EMS for Children

VIRGINIA EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN (VA EMSC) was established in 1996. Virginia Commonwealth University is the lead agency for EMSC in Virginia. The program aims to improve pediatric emergency care capabilities, childhood injury prevention initiatives, pediatric data and school health within the Commonwealth of Virginia through education, system development and research. Working together, Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services are vested in saving children's lives.

EMSC is an initiative designed to reduce child and youth disability and death due to severe illness or injury. The goals are to ensure that state-of-the-art emergency medical care is available for all ill or injured children and adolescents; that pediatric services are well integrated into an emergency medical services (EMS) system; and that the entire spectrum of emergency services, including primary prevention of illness and injury, acute care, and rehabilitation, are provided to children and adolescents.

EMSC is an essential component of the EMS System because CHILDREN ARE NOT LITTLE ADULTS and should not be treated as such.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provide the majority of funding for VA EMSC.