---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 290ee–10"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "290ee–10"
heading: "Rural emergency medical service training and equipment assistance program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/290ee-10"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III–A — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration"
  - "Part D — Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Substance Abuse and Mental Health"
---

# §290ee–10. Rural emergency medical service training and equipment assistance program

- (a) **Grants—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), shall award grants to eligible entities to enable such entities to provide for improved emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in rural areas or to residents of rural areas.
- (b) **Eligibility; application—** To be eligible to receive grant under this section, an entity shall—
  - (1) be—
    - (A) an emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) operated by a local or tribal government (including fire-based and non-fire based); or
    - (B) an emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) that is described in [section 501(c) of title 26](/usc/26/501.md?p=c) and exempt from tax under [section 501(a) of title 26](/usc/26/501.md?p=a); and
  - (2) submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may require.
- (c) **Use of funds—** An entity—
  - (1) shall use amounts received through a grant under [subsection (a)](#a) to—
    - (A) train emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) personnel as appropriate to obtain and maintain licenses and certifications relevant to [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in an emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) described in [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1);
    - (B) conduct courses that qualify graduates to serve in an emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) described in [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1) in accordance with [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and local requirements;
    - (C) fund specific training to meet Federal or [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) licensing or certification requirements;
    - (D) acquire emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) equipment; and
    - (E) ensure emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) personnel are trained on mental health and substance use disorders and care for individuals with such disorders in emergency situations; and
  - (2) may use amounts received through a grant under [subsection (a)](#a) to—
    - (A) recruit and retain emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) personnel, which may include volunteer personnel;
    - (B) develop new ways to educate emergency [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) through the use of technology-enhanced educational methods;
    - (C) acquire personal protective equipment for emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) personnel as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; or
    - (D) acquire [drugs](/usc/42/11851.md?p=4) or devices approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed under the Federal Food, [Drug](/usc/42/11851.md?p=4), and Cosmetic Act [[21 U.S.C. 301](/usc/21/301.md) et seq.] for emergency [treatment](/usc/42/11851.md?p=11) of known or suspected overdose.
- (d) **Grant amounts—** Each grant awarded under this section shall be in an amount not to exceed $200,000.
- (e) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a)”—
    - (A) means resources used by a public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) licensed entity to deliver [medical care](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=a-2) outside of a [medical facility](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=11) under emergency conditions that occur as a result of the condition of the patient; and
    - (B) includes [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) delivered (either on a compensated or volunteer basis) by an emergency medical [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) or other [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) that is licensed or certified by the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) involved as an emergency medical technician, a paramedic, or an equivalent professional (as determined by the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f)).
  - (2) The term “rural area” means—
    - (A) a nonmetropolitan statistical area;
    - (B) an area designated as a rural area by any law or regulation of a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f); or
    - (C) a rural census tract of a metropolitan statistical area (as determined under the most recent rural urban commuting area code as set forth by the Office of Management and Budget).
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—**
  - (1) **In general—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
  - (2) **Administrative costs—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may use not more than 10 percent of the amount appropriated under [paragraph (1)](#f-1) for a fiscal year for the administrative expenses of carrying out this section.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 553, formerly title III, § 330J, as added Pub. L. 107–251, title II, § 221, Oct. 26, 2002, 116 Stat. 1638; amended Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12608, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 5008; renumbered title V, § 553 and amended Pub. L. 118–84, § 2, Sept. 26, 2024, 138 Stat. 1544.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(D), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, which is classified generally to chapter 9 (§ 301 et seq.) of Title 21, Food and Drugs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of Title 21 and Tables.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 254c–15 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 118–84.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 290ee–10, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title V, § 550, as added Pub. L. 115–271, title VIII, § 8214, Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 4116, which related to sobriety treatment and recovery teams, was renumbered section 550A of act July 1, 1944, by Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title I, § 1237, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5677, and transferred to section 290ee–5a of this title.

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(1), substituted “the Assistant Secretary,” for “the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’)”.

Subsec. (c)(1)(E). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(2)(A), added subpar. (E).

Subsec. (c)(2)(D). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(2)(B), added subpar. (D).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(3), (4), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f) and struck out former subsec. (f). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (f) read as follows: “The Secretary may not award a grant under this section to an entity unless the entity agrees that the entity will make available (directly or through contributions from other public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward the activities to be carried out under the grant in an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount received under the grant.”

Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(5), substituted “2024 through 2028” for “2019 through 2023”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 118–84, § 2(4), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f).

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(1), substituted “in rural areas or to residents of rural areas” for “in rural areas”.

Subsecs. (b) to (f). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(2), added subsecs. (b) to (f) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (f) which related to eligibility for grants, use of funds, preference for certain grant applications, matching requirement, and definition of “emergency medical services”, respectively.

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 12608(3), substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2002 through 2006”.