League Convenes Task Force to Address Challenges to Emergency Medical Services Delivery and Sustainability

Co-chaired by representatives of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association and the Minnesota Ambulance Association, the group will make recommendations about how to legislatively and administratively address regional and statewide challenges that have emerged in recent years.

The League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) is convening a group of stakeholders who are committed to discussing and addressing ongoing challenges to delivering emergency medical services (EMS) throughout the state.

In recent years, EMS delivery challenges have been topics of concern and discussion in communities throughout Minnesota. The 2022 Emergency Ambulance Services Report conducted by the Office of the Legislative Auditor brought to light specific issues that should be addressed through administrative and legislative actions. The report also underscores the need to address staffing and funding challenges to improve ambulance service sustainability in Minnesota.

Task force creation

During the 2023 Legislative Session, a group of stakeholders including LMC, the Minnesota Ambulance Association (MAA), the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA), and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities (MAOSC), agreed a task force should be formed to work through EMS issues and make recommendations about what changes are necessary.

Collectively, the stakeholders asked the Legislature to establish a task force with specific membership to “analyze the coordination of responses to emergencies, non-emergencies, community-based care, the regulatory structure detailed under Minnesota Statutes, section 144e, financial stability of the EMS system, review of the ambulance primary service area statute, and the level of governmental input into the licensing process and level of care as outlined in the Office of the Legislative Auditor Report Recommendations.”

Although the Legislature did not create the requested task force, the stakeholders remain committed to working together to address EMS issues. LMC has agreed to provide meeting space and administrative support to a task force called the Minnesota EMS Delivery and Sustainability Task Force. The task force is being co-chaired by leaders of the MAA and the MSFCA. Co-chairs are Mayo Clinic Coordinator for Community Paramedicine Michael Juntunen and Edina Fire Chief Andrew Slama.

Schedule and member makeup

The task force began meeting on Sept. 6, 2023. Meetings will occur every other Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. until the work of the task force concludes. The task force will likely meet over a period of several months.

The task force is made up of the following representatives:

• Two representatives of fire departments, one from the metropolitan area and one from Greater Minnesota, appointed by the MSFCA.
• One representative of a municipally owned ambulance service, appointed by the LMC.
• One representative of a privately owned ambulance operation, appointed by the MAA.
• One representative of a hospital-based ambulance service, appointed by the MAA.
• Two representatives of active EMS physicians, appointed by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of EMS Physicians.
• Two representatives of hospitals that do not own or operate an ambulance service, appointed by the Minnesota Hospital Association.
• One representative actively operating a community EMT and or community paramedic program, appointed jointly with recommendations from the MAA and MSFCA.
• Two representatives of cities, one from the metropolitan area and one from Greater Minnesota, appointed by the LMC.
• One representative appointed by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.
• One representative appointed by the MAOSC.
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Health.
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Human Services.

Although only members of the task force are allowed to participate in the meetings, nonmembers are invited to attend in person in the League building or online. To receive agendas, minutes, and virtual links to the meetings, please send an email to [email protected] and request that your email address be added to the task force distribution list.

Access the EMS Delivery and Sustainability (MEDS) Task Force one pager (pdf).

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