Commissioners approve EMS mobile‑health grant application and mass‑casualty training reimbursement request

The Grant County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved two EMS funding requests: a $50,000 mobile integrated health (MIH) grant application and a request to use reimbursable tax funding to pay for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) training for county and volunteer EMS personnel.

Don Horace (EMS representative) described the MIH program as a one‑time grant to start a follow‑up home‑visit program for patients after hospital discharges or surgeries to help with medication reconciliation and recovery and to reduce unnecessary 911 calls. Horace said the MIH grant amount is $50,000 and that the county would track outcomes in its patient‑care records; commissioners approved pursuit of the MIH application after discussion and a motion.

Horace also requested reimbursable funding for TECC, a 16‑hour mass‑casualty training course the district lists as preapproved for reimbursement. He proposed funding 20 people—four supervisors and the volunteer chiefs—so they could return and teach the course locally. The course cost is $550 per person (approximately $11,000 total); Horace said the county will spend the money and then apply for reimbursement. Commissioners approved both requests by motion; board members described the training as “very much needed.”

Why it matters: MIH programs can reduce hospital readmissions and 911 utilization by providing follow‑up care and education in patients’ homes. TECC training prepares first responders for mass‑casualty events and active‑shooter incidents.

Next steps: EMS staff will prepare the MIH application and set up outcome tracking in the county’s EMS records system; TECC training will be scheduled and reimbursed through the district’s tax‑funding program after completion.