SPEARFISH, S.D. – A Spearfish-based consulting company has received a federal grant to help emergency medical service leaders across South Dakota address the growing challenges facing rural ambulance services.
Rose Group International will lead the Rural EMS Leadership Initiative, known as RELI, through a more than $340,000 grant administered by South Dakota Rural Health Transformation. The funding comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The program is aimed at EMS leaders serving rural, frontier and tribal communities and will be offered at no cost to participants, including travel and lodging expenses.
According to organizers, South Dakota EMS agencies continue to face workforce shortages, declining volunteer participation, leadership turnover and financial pressures. The five-month program will provide leadership training, coaching, peer networking and problem-solving opportunities focused on issues such as recruitment, retention, succession planning and long-term sustainability.
Organizers say the initiative is designed to strengthen local EMS operations, develop future leaders, and improve collaboration among emergency service providers across the state.
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