Rural Health
News by Topic: Emergency medical services
Oct 19, 2026 - Discusses insufficient access to both labor and delivery services and emergency medical services across Iowa, noting the potential impacts on maternal health outcomes.
Source: KMTV
Oct 14, 2026 - Announces a new South Dakota statewide initiative to create regional emergency medical services hubs for the purpose of coordinating resources and strengthening the workforce.
Source: KOTA
Oct 6, 2026 - Notice of final rule from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Department of Commerce and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation removing regulations related to the 911 Grant Program because the program is no longer active and there have been no new appropriations to revive or extend it. Authorization for the program expired on October 1, 2022, and the Public Safety Trust Fund that funded the program was not extended past fiscal year 2022. All projects funded by the program have been closed out and no open grants or applications exist. This rule is effective October 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
NHTSA: Request for Information: Nationwide Implementation of Prehospital Blood Transfusion
Federal Register
Oct 6, 2026 - Notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on behalf of the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS), seeking comments on the nationwide implementation of prehospital blood transfusion. Specifically, NHTSA seeks comments on strategies, barriers, and solutions to advance prehospital blood transfusion capabilities across state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency medical services (EMS) and 911 systems. Includes questions to which NHTSA is seeking responses. Comments are due by November 5, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Oct 1, 2026 - Announces new awarded funding in Alabama from the Rural Health Transformation Program. Initiatives include maternal and fetal health, emergency medical services for stroke response and treat-in-place services, simulation training, cancer screening and treatment, equipment upgrades, and workforce pipeline projects.
Source: Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
Sep 16, 2026 - Highlights a Virginia community paramedicine program and describes the challenges faced in offering the service, most notably funding and workforce. Discusses how community paramedicine can relieve strain on community emergency services which are often volunteer-run in rural communities.
Source: Cardinal News
Sep 8, 2026 - Announces awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a variety of behavioral health treatment, prevention, and crisis response programs across over 20 funding opportunities. Includes funding for suicide prevention and response in tribal communities, community-based systems of care for tribal youth, emergency medical services for behavioral health crises in rural areas, and training and technical assistance for rural opioid and stimulant use.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Sep 1, 2026 - Hawaii has received $58 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program to improve access to healthcare and strengthen services in rural and underserved communities. This includes $45 million for the University of Hawaii School of Medicine to administer workforce development programs and $13 million for the Hawaii Department of Health to acquire new ambulances and upgrade emergency communications systems.
Source: Kaua'i Now
Aug 27, 2026 - Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding of $55.7 million through the Telehealth, Health-Monitoring, and Response Innovation for Vital Expansion initiative and $93.6 million through the Promoting Access Coordination and Transformation priority. Arkansas is expected to receive approximately $1 billion in RHTP funding in the next five years.
Source: Office of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Aug 24, 2026 - Describes challenges in emergency medicine services (EMS) delivery in Colorado and how EMS agencies across the state are supported. Discusses long response times, mobile training methods, community outreach and volunteers, and rural blood shortages.
Source: University of Colorado Anschutz Health Science