Minnesota Agencies

The task force will analyze the coordination of responses to emergencies, non-emergencies, community-based care, the regulatory structure detailed under Minnesota Statutes, section 144e, financial stability of the EMS system, review of the ambulance primary service area statute, and the level of governmental input into the licensing process and level of care as outlined in the Office of the Legislative Auditor Report Recommendations.

The League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) Bulletin describes the context for this task force:

"During the 2023 Legislative Session, a group of stakeholders including LMC, the Minnesota Ambulance Association (MAA), the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA), and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities (MAOSC), agreed a task force should be formed to work through EMS issues and make recommendations about what changes are necessary. Collectively, the stakeholders asked the Legislature to establish a task force.

"Although the Legislature did not create the requested task force, the stakeholders remain committed to working together to address EMS issues. LMC has agreed to provide meeting space and administrative support to a task force called the Minnesota EMS Delivery and Sustainability Task Force. The task force is being co-chaired by leaders of the MAA and the MSFCA. Co-chairs are Mayo Clinic Coordinator for Community Paramedicine Michael Juntunen and Edina Fire Chief Andrew Slama."

Around the same time the LMC convened this task force, legislative leaders convened a Joint Task Force on Emergency Medical Services. 

The task force began meeting on Sept. 6, 2023. Meetings occur every other Wednesday from until the work of the task force concludes. The task force will likely meet over a period of several months.

The task force is made up of the following:

• Two representatives of fire departments, one from the metropolitan area and one from Greater Minnesota, appointed by the MSFCA
• One representative of a municipally owned ambulance service, appointed by the LMC
• One representative of a privately owned ambulance operation, appointed by the MAA
• One representative of a hospital-based ambulance service, appointed by the MAA
• Two representatives of active EMS physicians, appointed by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of EMS Physicians
• Two representatives of hospitals that do not own or operate an ambulance service, appointed by the Minnesota Hospital Association
• One representative actively operating a community EMT and or community paramedic program, appointed jointly with recommendations from the MAA and MSFCA
• Two representatives of cities, one from the metropolitan area and one from Greater Minnesota, appointed by the LMC
• One representative appointed by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities
• One representative appointed by the MAOSC
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Health
• One representative appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Human Services