BlackletterCalifornia law

DIVISION 2.5. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES [1797. - 1863.]

Division 2.5 added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.

§§ 1797–1863 · 280 sections

  1. CHAPTER 1. General Provisions §§ 1797–1797.11 · 12 sections
    • § 1797 This division shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act.
    • § 1797.1 The Legislature finds and declares that it is the intent of this act to provide the state with a statewide system for emergency medical services by…
    • § 1797.2 It is the intent of the Legislature to maintain and promote the development of EMT-P paramedic programs where appropriate throughout the state and to initiate…
    • § 1797.3 The provisions of this division do not preclude the adoption of additional training standards for EMT-II and EMT-P personnel by local EMS agencies, consistent…
    • § 1797.4 Any reference in any provision of law to mobile intensive care paramedics subject to former Article 3 (commencing with Section 1480) of Chapter 2.5 of Division…
    • § 1797.5 It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the development, accessibility, and provision of emergency medical services to the people of the State of…
    • § 1797.6 (a) It is the policy of the State of California to ensure the provision of effective and efficient emergency medical care. The Legislature finds and declares…
    • § 1797.7 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the ability of some prehospital emergency medical care personnel to move from the jurisdiction of one local EMS…
    • § 1797.8 (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “EMT-I” means any person who has training and a valid certificate as prescribed by…
    • § 1797.9 (a) This division shall not be construed to regulate or authorize state or local regulation of any nonmedical aspects of the following: (1) Public aircraft…
    • § 1797.10 (a) For the purposes of this section, “police canine” means a canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a state or local law enforcement…
    • § 1797.11 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the licensure, certification, or accreditation requirements of this division shall not apply to any Emergency Medical…
  2. CHAPTER 2. Definitions §§ 1797.50–1797.97 · 31 sections
    • § 1797.50 Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions contained in this chapter shall govern the provisions of this division.
    • § 1797.52 “Advanced life support” means special services designed to provide definitive prehospital emergency medical care, including, but not limited to,…
    • § 1797.53 “Alternative base station” means a facility or service operated and directly supervised by, or directly supervised by, a physician and surgeon who is trained…
    • § 1797.54 “Authority” means the Emergency Medical Services Authority established by this division.
    • § 1797.56 “Authorized registered nurse,” “mobile intensive care nurse,” or “MICN” means a registered nurse who is functioning pursuant to Section 2725 of the Business…
    • § 1797.58 “Base hospital” means one of a limited number of hospitals which, upon designation by the local EMS agency and upon the completion of a written contractual…
    • § 1797.59 “Base hospital physician” or “BHP” means a physician and surgeon who is currently licensed in California, who is assigned to the emergency department of a base…
    • § 1797.60 “Basic life support” means emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures which, as a minimum, include recognizing respiratory and cardiac…
    • § 1797.61 (a) “Certificate” or “license” means a specific document issued to an individual denoting competence in the named area of prehospital service. (b) “Certificate…
    • § 1797.62 “Certifying entity” means a public safety agency or the office of the State Fire Marshal if the agency has a training program for EMT-I personnel that is…
    • § 1797.63 “Certifying examination” or “examination for certification” means an examination designated by the authority for a specific level of prehospital emergency…
    • § 1797.64 “Commission” means the Commission on Emergency Medical Services created pursuant to the provisions of Section 1799.
    • § 1797.66 “Competency based curriculum” means a curriculum in which specific objectives are defined for each of the separate skills taught in training programs with…
    • § 1797.67 “Designated facility” means a hospital which has been designated by a local EMS agency to perform specified emergency medical services systems functions…
    • § 1797.68 “Director” means the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
    • § 1797.70 “Emergency” means a condition or situation in which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the potential for such need is perceived…
    • § 1797.72 “Emergency medical services” means the services utilized in responding to a medical emergency.
    • § 1797.74 “Emergency medical services area” or “EMS area” means the geographical area within the jurisdiction of the designated local EMS agency.
    • § 1797.76 “Emergency medical services plan” means a plan for the delivery of emergency medical services consistent with state guidelines addressing the components listed…
    • § 1797.78 “Emergency medical services system” or “system” means a specially organized arrangement which provides for the personnel, facilities, and equipment for the…
    • § 1797.80 “Emergency Medical Technician-I” or “EMT-I” means an individual trained in all facets of basic life support according to standards prescribed by this part and…
    • § 1797.82 “Emergency Medical Technician-II,” “EMT-II,” “Advanced Emergency Medical Technician,” or “Advanced EMT” means an EMT-I with additional training in limited…
    • § 1797.84 “Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic,” “EMT-P,” “paramedic” or “mobile intensive care paramedic” means an individual whose scope of practice to provide…
    • § 1797.85 “Exclusive operating area” means an EMS area or subarea defined by the emergency medical services plan for which a local EMS agency, upon the recommendation of…
    • § 1797.86 “Health systems agency” means a health systems agency as defined in subsection (a) of Section 300( l)-1 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
    • § 1797.88 “Hospital” means an acute care hospital licensed under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2, with a permit for basic emergency service or an…
    • § 1797.90 “Medical control” means the medical management of the emergency medical services system pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1798).
