Community EMS
Community EMS Forum
Join us for our next Community EMS Forum on July 8, 2025, at 1 p.m. Central Time.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app, or room device
Join the
Meeting ID: 249 243 624 946
Passcode: oBvTCs
Download
Reoccurring every second Tuesday of each month. Updated links will be available ahead of the next Community EMS Forum.
What is Community EMS?
Community Emergency Medical Services (CEMS) work collaboratively with stakeholders within their healthcare system to address the unique needs of their community. CEMS programs facilitate integration with primary care services, reduce hospital readmissions, and re-route unnecessary emergency department visits. CEMS paramedics and practitioners center the social determinants of health in their practice to effectively mitigate healthcare needs and to improve efficiency in the system.
Services interested or wanting to pursue a Community EMS license should contact Corey Straubhaar at Corey.Straubhaar@
Important: Service directors must not begin a new application.
Wisconsin EMS has approved the following Community EMS training programs:
- Century
College - Hennepin Technical
College - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences (Internal Program)
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
(uwm.edu)
EMS practitioners who have completed a Community EMS training program should apply for their endorsement. If your program is not listed and/or you have any questions, contact Corey Straubhaar at Corey.Straubhaar@
(1) Definition. In this section, “community paramedic" means an individual who has obtained an approval issued under sub. (2).
(2) Departmental approval. No person may use the title “community paramedic" unless he or she obtains an approval from the department issued under this section to provide services as a community paramedic. To be eligible for an approval by the department as a community paramedic, an individual shall meet all of the following criteria:
(a) The individual is licensed as a paramedic, that license is not suspended or revoked, and the individual is not the subject of an action under s. 256.15 (11).
(b) The individual has the equivalent of 2 years of service as a paramedic.
(c) The individual successfully completes a training program that has been approved by the department under sub. (3).
(d) The individual submits an application for the approval on a form specified by the department.
(e) The individual satisfies any other requirements established by the department.
(3) Training program. The department shall, after consulting the board, approve training programs for community paramedics that include clinical experience, that provide flexibility in addressing local service needs, and that meet any other criteria established by the department.
(4) Affiliation. A community paramedic may provide services under sub. (6) only if he or she is a volunteer for or an employee of a community emergency medical services provider, as defined in s. 256.215 (1) (a), or if he or she is an employee of or under contract with a hospital, clinic, or physician.
(5) Requirements.
(a) A community paramedic shall follow any protocols and supervisory standards established by the department or by a medical director.
(b) A community paramedic is subject to certification, disciplinary, complaint, and other regulatory requirements that apply to emergency medical services practitioners under s. 256.15.
(6) Services provided. Notwithstanding the actions authorized for emergency services under s. 256.15 (6n), a community paramedic may provide services for which he or she is trained under a training program approved by the department under sub. (3), that are not duplicative of services already being provided to a patient, and that are approved by the hospital, clinic, or physician for which the community paramedic is an employee or contractor or are incorporated in the patient care protocols under s. 256.215 (2) (b).
History: 2017 a. 66.
(1) Definition. In this section, “community emergency medical services practitioner" means an individual who has obtained an approval issued under sub. (2).
(2) Departmental approval. No person may use the title “community emergency medical services practitioner" unless he or she obtains an approval from the department issued under this section to provide services as a community emergency medical services practitioner. To be eligible for an approval by the department as a community emergency medical services practitioner, an individual shall meet all of the following criteria:
(a) The individual is licensed as an emergency medical services practitioner of any level, that license is not suspended or revoked, and the individual is not the subject of an action under s. 256.15 (11).
(b) The individual has the equivalent of 2 years of service as an emergency medical services practitioner at any level.
(c) The individual successfully completes a training program that has been approved by the department under sub. (3).
(d) The individual submits an application for the approval on a form specified by the department.
(e) The individual satisfies any other requirements established by the department.
(3) Training program. The department shall, after consulting the board, approve training programs for community emergency medical services practitioners that include clinical experience, that provide flexibility in addressing local service needs, and that meet any other criteria established by the department.
(4) Affiliation. A community emergency medical services practitioner may provide services under sub. (6) only if he or she is a volunteer for or an employee of a community emergency medical services provider, as defined in s. 256.215 (1) (a), or if he or she is an employee of or under contract with a hospital, clinic, or physician.
