Program Overview
The 1989 Wis. Act 102 created the original EMS Funding Assistance Program to provide supplemental funding for emergency medical services, with a large portion of this funding allocated to assist with initial and refresher EMS training. Per Wis. Stat. § 256.12(4)(a), these funds are distributed to transporting ambulance services.
Disbursement
Funds are now disseminated via a plan approved as part of the current budget bill. This consists of a two-part formula payment on behalf of each transporting ambulance service and includes a base sum plus a factor based on run volume, service area population, and service roster size.
*New for SFY 2019-Ambulance Service Providers are now able to support emergency medical responder (EMR) services through the SFY2019 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Funding Assistance Program. In addition, per Wis. Stat. § 256.12(5)(am), an ambulance service provider may use escrowed training funds to purchase training required for initial or renewal certification/licensure or pay for administration of the examination required for initial or renewal certification/licensure for any level of licensure.
Spending Restrictions
Per Wis. Stat. § 256.12(4), funds allocated under this program shall "supplement existing budgeted monies of or provided to an ambulance service provider and may not be used to replace, decrease, or release for alternative purposes the existing budgeted monies of or provided to the ambulance service provider." In short, EMS-FAP dollars cannot be used to reduce existing EMS funding. The statute also allows that EMS-FAP funding can be used for the purchase of ambulance vehicles, vehicle equipment and emergency medical service non-disposable supplies and equipment as well as emergency medical training for ambulance service personnel.
Application for Funding
Each year, the ambulance service provider is required to complete an application form and expense report via E-licensing.
Required forms if not completed for SFY2018 or if any service updates (including address changes):
- IRS W-9
- State of Wisconsin DOA-6457 STAR Vendor Information
These two forms must be completed and returned in order to receive payment for the SFY2019 EMS-FAP. Please return these two forms by any one of the following methods:
Email the EMS-FAP
Fax: 608-266-0066, attention Supplier Vendor Support
Mail:
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health Services
Division of Enterprise Services
Bureau of Fiscal Services, Room 756
1 W. Wilson Street
Madison, WI 53707-7850
If your service is municipal owned, or you are a contracted private for profit, the REMIT TO section is filled out indicating your municipality. If you're a nonprofit service, the REMIT TO section is filled out indicating your service. The application and process timeline is as follows:
- Application materials will be available to EMS service directors in E-Licensing starting March 31, 2018. The application is located under "New Applications." Applications will only be accepted via E-Licensing.
- Applications are due by 5:00 p.m., May 31, 2018.
- Any applications received after 5:00 p.m. on May 31, 2018 will be denied.
- Disbursement will be made to the services no later than August 31, 2018.
- Expenditure reports for the previous full state fiscal year should be submitted to our office with the current year's application.
- Signed Population Verification forms will no longer be needed from your municipalities or attached to the application; however, populations still need to be included on the application. Please use the DOA Municipal Population Estimate sheet to determine the total population of your service area.
- Emergency Medical Technician training funds no longer need to be returned to the Department of Health Services if unused. These funds still need to be used exclusively for EMT initial or refresher training, but the funds can be escrowed from year to year and used to assist new or existing EMT staff.
- If your service does not have an anticipated need for the EMT funds, you will have the ability to opt out of receiving these funds. This will allow us to provide the funds only to those services that can benefit from them.
Accountability
The EMS Section is tasked with accountability for the distribution and use of the FAP money. Funds cannot be used to supplant existing budgets, and are to be used to support and improve the ambulance service.
Expenditures
The expense reporting period includes the previous FULL state fiscal year. For SFY 2019, the expense report submitted should include SFY 2017 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017).
Allowable Expenses
Part of our statutory and fiscal responsibility requires that we review and approve expenses. Please review the updated expense form for clarification of allowable expenses.
Examples of appropriate expenditures would include: Initial and/or refresher training expenses, a new ambulance, ambulance equipment or defibrillators, mileage and/or stipend for attending EMS training, training officer salary, contractual training on various subjects, computers and computer software purchased for training purposes, various pieces of hard/durable medical equipment to be placed on the ambulance, etc. Any of these items are appropriate as are many others, as long as the funds are not used to fund expenses that are already included in your normal operating budget.
Prohibited Expenses
EMS-FAP funds should not be used to pay for everyday maintenance, but major unexpected repairs and unexpected vehicle and equipment replacements may be appropriate. Examples of other inappropriate expenditures would be the purchase of medical supplies for restocking the ambulance, purchase of fire trucks and fire supplies, banquet dinner and bar bills, gifts, etc.
If you have a doubt about an appropriate expenditure, contact the EMS-FAP program coordinator for a determination.
Payee Information
Type of Service Designation
As part of the application, the ambulance service provider is asked to designate its "type of service." Choices include:
- Municipal/public agency
- Non-stock non-profit corporation
- Private for-profit corporation
- Other
Municipalities
State accounting policies mandate that checks for a public agency be paid to the treasurer of a municipality. (Checks for ambulance service providers that are public agencies are made payable to the designated municipality.)
Private, For-profit Providers
Wisconsin Stat. § 256.12 mandates that allocations to private, for-profit ambulance services be paid to the contracting municipality. Checks for ambulance service providers that are for-profit services are also made payable to the designated municipality.
Non-profit Corporations
If the ambulance service is organized as a non-profit corporation under Wis. Stat. chapter 181, the check is made payable to the ambulance service.
Municipalities are given specific instructions with each check on what the EMS-FAP funds are to be used for. The municipality can choose to:
- Turn over the check to the ambulance service;
- Run the check through its books and issue a new check to the ambulance service; or
- Keep the money and records of the money and pay the ambulance service as it presents invoices/paid receipts for appropriate expenditures.
In any case, the money must be allocated to the ambulance service provider.
For further information, please call or email the EMS-FAP program coordinator 608-261-9306.