    • § 1797.92 “Limited advanced life support” means special service designed to provide prehospital emergency medical care limited to techniques and procedures that exceed…
    • § 1797.94 “Local EMS agency” means the agency, department, or office having primary responsibility for administration of emergency medical services in a county and which…
    • § 1797.95 “Mobile stroke unit” means a multijurisdictional mobile facility that serves as an emergency response critical care ambulance under the direction and approval…
    • § 1797.97 “Poison control center” or “PCC” means a hospital-based facility or other facility which, as a minimum, provides information and advice regarding the…
  3. CHAPTER 2.5. The Maddy Emergency Medical Services Fund §§ 1797.98a–1797.98g · 6 sections
    • § 1797.98a (a) The fund provided for in this chapter shall be known as the Maddy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fund. (b) (1) Each county may establish an emergency…
    • § 1797.98b (a) Each county establishing a fund, on January 1, 1989, and on each April 15 thereafter, shall report to the authority on the implementation and status of the…
    • § 1797.98c (a) Physicians and surgeons wishing to be reimbursed shall submit their claims for emergency services provided to patients who do not make any payment for…
    • § 1797.98e (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a simplified, cost-efficient system of administration of this chapter be developed so that the maximum amount of…
    • § 1797.98f Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an emergency physician and surgeon, or an emergency physician group, with a gross billings arrangement…
    • § 1797.98g The moneys contained in an Emergency Medical Services Fund, other than moneys contained in a Physician Services Account within the fund pursuant to Section…
  4. CHAPTER 3. State Administration §§ 1797.100–1797.197a · 75 sections
    1. ARTICLE 1. The Emergency Medical Services Authority §§ 1797.100–1797.120.7 · 24 sections
      • § 1797.100 There is in the state government, in the California Health and Human Services Agency, the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
      • § 1797.101 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall be headed by the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, who shall be appointed by the…
      • § 1797.102 The authority, utilizing regional and local information, shall assess each EMS area or the system’s service area for the purpose of determining the need for…
      • § 1797.103 The authority shall develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems which address the following components: (a) Manpower…
      • § 1797.104 The authority shall provide technical assistance to existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing the components of emergency medical…
      • § 1797.105 (a) The authority shall receive plans for the implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems from local EMS agencies. (b) After the…
      • § 1797.106 (a) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of this division shall not prohibit…
      • § 1797.107 The authority shall adopt, amend, or repeal, after approval by the commission and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section…
      • § 1797.108 Subject to the availability of funds appropriated therefor, the authority may contract with local EMS agencies to provide funding assistance to those agencies…
      • § 1797.109 (a) The director may develop, or prescribe standards for and approve, an emergency medical technician training and testing program for the Department of the…
      • § 1797.110 The Legislature finds that programs funded through the authority are hindered by the length of time required for the state process to execute approved…
      • § 1797.111 With the approval of the Department of Finance, and for use in the furtherance of the work of the authority, the director may accept all of the following: (a)…
      • § 1797.112 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury, the funds in which are to be held in trust for the benefit of the…
      • § 1797.113 The Emergency Medical Services Training Program Approval Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury and, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government…
      • § 1797.114 The rules and regulations of the authority established pursuant to Section 1797.107 shall include a requirement that a local EMS agency local plan developed…
      • § 1797.115 (a) To the extent permitted by federal law and upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute, the Director of Finance may transfer any moneys…
      • § 1797.116 (a) The authority shall establish additional training standards that include the criteria for the curriculum content recommended by the Curriculum Development…
      • § 1797.117 (a) The authority shall establish and maintain a centralized registry system for the monitoring and tracking of each EMT-I and EMT-II certificate status and…
      • § 1797.118 (a) On and after July 1, 2010, and except as provided in subdivision (b), every EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidate or holder shall have their fingerprint…
      • § 1797.119 (a) The authority shall distribute to each local EMS agency the curriculum content criteria for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programming developed pursuant…
      • § 1797.120 (a) The authority shall develop, using input from stakeholders, including, but not limited to, hospitals, local EMS agencies, and public and private EMS…
      • § 1797.120.5 (a) (1) By no later than December 31, 2024, the authority shall develop and implement a California Emergency Medical Services Information System requirement…
      • § 1797.120.6 (a) A licensed general acute care hospital with an emergency department shall, by September 1, 2024, develop, in consultation with its emergency department…
      • § 1797.120.7 (a) On or before December 31, 2024, the authority shall monitor monthly ambulance patient offload time data for each hospital required to report under Section…
    2. ARTICLE 2. Reports §§ 1797.121–1797.124 · 4 sections
