EMS volunteer data bill to map capacity

Summary#

S-4825 would create a new law supplementing Title 26; it does not amend a specific existing section. It would require the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) to collect information about the volunteer EMS workforce and service capacity, with the stated goal of improving understanding of EMS availability and reliability. The bill was introduced and is not law.

  • DOH must count credentialed EMS personnel, those affiliated with volunteer EMS agencies, and those it determines are actively participating. It must set objective criteria for active participation.
  • DOH must, to the extent practicable, collect or derive information about service capacity and reliability, such as staffing and unit availability, calls answered or not answered by the primary agency, mutual aid, response times, and call volume.
  • DOH must use existing data where practicable. It may require extra reporting when needed information cannot reasonably be obtained from existing sources, and must seek to limit the burden.
  • DOH must create a public, searchable online directory of volunteer EMS agencies and publish a first statewide report within 24 months after the law takes effect, then at least annually.
  • The bill allows DOH to phase in the work and set reporting methods, standards, exemptions, and other implementation requirements. It would take effect on the first day of the seventh month after enactment.

What it means for you#

  • DOH: It would have to build the counting method, use available data to assess volunteer EMS capacity, maintain the agency directory, and publish reports. It may publish agency-level performance information only if the commissioner considers it reliable and appropriate.
  • Volunteer EMS agencies and other reporting entities: They would not have to separately report information already available to DOH or another state agency in a usable form. DOH may require supplemental reporting when necessary information cannot reasonably be obtained otherwise. The bill calls for burden-reducing options, which may include simplified reporting or exemptions.
  • EMS volunteers and credentialed personnel: The bill does not require individuals to apply for a review or change their volunteer service. It says DOH need not make their names, credential numbers, schedules, response histories, or other personally identifiable information public.
  • Public and local officials: They would be able to search the agency directory and read the reports. The bill does not guarantee that every listed capacity measure will be available, or that agency-level performance data will be published.

Money#

No cost information is in the available material.

  • The bill requires DOH to create and maintain data systems, a public directory, and recurring reports, but gives no cost estimate or appropriation.
  • It does not set a fee or fine. The cost of any supplemental reporting by agencies or local entities is not estimated.

What is unclear#

  • The commissioner would set the period and criteria for “active” participation. The bill does not specify a minimum level of service or activity.
  • “Substantial part” of an agency’s services being provided by volunteers is not quantified.
  • DOH may omit capacity measures it finds unreliable, too burdensome to collect, or not materially useful. The bill does not guarantee a complete set of measures.
  • The bill does not say how often supplemental reports may be required, or how disputes about reported information would be resolved.
  • The bill permits phased implementation, but sets no date for the first report beyond the 24-month deadline after the effective date.

Case for#

  • The bill appears intended to address gaps in information about how many credentialed volunteers are active, rather than counting everyone with a current credential as part of the active workforce.
  • Combining existing data could help DOH and local officials identify where staffing or unit availability is limited, and how often services rely on mutual aid or another provider.
  • A public agency directory and annual reports could make information about service areas and statewide or regional trends easier to find.
  • The bill directs DOH to avoid duplicate reporting and allows accommodations for smaller or lower-call-volume agencies.

Case against#

  • The bill requires DOH to build and maintain new data and reporting capacity, but provides no cost estimate or funding plan.
  • The key measure of “active” participation would depend on criteria set by the commissioner, and the bill does not specify those criteria in advance.
  • Because DOH may leave out measures that are difficult or burdensome to collect, the resulting picture of capacity could be incomplete or vary across places.
  • The bill allows agency-level performance information to be published but does not set specific standards for when that information is reliable enough to release.