Missouri Announces Major Effort to Grow Rural EMS Professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 22, 2026

Missouri Announces Major Effort to Grow Rural EMS Professionals

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), in partnership with the Department of Social Services (DSS) and its Rural Health Transformation Program, is investing up to $4.2 million in its first year to grow Missouri's rural emergency medical services workforce. The investment, made in partnership with the Missouri Emergency Medical Services Association (MEMSA), will expand training programs and increase the number of certified EMS professionals across the state.

EMS professionals are often the first and only line of care in rural Missouri, where the nearest hospital or emergency room can be a long drive away. Statewide workforce analyses show Missouri needs hundreds more certified EMS providers, from EMTs to paramedics, to keep pace with growing demand for emergency care. In many rural communities, EMS clinicians provide the only around-the-clock care available, and this investment aims to help close that gap so more Missourians have access to timely, lifesaving care.

To address these workforce needs, MEMSA is advancing two coordinated strategies to support rural agencies and grow local talent.

Expanding Rural Training Opportunities

MEMSA is funding rural training partners to expand training capacity across the state. Year 1 applications showed strong interest, with 826 applications submitted and 437 individuals selected to begin funded EMT and paramedic training for the 2026–2027 academic year, one of the largest single-year increases in rural EMS training capacity.

Training partners selected for Year 1 include:

East Central College – Union
Johnson County EMS Education Program - Warrensburg
Missouri Southern State University – Joplin
Grand River Technical School - Chillicothe
Adair County Ambulance District Education Program - Kirksville
Linn County Ambulance District Education Program - Brookfield
Cape Girardeau Technical College
Mineral Area College - Park Hills
Three Rivers College - Poplar Bluff
Osage Ambulance District (in conjunction with the University of Missouri EMS Education Programs) - Linn
Ray County Ambulance District Education Program - Richmond

Workforce Incentives

MEMSA will also offer funding to rural EMS organizations that hire newly certified graduates or support current employees pursuing higher-level certifications. The incentives will help address critical gaps, especially in rural areas where agencies often struggle to recruit and retain certified staff.

MEMSA will oversee implementation, monitor training progress, provide technical assistance, and report outcomes to the state. Through this effort, rural Missourians can expect access to a growing, locally trained EMS workforce that's better equipped to meet the needs of patients today and in the years ahead.

“The Trump Administration’s Rural Health Transformation Program is based on one simple idea: your access to quality health care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “Funding new approaches to strengthen local healthcare capacity is an important step toward achieving that vision for rural Missouri and I look forward to seeing RHTP dollars support equally transformative innovations for rural communities nationwide.”

"Strengthening rural EMS takes more than any one organization or agency — it takes a true partnership and a shared commitment to the communities we serve," said Justin Duncan, MEMSA president. "The Missouri EMS Association is grateful to work alongside the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, and the Missouri Department of Social Services to make this historic investment in Missouri's EMS workforce possible. By training and retaining EMS professionals in the communities they call home, we are building a stronger, more sustainable rural healthcare system that is there for Missourians when and where they need it."

For more information, visit the Missouri Emergency Medical Services Association at memsa.org/rht-funding or contact RHTP@memsa.org or (573) 370-1702.

To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program, visit the Missouri Rural Health Transformation Program.

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The Rural Health Transformation Program information provided by the Missouri Department of Social Services is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $216,276,817.66, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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