      • § 1797.121 The authority shall report to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the systems provided for in this division on or before January 1, 1984, and annually…
      • § 1797.122 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a health facility as defined in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 1250 may release patient-identifiable medical information…
      • § 1797.123 (a) Upon receipt of data reported by a local EMS agency to the authority pursuant to Section 1797.228, the authority shall calculate ambulance patient offload…
      • § 1797.124 (a) On or before March 1, 2024, and on or before each January 1 thereafter, the authority shall annually develop and publish on its internet website a report…
    3. ARTICLE 2.5. Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board §§ 1797.125–1797.125.11 · 7 sections
      • § 1797.125 (a) The Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board is hereby created in the Emergency Medical Services Authority. The board shall consist of seven members and shall…
      • § 1797.125.01 (a) The Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board shall be composed of the following members, who shall all be residents of California: (1) One member shall be a…
      • § 1797.125.03 (a) The board shall select a chairperson from its members. (b) The board, for the purpose of discharging its duties, shall meet quarterly and shall convene at…
      • § 1797.125.05 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, on and after January 1, 2023, the board may act on appeals of the authority’s decision to impose…
      • § 1797.125.07 (a) The board shall develop criteria to aid it in making final determinations regarding appeals of licensure actions, for purposes of adoption by the authority…
      • § 1797.125.09 (a) (1) An employer of a paramedic shall report to the director of the authority and the board the suspension or termination for cause of a paramedic in their…
      • § 1797.125.11 (a) If the board denies an appeal of an application for licensure, or upholds the authority’s decision to deny an application for licensure, based solely or in…
    4. ARTICLE 3. Coordination With Other State Agencies §§ 1797.130–1797.134 · 4 sections
      • § 1797.130 The director shall chair an Interdepartmental Committee on Emergency Medical Services established pursuant to Section 1797.132.
      • § 1797.132 An Interdepartmental Committee on Emergency Medical Services is hereby established. This committee shall advise the authority on the coordination and…
      • § 1797.133 The director may appoint select resource committees of experts and may contract with special medical consultants for assistance in the implementation of this…
      • § 1797.134 The Interdepartmental Committee on Emergency Medical Services or another committee designated by the director shall consult with the Commission on Peace…
    5. ARTICLE 4. Medical Disasters §§ 1797.150–1797.153 · 4 sections
      • § 1797.150 In cooperation with the Office of Emergency Services, the authority shall respond to any medical disaster by mobilizing and coordinating emergency medical…
      • § 1797.151 The authority shall coordinate, through local EMS agencies, medical and hospital disaster preparedness with other local, state, and federal agencies and…
      • § 1797.152 (a) The director and the State Public Health Officer may jointly appoint a regional disaster medical and health coordinator for each mutual aid region of the…
      • § 1797.153 (a) In each operational area the county health officer and the local EMS agency administrator may act jointly as the medical health operational area…
    6. ARTICLE 5. Personnel §§ 1797.160–1797.197a · 32 sections
      • § 1797.160 No owner of a publicly or privately owned ambulance shall permit the operation of the ambulance in emergency service unless the attendant on duty therein, or,…
      • § 1797.161 (a) By January 1, 2027, a public safety agency that provides “911” call processing services for emergency medical response shall provide prearrival medical…
      • § 1797.165 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as CAL-FIRE pursuant to Section 701.6 of the Public Resources…
      • § 1797.170 (a) The authority shall develop and, after approval by the commission pursuant to Section 1799.50, adopt regulations for the training and scope of practice for…
      • § 1797.171 (a) The authority shall develop, and after approval of the commission pursuant to Section 1799.50, shall adopt, minimum standards for the training and scope of…
      • § 1797.172 (a) The authority shall develop and, after approval by the commission pursuant to Section 1799.50, adopt minimum standards for the training and scope of…
      • § 1797.173 The authority shall assure that all training programs for EMT-I, EMT-II, and EMT-P are located in an approved licensed hospital or an educational institution…
      • § 1797.174 In consultation with the commission, the Emergency Medical Directors Association of California, and other affected constituencies, the authority shall develop…
      • § 1797.175 The authority shall establish the standards for continuing education and shall designate the examinations for certification and recertification of all…
      • § 1797.176 The authority shall establish the minimum standards for the policies and procedures necessary for medical control of the EMS system.
      • § 1797.177 No individual shall hold himself or herself out to be an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or paramedic unless that individual is currently certified as such by the local…
      • § 1797.178 No person or organization shall provide advanced life support or limited advanced life support unless that person or organization is an authorized part of the…
      • § 1797.179 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and to the extent federal financial participation is available, any city, county or special district providing…
      • § 1797.180 No agency, public or private, shall advertise or disseminate information to the public that the agency provides EMT-II or EMT-P rescue or ambulance services…
      • § 1797.181 The authority may, by regulation, prescribe standardized insignias or emblems for patches which may be affixed to the clothing of an EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P.
