AR HB1133

Establishes a new licensure category for Community Paramedics under Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 13, Subchapter 16, allowing paramedics with additional training to provide non-emergency community-based healthcare services.

Requires Community Paramedic candidates to be currently licensed as paramedics with 2 years of full-time service, actively employed by a licensed paramedic ambulance service, and complete a minimum 300-hour training program from an accredited college or university approved by the Department of Health.

Limits Community Paramedic services to discharged inpatients (screened for but not qualifying for home health or hospice), discharged emergency department patients, and pre-hospital patients identified by their treating physician as needing these services.

Restricts Community Paramedic services to coordination of community services, chronic disease monitoring and education, health assessment, hospital discharge follow-up, laboratory specimen collection, and medication compliance.

Requires Community Paramedics to complete 15 additional hours of training for relicensure and directs the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council and State Board of Health to adopt rules including quality assurance and data collection standards for program evaluation.