South Dakota Department of Health Announces Next Round of Grant Application Funding to Support Local Emergency Medical Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Tia Kafka, [email protected]

South Dakota Department of Health Announces Next Round of Grant Application Funding to Support Local Emergency Medical Services

PIERRE, S.D. - Today, the South Dakota Department of Health announced that the next round of Regional Services Designation (RSD) grant application funding for emergency medical services (EMS) will be open from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2024. This funding aids the development and implementation of regionalized systems and solutions to support emergency medical services throughout South Dakota. This initiative is an outcome of the department's statewide analysis and final report completed in 2023.

"These grants will help ensure that EMS providers have the necessary resources to continue delivering critical services to our communities," said EMS and Trauma Program Administrator Marty Link.

This is the third piece of a $20 million infusion of funding into South Dakota's emergency medical services infrastructure approved by Gov. Kristi Noem and the legislature in 2022. This funding includes $11.6 million to replace current LIFEPAK 15 defibrillators and the $1.7 million Telemedicine in Motion initiative equipping ambulances with technology that connects EMS personnel to emergency room physicians and nurses during any type of service call. Governor Noem highlighted these efforts in her 2024 State of the State Address; you can find footage of those remarks here.

"To assist applicants, we will be hosting educational seminars to answer any questions about the grant application process," Link stated. "Details and links to these seminars will be available on the DOH website."

Applicants seeking grant funding as part of this initiative must be knowledgeable of the report findings and incorporate components of the report into their grant application. With $5.8 million remaining in grant funds for this next round, EMS providers across the state are encouraged to apply. There are no new changes to the criteria or requirements from the previous rounds. Grant recipients must comply with state and federal guidance as outlined in the application document and within the grant award. As part of the application, applicants must provide specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, relevant, and time-bound solutions for improving the long-term sustainability of EMS in South Dakota. Funding for the grants must be obligated by the end of 2024, and grant recipients must spend the awarded amount received by Nov. 1, 2026.

Grant applications must be submitted to [email protected] by Sept. 30, 2024.

For more information, please visit the DOH website.

At the heart of the Department of Health's mission is a simple yet profound goal: to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. The department is entrusted with the vital task of promoting wellness, preventing disease, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all South Dakotans across our great state.

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