      • § 1797.182 All ocean, public beach, and public swimming pool lifeguards and all firefighters in this state, except those whose duties are primarily clerical or…
      • § 1797.183 All peace officers described in Section 13518 of the Penal Code, except those whose duties are primarily clerical or administrative, shall be trained to…
      • § 1797.184 The authority shall develop and, after approval by the commission pursuant to Section 1799.50, adopt all of the following: (a) Guidelines for disciplinary…
      • § 1797.185 (a) The authority shall establish criteria for the statewide recognition of the licensure of EMT-P personnel in the basic scope of practice of those personnel.…
      • § 1797.186 All persons described in Sections 1797.170, 1797.171, 1797.172, 1797.182, and 1797.183, whether volunteers, partly paid, or fully paid, shall be entitled to…
      • § 1797.187 A peace officer as described in Section 830.1, subdivision (a) of Section 830.2, or subdivision (g) of Section 830.3 of the Penal Code, while in the service of…
      • § 1797.188 (a) As used in this section: (1) “Prehospital emergency medical care person or personnel” means any of the following: an authorized registered nurse or mobile…
      • § 1797.189 (a) As used in this section: (1) “Chief medical examiner-coroner” means the chief medical examiner or the coroner as referred to in subdivision (m) of Section…
      • § 1797.190 The authority may establish minimum standards for the training and use of automatic external defibrillators.
      • § 1797.191 (a) The authority shall establish minimum standards for the training in pediatric first aid, pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and preventive…
      • § 1797.192 On or before July 1, 1991, the authority shall adopt standards for a standard statewide scope of practice which shall be utilized for the training and…
      • § 1797.193 (a) By July 1, 1992, existing firefighters in this state shall complete a course on the nature of sudden infant death syndrome taught by experts in the field…
      • § 1797.194 The purpose of this section is to provide for the state licensure of EMT-P personnel. Notwithstanding any provision of law, including, but not limited to,…
      • § 1797.195 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, an EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P may provide emergency medical care pursuant to this section in the…
      • § 1797.196 (a) For purposes of this section, “AED” or “defibrillator” means an automated external defibrillator. (b) (1) In order to ensure public safety, a person or…
      • § 1797.197 (a) The authority shall establish training and standards for all prehospital emergency medical care personnel, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a)…
      • § 1797.197a (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Anaphylaxis” means a potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity or allergic…
  5. CHAPTER 3.75. Trauma Care Fund §§ 1797.198–1797.199 · 2 sections
    • § 1797.198 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Trauma care is an essential public service. It is as vital to the safety of the public as the…
    • § 1797.199 (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury, the Trauma Care Fund, which, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, is hereby continuously…
  6. CHAPTER 4. Local Administration §§ 1797.200–1797.276 · 40 sections
    1. ARTICLE 1. Local EMS Agency §§ 1797.200–1797.233 · 28 sections
      • § 1797.200 Each county may develop an emergency medical services program. Each county developing such a program shall designate a local EMS agency which shall be the…
      • § 1797.201 Upon the request of a city or fire district that contracted for or provided, as of June 1, 1980, prehospital emergency medical services, a county shall enter…
      • § 1797.202 (a) Every local EMS agency shall have a full- or part-time licensed physician and surgeon as medical director, who has substantial experience in the practice…
      • § 1797.204 The local EMS agency shall plan, implement, and evaluate an emergency medical services system, in accordance with the provisions of this part, consisting of an…
      • § 1797.206 The local EMS agency shall be responsible for implementation of advanced life support systems and limited advanced life support systems and for the monitoring…
      • § 1797.208 The local EMS agency shall be responsible for determining that the operation of training programs at the EMT-I, EMT-II, and EMT-P levels are in compliance with…
      • § 1797.210 (a) The medical director of the local EMS agency shall issue a certificate, except an EMT-P certificate, to an individual upon proof of satisfactory completion…
      • § 1797.211 Each local EMS agency shall submit certificate status updates to the authority within three working days after a final determination is made regarding a…
      • § 1797.212 The local EMS agency may establish a schedule of fees for certification in an amount sufficient to cover the reasonable cost of administering the certification…
      • § 1797.213 (a) Any local EMS agency conducting a program pursuant to this article may provide courses of instruction and training leading to certification as an EMT-I,…
      • § 1797.214 A local EMS agency may require additional training or qualifications, for the use of drugs, devices, or skills in either the standard scope of practice or a…
      • § 1797.215 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, EMT-I's, EMT-II's, and EMT-P’s shall be required to renew their cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate no more…
      • § 1797.216 Public safety agencies that are certifying entities may certify and recertify public safety personnel as EMT-I. The state fire marshal, subject to policy…
      • § 1797.217 (a) Every certifying entity shall submit to the authority certification data required by Section 1797.117. (b) The authority shall collect fees from each…
      • § 1797.218 Any local EMS agency may authorize an advanced life support or limited advanced life support program which provides services utilizing EMT-II or EMT-P, or…
      • § 1797.219 All investigatory and disciplinary processes for EMT-I and EMT-II certificate holders shall be, subject to Chapter 9.6 (commencing with Section 3250) of…
      • § 1797.220 The local EMS agency, using state minimum standards, shall establish policies and procedures approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency to assure…
