AAP Statement on Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization
"The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program aims to ensure that all children and adolescents receive the emergency medical care they need when they need it. The American Academy of Pediatrics applauds the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee for passing bipartisan legislation today to reauthorize this landmark child health program, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Specifically, pediatricians thank Representatives Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) for their leadership advancing this bill through the House and Representatives Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah) for sponsoring the legislation.
"Pediatric emergency services begin the moment a call is placed with 9-1-1 and extend until a child is safely returned home. EMSC is the only federal program focused specifically on making sure that the emergency medical services system meets children's needs, and pediatricians understand all too well that the quality of medical care administered to a child during an emergency can have lifelong consequences. Ensuring that the emergency medical services system has the appropriate training, equipment, and resources to provide high quality care to children has been a key priority of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Our children count on the EMSC program to provide the medical equipment, care and services designed especially for them when they are at their most vulnerable. As this legislation advances to the House floor, pediatricians urge the Senate to follow suit, and call on both chambers to reauthorize the EMSC program without delay."
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 62,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.