CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a new $1 million funding opportunity to help Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies expand community paramedicine programs and improve access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas of West Virginia. The initiative is part of the Connected Care Grid (CCG), a cornerstone of the State’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
“In many parts of West Virginia, EMS professionals are among the most trusted and accessible healthcare providers a community has,” said Governor Morrisey. “This investment will help connect patients with care earlier, improve healthcare outcomes, reduce unnecessary hospital visits, and strengthen healthcare access in some of our most rural and underserved areas.”
This funding opportunity will support the implementation and expansion of EMS-led community paramedicine, mobile-integrated health, and treat‑in‑place models. It includes targeted investments in equipment, paramedic training, and technology to enable implementation and scaling. These models allow EMS agencies to provide protocol‑authorized on‑scene assessment and treatment, care navigation and referral, and coordination with primary care, behavioral health, and social service providers.
Funded initiatives are expected to reduce unnecessary ambulance transports and emergency department utilization while improving access to care and demonstrating measurable improvements in cost, quality, and health outcomes.
Initial implementation will be focused on a defined service region to support rapid deployment, operational validation, and alignment with statewide protocols and data systems. Funded entities will be required to demonstrate the ability to deliver services consistently across the full service area and meet performance and quality standards established by the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) and the RHTP.
“This model creates a more structured way for EMS to support patients beyond immediate response,” said West Virginia Secretary of Health Dr. Arvin Singh. “It allows providers to deliver the right level of care in the moment while ensuring patients are connected to appropriate follow-up services.”
This initiative will support the CCG initiative by integrating EMS providers into a broader care delivery network supported by standardized protocols, real-time data exchange, and performance-based oversight. Lessons learned through initial implementation will inform ongoing program development and refinement.
Eligible applicants may apply for this funding opportunity through the state’s procurement and grants management system at wvOASIS.gov. Organizations are encouraged to review the full application materials for eligibility requirements, submission instructions, and key deadlines. Additional details will be shared during an upcoming Announcement of Funding Availability (AFA) release webinar.
This press release is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72 with 100% funded by CMS HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor endorsement, by CMS/HS, or the U.S. Government.