      • § 1797.221 The medical director of the local EMS agency may approve or conduct any scientific or trial study of the efficacy of the prehospital emergency use of any drug,…
      • § 1797.222 A county, upon the recommendation of its local EMS agency, may adopt ordinances governing the transport of a patient who is receiving care in the field from…
      • § 1797.223 (a) (1) A public safety agency that provides “911” call processing services for emergency medical response shall make a connection available from the public…
      • § 1797.224 A local EMS agency may create one or more exclusive operating areas in the development of a local plan, if a competitive process is utilized to select the…
      • § 1797.225 (a) A local EMS agency may adopt policies and procedures for calculating and reporting ambulance patient offload time, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section…
      • § 1797.226 Without altering or otherwise affecting the meaning of any portion of this division as to any other county, as to San Bernardino County only, it shall be…
      • § 1797.227 (a) An emergency medical care provider shall do both of the following when collecting and submitting data to a local EMS agency: (1) Use an electronic health…
      • § 1797.228 (a) (1) On or before July 1, 2019, a local EMS agency shall transmit ambulance patient offload time data quarterly to the authority, consistent with the…
      • § 1797.230 (a) (1) A county may contract for emergency ambulance services with a fire agency that will provide those services, in whole or in part, through a written…
      • § 1797.231 (a) (1) A fire agency, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1797.230, may enter into a written subcontract with a private ambulance service for the purpose…
      • § 1797.233 (a) A ground ambulance provider shall not require an uninsured patient or self-pay patient to pay an amount more than the established payment by Medi-Cal or…
    2. ARTICLE 2. Local Emergency Medical Services Planning §§ 1797.250–1797.259 · 7 sections
      • § 1797.250 In each designated EMS area, the local EMS agency may develop and submit a plan to the authority for an emergency medical services system according to the…
      • § 1797.252 The local EMS agency shall, consistent with such plan, coordinate and otherwise facilitate arrangements necessary to develop the emergency medical services…
      • § 1797.254 Local EMS agencies shall annually submit an emergency medical services plan for the EMS area to the authority, according to EMS Systems, Standards, and…
      • § 1797.256 A local EMS agency may review applications for grants and contracts for federal, state, or private funds concerning emergency medical services or related…
      • § 1797.257 A local EMS agency which elects to implement a trauma care system on or after the effective date of the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1798.161 shall…
      • § 1797.258 After the submission of an initial trauma care system plan, a local EMS agency which has implemented a trauma care system shall annually submit to the…
      • § 1797.259 A local EMS agency that elects to implement a community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination program pursuant to Section 1840 shall develop and,…
    3. ARTICLE 3. Emergency Medical Care Committee §§ 1797.270–1797.276 · 5 sections
      • § 1797.270 An emergency medical care committee may be established in each county in this state. Nothing in this division should be construed to prevent two or more…
      • § 1797.272 The county board of supervisors shall prescribe the membership, and appoint the members, of the emergency medical care committee. If two or more adjacent…
      • § 1797.273 (a) Notwithstanding Sections 1797.270 and 1797.272, if a local EMS agency within the county elects to develop a community paramedicine or triage to alternate…
      • § 1797.274 The emergency medical care committee shall, at least annually, review the operations of each of the following: (a) Ambulance services operating within the…
      • § 1797.276 Every emergency medical care committee shall, at least annually, report to the authority, and the local EMS agency its observations and recommendations…
  7. CHAPTER 5. Medical Control §§ 1798–1798.8 · 5 sections
    • § 1798 (a) The medical direction and management of an emergency medical services system shall be under the medical control of the medical director of the local EMS…
    • § 1798.2 The base hospital shall implement the policies and procedures established by the local EMS agency and approved by the medical director of the local EMS agency…
    • § 1798.3 Advanced life support and limited advanced life support personnel may receive medical direction from an alternative base station in lieu of a base hospital…
    • § 1798.6 (a) Authority for patient health care management in an emergency shall be vested in that licensed or certified health care professional, which may include any…
    • § 1798.8 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this division, medical control by a local EMS agency medical director, or medical direction and management of an emergency…
  8. CHAPTER 6. Facilities §§ 1798.100–1798.183 · 23 sections
    1. ARTICLE 1. Base Hospitals §§ 1798.100–1798.105 · 5 sections
      • § 1798.100 In administering the EMS system, the local EMS agency, with the approval of its medical director, may designate and contract with hospitals or other entities…
      • § 1798.101 (a) In rural areas, as determined by the authority, where the use of a base hospital having a basic emergency medical service special permit pursuant to…
      • § 1798.102 The base hospital shall supervise prehospital treatment, triage, and transport, advanced life support or limited advanced life support, and monitor personnel…
      • § 1798.104 The base hospital shall provide, or cause to be provided, EMS prehospital personnel training and continuing education in accordance with local EMS policies and…
      • § 1798.105 The medical director of the local EMS agency may approve an alternative base station, as defined in Section 1798.53, to provide medical direction to advanced…
    2. ARTICLE 2. Critical Care § 1798.150 · 1 section
      • § 1798.150 The authority may establish, in cooperation with affected medical organizations, guidelines for hospital facilities according to critical care capabilities.
