a course completion, in a location agreed upon by the sponsoring organization.

 Training Officer I and II year(s) of service would not begin until fulfillment of provisions included in 109-13-1 were completed.  Likewise, Instructor Coordinator year(s) of service would not begin until fulfillment of provisions included in 109-9-1 were completed.

 

Student Obligation  

• If the student fails  to meet this agreed upon service obligation, or drops out of the course prior to completion, the student will be required to repay the full amount of the grant monies awarded through the Licensed Ambulance Service.  The student is responsible for repayment.
• If the student academically fails the course, or is denied to take the certification exam, the student will be required to repay fifty (50) percent of the grant monies awarded through the Licensed Ambulance Service.  The student is responsible for repayment.
• If the student is unsuccessful in gaining certification after all allowed attempts at the certification exam, the student will not be required to repay any of the grant monies awarded through the Licensed Ambulance Service.  The student is responsible for repayment.
• Additionally, upon signing the agreement, an individual receiving Educational Incentive Grant funds will be provided an exit interview survey in the event that the attendant is either terminated or resigns their position.  This survey will be completed by any and all attendants receiving EIG funds, regardless of the amount of time between the acceptance of funds and the termination or resignation of the attendant.

 

Funding Amounts

 The following figures are the maximum allowed per student through this grant program: 

                  First Responder                           $320.

                  EMT-Basic                                  $915.

                  EMT-I                                         $605.

                  MICT (Paramedic)                   $5,110.

                  Training Officer I                         $125.

                  >Training Officer II                        $226.

                  Instructor Coordinator                 $800.

 

If the actual costs are less, the smaller amount should be used when requesting funds.

 Documentation detailing the costs incurred by student to attend class should be included with application.  This documentation should either be on official letterhead, an enrollment schedule, a transcript, syllabus, or a receipt provided to the student.

 Funds requested for continuing education purposes will be awarded at a maximum of $7.50 per hour of approved continuing education per attendant (with appropriate documentation) up to $70.00. 

 If funds are being requested for Training Officer or Instructor/Coordinator certification, documentation of the cost associated with the approved course must be submitted.

 

Distribution of Funding

 Funding will be divided between the 1^st half (cycle) of the fiscal year (July 1 to December 31) and the second half (cycle) of the fiscal year (January 1 to June 30).  As the Education Incentive Grant program will be operated in two separate funding cycles, possible changes in funding, criteria, or documentation may be noted during the second cycle.

 First half submissions will be accepted beginning July 1, 2008 and will be received until December 15, 2008.  The first half monies will be used for classes that start between July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. 

 Second half submissions will be accepted beginning December 1, 2008.  The second half monies will be used for classes that start between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009.  Distribution of funds should begin January 1, 2009.  Classes beginning during the 1^st half (cycle) are ineligible for financing with the 2^nd half (cycle) funds.

  (Please check the box on the “Initial Course of Instruction Basic or Advanced Form” to ensure that your course is linked to the Education Incentive Grant Funding). 

 

Documentation  

Grant monies for First Responder, EMT-B, EMT-I, MICT, Training Officer I, Training Officer II and Instructor Coordinator will be disbursed to the Licensed Ambulance Service only upon KBEMS receiving all of the following:

                  Education Incentive Grant Program Request for Funding;

                  Documentation detailing the costs incurred by student to attend class.  This documentation should either be on official letterhead, an enrollment schedule, a transcript, syllabus, or a receipt provided to the student.

                  Memorandum of Agreement Student Form; Check the form page for your case.                

                  Memorandum of Agreement Service Form; and.

                  Verification of students’ enrollment/registration in a KBEMS approved course of instruction, with the course number indicated. (The course Instructor has 10 days from the date of first class to submit student forms to KBEMS verifying enrollment/registration.)  Please check the box on the “Initial Course of Instruction Basic or Advanced Form” to ensure that your course is linked to the Education Incentive Grant Funding.

 

 

Within 10 days from the date of last class, the following documentation is required:  

                    The Instructor has 10 days from the date of last class to submit the KBEMS student roster to KBEMS verifying each student’s status of passed, failed, or dropped.  Failure to provide the After Course Student Roster Confirmation Sheet (KBEMS student roster sheet) will result in revocation of funding and the repayment of funds to KBEMS.

Per portions of K.A.R. 109-5-3, requested grant monies for Continuing Education will be disbursed to the Licensed Ambulance Service only upon KBEMS receiving all of the following: 

                  Educational objectives;

                  Qualification of Instructor;

                  Date and time of each EMS continuing education course; and

                  Continuing Education Form with name and social security number of attendants. 

 

Submission 

 The Request for Funding application and Memorandums of Agreement may be submitted no earlier than 30 days prior to the first day of class.  The service then has a maximum of 30 days, from the date of application, to provide any remaining documentation.  After that time period, if all required documentation has not been received by KBEMS, the funds “reserved” will be redistributed.