Grant Funded Scholarships to Help Address Rural Michigan EMS Shortage

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Feb. 2, 2023 - PRLog -- East Lansing, MI – The Michigan Center for Rural Health (MCRH) has been awarded $350,000 in EMS workforce state grant funding and will be the acting fiduciary for distributing these funds to eligible rural EMS professionals who wish to pursue an initial paramedic education.

The focus of the scholarship program, launched by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, EMS, and Systems of Care (BEPESOC), is to establish, implement and operate workforce development programs. These resources will train people in emergency medical services and address the critical shortage of paramedics by increasing accessibility to EMS educational programming, specifically paramedic programs, in rural Michigan.

The EMS workforce scholarship application will offer 2 tracks:

Track 1: This scholarship track will provide up to $20,000 in student tuition and fees to attend the approved initial paramedic education program of choice (EMS agencies and colleges).

Track 2: This scholarship track offers reimbursement for the time spent in EMS training programs, at a rate of $15/hour, up to a maximum of $16,000 per student (EMS agencies only).

All aspiring paramedics are encouraged to apply for this funding. Preference will be given to the following categories:

1.     EMS professionals serving rural Michigan census track communities

1.     Single parents with a desire to serve as a paramedic

2.     Women with a desire to serve as a paramedic

3.     Racial and ethnic minorities with a desire to serve as a paramedic

4.     Veterans with a desire to serve as a paramedic

"MCRH is excited to provide this grant funded EMS workforce scholarship to aspiring paramedics across rural regions of Michigan," said MCRH EMS Programs Manager Andrea Abbas.  "This scholarship fund will cover the cost of paramedic initial education for our rural Michigan EMS students. There is a shortage of paramedic providers across the state and these grant funds will help alleviate the workforce shortage in our rural Michigan communities."

The eight-month award period begins Feb. 1, 2023 and ends Sept. 30, 2023. To learn more about the EMS Workforce Scholarship Grant and for questions about the application, please contact Andrea Abbas, EMS Programs Manager (andrea.abbas@affiliate.msu.edu).