    3. ARTICLE 2.5. Regional Trauma Systems §§ 1798.160–1798.169 · 10 sections
      • § 1798.160 Except where the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this article: (a) “Trauma case” means any injured person who…
      • § 1798.161 (a) The authority shall submit draft regulations specifying minimum standards for the implementation of trauma care systems to the commission on or before July…
      • § 1798.162 (a) A local emergency medical services agency may implement a trauma care system only if the system meets the minimum standards set forth in the regulations…
      • § 1798.163 A local emergency medical services agency implementing a trauma care system shall establish policies and procedures which are concordant and consistent with…
      • § 1798.164 (a) A local emergency medical services agency may charge a fee to an applicant seeking initial or continuing designation as a trauma facility in an amount…
      • § 1798.165 (a) Local emergency medical services agencies may designate trauma facilities as part of their trauma care system pursuant to the regulations promulgated by…
      • § 1798.166 A local emergency medical services agency which elects to implement a trauma care system on or after January 1, 1984, shall develop and submit a plan to the…
      • § 1798.167 Nothing in this article shall be construed to restrict the authority of a health care facility to provide a service for which it has received a license…
      • § 1798.168 Nothing in this article shall be construed as changing the boundaries of any local emergency medical services agency in existence on January 1, 1984.
      • § 1798.169 Nothing in this article shall be construed as restricting the use of a helicopter of the Department of the California Highway Patrol from performing missions…
    4. ARTICLE 3. Transfer Agreements §§ 1798.170–1798.172 · 2 sections
      • § 1798.170 A local EMS agency may develop triage and transfer protocols to facilitate prompt delivery of patients to appropriate designated facilities within and without…
      • § 1798.172 (a) The local EMS agency shall establish guidelines and standards for completion and operation of formal transfer agreements between hospitals with varying…
    5. ARTICLE 3.5. Use of “Emergency” § 1798.175 · 1 section
      • § 1798.175 (a) No person or public agency shall advertise itself as, or hold itself out as, providing emergency medical services, by using in its name or advertising the…
    6. ARTICLE 4. Poison Control Centers §§ 1798.180–1798.183 · 4 sections
      • § 1798.180 (a) The authority shall establish minimum standards for the operation of poison control centers. (b) The authority shall establish geographical service areas…
      • § 1798.181 The authority shall consolidate the number of poison control centers if it is determined by the authority that the consolidation will result in cost savings.
      • § 1798.182 The authority may authorize a poison control center, instead of providing poison control services directly, to contract with an entity in another state to…
      • § 1798.183 The authority may authorize a poison control center to provide poison control services for fewer than 24 hours a day, as the authority deems necessary.
  9. CHAPTER 7. Penalties §§ 1798.200–1798.211 · 10 sections
    • § 1798.200 (a) (1) (A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), an employer of an EMT-I or EMT-II may conduct investigations, as necessary, and take disciplinary action…
    • § 1798.201 (a) When information comes to the attention of the medical director of the local EMS agency that an EMT-P licenseholder has committed any act or omission that…
    • § 1798.202 (a) The director of the authority or the medical director of the local EMS agency, after consultation with the relevant employer, may temporarily suspend,…
    • § 1798.205 Any alleged violations of local EMS agency transfer protocols, guidelines, or agreements shall be evaluated by the local EMS agency. If the local EMS agency…
    • § 1798.206 Any person who violates this part, the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or county ordinances adopted pursuant to this part governing patient…
    • § 1798.207 (a) It is a misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and willfully engage in conduct that subverts or attempts to subvert any licensing or certification…
    • § 1798.208 Whenever any person who has engaged, or is about to engage, in any act or practice which constitutes, or will constitute, a violation of any provision of this…
    • § 1798.209 The local EMS agency may place on probation, suspend, or revoke the approval under this division of any training program for failure to comply with this…
    • § 1798.210 (a) The Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board may impose an administrative fine of up to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation against a…
    • § 1798.211 When making a decision regarding a disciplinary action pursuant to Section 1798.200 or Section 1798.210, the authority, the board, and, if applicable, the…
  10. CHAPTER 8. The Commission on Emergency Medical Services §§ 1799–1799.56 · 13 sections
    1. ARTICLE 1. The Commission §§ 1799–1799.8 · 6 sections
      • § 1799 The Commission on Emergency Medical Services is hereby created in the California Health and Human Services Agency.