(5) Requirements.
(a) A community emergency medical services practitioner shall follow any protocols and supervisory standards established by the department or by a medical director.
(b) A community emergency medical services practitioner is subject to certification, disciplinary, complaint, and other regulatory requirements that apply to emergency medical services practitioners under s. 256.15.
(6) Services provided. Notwithstanding the actions authorized for emergency services under s. 256.15 (6n), a community emergency medical services practitioner may provide services for which he or she is trained under a training program approved by the department under sub. (3), that are not duplicative of services already being provided to a patient, and that are approved by the hospital, clinic, or physician for which the community emergency medical services practitioner is an employee or contractor or are incorporated in the patient care protocols under s. 256.215 (2) (b).
History: 2017 a. 66.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Community emergency medical services provider” means an emergency medical services provider that has approval from the department for its personnel to provide community emergency medical services under sub. (2).
(b) “Community emergency medical services practitioner” has the meaning given under s. 256.21 (1).
(c) “Community paramedic” has the meaning given under s. 256.205 (1).
(d) “Emergency medical services provider” means an emergency medical services program under s. 256.12 that provides services as a nontransporting emergency medical services practitioner provider or an ambulance service provider licensed under s. 256.15 (5).
(2) Approval. No emergency medical services provider may advertise as providing community emergency medical services or may advertise having community paramedics or community emergency medical services practitioners unless the emergency medical services provider has approval from the department under this subsection. To be eligible for approval to provide community emergency medical services, an emergency medical services provider shall satisfy all of the following criteria:
(a) The emergency medical services provider is licensed by the department at any emergency medical services level.
(b) The emergency medical services provider establishes, submits to the department, and maintains patient care protocols corresponding to the appropriate service level to be used by a community paramedic or a community emergency medical services practitioner. The emergency medical services provider may include in a patient care protocol only those services that do not require a license, certificate, or other credential under subch. II, III, IV, or VII of ch. 448 or ch. 441, 446, 447, 449, 450, 451, 455, 457, or 459 to provide.
(c) The emergency medical services provider agrees to provide to the department a list identifying each community paramedic and community emergency medical services practitioner providing community emergency medical services as a volunteer or employee of that emergency medical services provider. If the emergency medical services provider is approved under this subsection as a community emergency medical services provider, the emergency medical services provider shall provide and update its list of community paramedics and community emergency medical services practitioners.
(d) The emergency medical services provider meets other requirements as specified by the department.
History: 2017 a. 66.
(1) In addition to the responsibilities under s. DHS 110.34, an emergency medical services provider or other organization licensed to provide CEMS shall obtain department approval before using licensed EMS practitioners to provide CEMS. To obtain department approval, the EMS provider or other organization shall submit all of the following to the department:
(b) Contact information for the service director of the CEMS program, including how to contact the EMS provider or other organization.
(c) Name, address, phone number and e-mail address for the each medical director or member of the medical advisory committee who will oversee the CEMS program.
(d) The type of CEMS service that will be provided and at what licensure level.
(e) The staffing configurations for providing CEMS service.
(f) An explanation of how medical direction or consultation will be contacted at the patient location, if indicated.
(g) Patient care protocols and guidelines for providing CEMS services.
(h) An explanation of how the CEMS provider will be notified and requested for CEMS services.
(i) An explanation of how the CEMS provider will notify and integrate with the 9-1-1 system, should the patient require an ambulance.
(j) Identification of the ambulance service provider(s) that will respond to a 9-1-1 call initiated by the CEMS provider.
(k) Copies of each agreement or contract for providing community emergency medical services.
Note: When submitting copies of agreements or contracts, the submitter may redact any compensation information.
(L) Written acknowledgement that community emergency medical services will not interfere with the emergency medical services provider's responsibility to provide 9-1-1 emergency response within its primary service area, if the ambulance service provider or non-transporting emergency medical practitioner service provider is also licensed as a 9-1-1 provider.
(m) Other information as determined by the department.
(2) An emergency medical services provider or other organization licensed to provide community emergency medical service shall adhere to all applicable sections of this chapter as determined by the department.
(3) The community emergency medical services program shall submit patient care report data electronically to the department through the WARDS using a department approved direct web-based system within seven days of patient contact.