      • § 1799.2 The commission shall consist of 19 members appointed as follows: (a) One full-time physician and surgeon, whose primary practice is emergency medicine,…
      • § 1799.3 At the discretion of the appointing power or body, a member of the commission may be reappointed or may continue to serve if he or she no longer continues to…
      • § 1799.4 (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the terms of the members of the commission shall be three calendar years, commencing January 1 of the year of…
      • § 1799.6 The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for their actual, necessary, traveling and other…
      • § 1799.8 The commission shall select a chairperson from its members and shall meet at least quarterly on the call of the director, the chairperson, or three members of…
    2. ARTICLE 2. Duties of the Commission §§ 1799.50–1799.56 · 7 sections
      • § 1799.50 The commission shall review and approve regulations, standards, and guidelines to be developed by the authority for implementation of this division.
      • § 1799.51 The commission shall advise the authority on the development of an emergency medical data collection system.
      • § 1799.52 The commission shall advise the director concerning the assessment of emergency facilities and services.
      • § 1799.53 The commission shall advise the director with regard to communications, medical equipment, training personnel, facilities, and other components of an emergency…
      • § 1799.54 The commission shall review and comment upon the emergency medical services portion of the State Health Facilities and Service Plan developed pursuant to…
      • § 1799.55 Based upon evaluations of the EMS systems in the state and their coordination, the commission shall make recommendations for further development and future…
      • § 1799.56 The commission may utilize technical advisory panels established pursuant to the provisions of Section 1797.133 as are needed to assist in developing standards…
  11. CHAPTER 9. Liability Limitation §§ 1799.100–1799.115 · 15 sections
    • § 1799.100 In order to encourage local agencies and other organizations to train people in emergency medical services, no local agency, entity of state or local…
    • § 1799.101 (a) (1) A person may take any reasonable steps that are necessary to remove a child from a motor vehicle if the person holds a reasonable belief that the…
    • § 1799.102 (a) No person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any…
    • § 1799.103 (a) An employer shall not adopt or enforce a policy prohibiting an employee from voluntarily providing emergency medical services, including, but not limited…
    • § 1799.104 (a) No physician or nurse, who in good faith gives emergency instructions to an EMT-II or mobile intensive care paramedic at the scene of an emergency, shall…
    • § 1799.105 (a) A poison control center which (1) meets the minimum standards for designation and operation established by the authority pursuant to Section 1798.180, (2)…
    • § 1799.106 (a) In addition to the provisions of Section 1799.104 of this code, Section 2727.5 of the Business and Professions Code, and Section 1714.2 of the Civil Code,…
    • § 1799.107 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that a threat to the public health and safety exists whenever there is a need for emergency services and that public…
    • § 1799.108 Any person who has a certificate issued pursuant to this division from a certifying agency to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene…
    • § 1799.109 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) California residents receive comfort and unconditional love on a daily basis from their…
    • § 1799.110 (a) In any action for damages involving a claim of negligence against a physician and surgeon arising out of emergency medical services provided in a general…
    • § 1799.111 (a) Subject to subdivision (b), a licensed general acute care hospital, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250, that is not a county-designated facility…
    • § 1799.112 (a) EMT-P employers shall report in writing to the local EMS agency medical director and the authority and provide all supporting documentation within 30 days…
    • § 1799.113 (a) (1) A person who, in good faith and not for compensation, renders emergency treatment at the scene of an opioid overdose or suspected opioid overdose by…
    • § 1799.115 (a) A private provider of ambulance services licensed by the California Highway Patrol and any employees of that provider, when operating in accordance with…
  12. CHAPTER 11. Emergency and Critical Care Services for Children §§ 1799.200–1799.201 · 2 sections
    • § 1799.200 (a) The State Department of Health Services shall contract with an organization with expertise in program evaluation, pediatric emergency medical services, and…
    • § 1799.201 The contractor shall submit the results of the study to the Legislature and the Governor not later than January 1, 1991.
  13. CHAPTER 12. Emergency Medical Services System for Children §§ 1799.202–1799.207 · 4 sections
    • § 1799.202 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the California Emergency Medical Services for Children Act of 1996.
    • § 1799.204 (a) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (1) “EMSC Program” means the Emergency Medical Services For Children Program administered by…
    • § 1799.205 A local EMS agency may develop an EMSC Program in its jurisdiction, contingent upon available funding. If a local EMS agency develops an EMSC Program in its…
    • § 1799.207 The authority may solicit and accept grant funding from public and private sources to supplement state funds.
  14. CHAPTER 12.5. Peer Support Services for Emergency Ambulance Employees §§ 1799.300–1799.304 · 5 sections
    • § 1799.300 (a) An emergency ambulance provider shall offer to all emergency ambulance employees, upon the employee’s request, peer support services. The services shall…
    • § 1799.301 (a) A peer support program shall be implemented through a labor-management agreement negotiated separately and apart from any collective bargaining agreement…
    • § 1799.302 (a) In any civil, administrative, or arbitration proceeding, an emergency ambulance employee, whether or not a party to an action, has a right to refuse to…
    • § 1799.303 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), an emergency ambulance employee who provides peer support services as a member of a peer support team and…
    • § 1799.304 To be eligible for the confidentiality protections afforded by this chapter, a peer support team member shall complete a training course or courses on peer…
  15. CHAPTER 13. Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination §§ 1800–1857 · 33 sections
    1. ARTICLE 1. General Provisions §§ 1800–1801 · 2 sections
      • § 1800 This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act of 2020.
      • § 1801 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish state standards that govern the implementation of community paramedicine or triage to alternate…
    2. ARTICLE 2. Definitions §§ 1810–1820 · 11 sections
      • § 1810 Unless otherwise indicated in this chapter, the definitions contained in this article govern the provisions of this chapter.
      • § 1811 “Alternate destination facility” means a treatment location that is an authorized mental health facility, as defined in Section 1812 or an authorized sobering…
      • § 1812 “Authorized mental health facility” means a facility that is licensed or certified as a mental health treatment facility or a hospital, as defined in…
      • § 1813 (a) “Authorized sobering center” means a noncorrectional facility that is staffed at all times with at least one registered nurse, that provides a safe,…
      • § 1814 “Community paramedic” means a paramedic licensed under this division who has completed the curriculum for community paramedic training adopted pursuant to…
      • § 1815 (a) “Community paramedicine program” means a program developed by a local EMS agency and approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority to provide…
      • § 1816 “Community paramedicine provider” means an advanced life support provider authorized by a local EMS agency to provide advanced life support who has entered…
      • § 1817 “Public agency” means a city, county, city and county, special district, or other political subdivision of the state that provides first response services,…
      • § 1818 “Triage paramedic” means a paramedic licensed under this division who has completed the curriculum for triage paramedic services adopted pursuant to paragraph…
      • § 1819 (a) “Triage to alternate destination program” means a program developed by a local EMS agency and approved by the Emergency Medical Services Authority to…
      • § 1820 “Triage to alternate destination provider” means an advanced life support provider authorized by a local EMS agency to provide advanced life support triage…
    3. ARTICLE 3. State Administration §§ 1825–1836 · 8 sections
      • § 1825 On or before March 1, 2021, the director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority shall establish a community paramedicine and triage to alternate…
      • § 1830 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall develop, and after approval by the commission, shall adopt regulations and establish minimum standards for…
      • § 1831 Regulations adopted by the Emergency Medical Services Authority pursuant to Section 1830 relating to a triage to alternate destination program shall include…
      • § 1832 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall develop and periodically review and update the minimum medical protocols applicable to each community…
      • § 1833 (a) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the Emergency Medical Services Authority shall submit an annual report on the community…
      • § 1834 (a) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, on or before April 1, 2028, the Emergency Medical Services Authority shall submit a final report on…
      • § 1835 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall review a local EMS agency’s proposed community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination program using…
      • § 1836 (a) A community paramedicine pilot program approved under the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s Health Workforce Pilot Project No. 173…
    4. ARTICLE 4. Local Administration §§ 1840–1843 · 4 sections
      • § 1840 A local EMS agency may develop a community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination program that is consistent with the Emergency Medical Services…
      • § 1841 A local EMS agency that elects to develop a community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination program shall do all of the following: (a) Integrate the…
      • § 1842 In addition to the requirements of Section 1841, a local EMS agency that elects to develop a community paramedicine program shall do both of the following: (a)…
      • § 1843 In addition to the requirements of Section 1841, a local EMS agency that elects to develop a triage to alternate destination program shall do all of the…
    5. ARTICLE 5. Miscellaneous §§ 1850–1857 · 8 sections
      • § 1850 A community paramedicine pilot program approved under the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s Health Workforce Pilot Project No. 173 before…
      • § 1851 A person or organization shall not provide community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination services or represent, advertise, or otherwise imply that…
      • § 1852 A community paramedic shall provide community paramedicine services only if the community paramedic has been certified and accredited to perform those services…
      • § 1853 A triage paramedic shall provide triage to alternate destination services only if the triage paramedic has been certified and accredited to perform those…
      • § 1854 The disciplinary procedures for a community paramedic or triage paramedic shall be consistent with subdivision (d) of Section 1797.194.
      • § 1855 Entering into an agreement to be a community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination provider pursuant to this chapter shall not alter or otherwise…
      • § 1856 The liability provisions described in Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1799.100) apply to this chapter.
      • § 1857 This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, and as of that date is repealed.
  16. CHAPTER 14. California POLST eRegistry Act §§ 1860–1863 · 4 sections
    • § 1860 This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the California POLST eRegistry Act.
    • § 1861 For purposes of this chapter: (a) “Authorized user” means a person authorized by the authority to submit information to, or to receive information from, the…
    • § 1862 (a) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall establish a POLST eRegistry, in consultation with the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California and…
    • § 1863 (a) For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Emergency Medical Services…