This page was reviewed and updated on October 24, 2011.
Department of Health Mission
To protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties.
About the Division
The Division of Emergency Medical Operations (DEMO) includes the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Office of Trauma, the Bureau of Preparedness and Response (BPR), the Office of Injury Prevention (OIP) and the Bureau of Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention (BSCIP). Our mission mirrors that of the Department of Health: to protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties. Each bureau/office within DEMO has specific goals to achieve this mission.
The Bureau of Preparedness and Response provides departmental expertise and leadership in the public health and medical component of all-hazards planning, preparation (including training and exercising), coordination and provision of funding, staff and material support for potential catastrophic events, natural or man-made, that may threaten the health of our citizens and compromise our ability to deliver needed health care services. The Bureau of Preparedness and Response works closely together with the health and medical system partners throughout the state to achieve the goals and objectives included in 2011-2013 Public Health and Healthcare Strategic Plan. The major funding for preparedness activities in the state comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response for Bioterrorism Cooperative Agreement and from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Hospital Preparedness Cooperative Agreement. Both of these federal resources provide the fiscal foundation for the state's ongoing all-hazards preparedness infrastructure development.
More specifically, the Bureau is responsible for developing and annually updating the Department of Health Emergency Operations Plan and its multiple annexes, as well as, overseeing the development, evaluation and approval of emergency plans from the county health departments and all other departmental entities at or above the division level. The Bureau also provides training for central office and field staff related to all facets of the Emergency Operations Plan. Other core functions of the Bureau are: public health preparedness information dissemination; strategic planning; project management; and grants management, to include administering, submitting and processing federal emergency management grants through the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) and documenting expenditures for all declared disasters. During activation of the State Emergency Response Team, the Bureau provides the department's primary support for the Emergency Support Function 8 (Health and Medical), including the agency's Emergency Coordinating Officer.
The Office of Trauma is the entity within the Division of Emergency Medical Operations that has primary responsibility for the administration and the implementation of all matters involving trauma care within the state. This authority is found in Chapter 395, Part II, Florida Statutes (F.S.), and Rule 64J-2, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). These tasks include: planning, monitoring, implementation and evaluation of trauma center standards, site surveys, application processes, trauma agencies development and operation, state trauma system plan, trauma transport protocols, state trauma registry and the end of life program.
The Office of Trauma also serves as the administrator for the disbursement of revenue that was designed by the Florida Legislature for payment to Florida's 21 verified trauma centers to ensure the continued accessibility and availability of trauma services (s. 395.4036, F.S.) This revenue is generated through fines for "red light running" violations, challenging a red light ticket and losing in court, speeding in an enhanced speed zone area and speeding multiple times more than 30 mph over the speed limit. Since the inception of the red light running and other trauma center funding legislation, the Office of Trauma has disbursed over $12 million to Florida's verified trauma centers. The Office of Trauma functions according to the goals included in the State Trauma System Plan
The Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program's mission is to provide all eligible residents who sustain a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury the opportunity to obtain the necessary services that will enable them to return to an appropriate level of functioning in their community. Funding for the program is through traffic-related fines, temporary license tags, motorcycle specialty plates and general revenue.The Brain and Spinal Cord Program has a Central Registry as mandated by Florida Statute 381.74. By law, every public health agency, private health agency, public social agency, and attending physician must report to the registry within 5 days of identification any person who has a moderate to severe brain or spinal cord injury. Direct case management services are provided to eligible applicants to the program. The program works with individuals to coordinate all available federal, state, third party and community resources. Services include: acute care; inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation; transitional living; assistive technology; home and vehicle modifications; and long-term community-based supports through the Medicaid Waiver Program and community partners. The program is required to be the payor of last resort.
Individuals requiring long-term community supports are referred to the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver Program. The purpose of the waiver is to provide Medicaid eligible clients who meet nursing home level of care with long-term community-based services and supports to enable them to remain in the community, to prevent institutionalization, and to ensure their health and safety in the community.
The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is responsible for the statewide regulation of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, EMT, paramedic training programs, and ambulance services and their vehicles. In concert with the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, the bureau establishes and reviews the Florida EMS State Strategic Plan to provide new strategies to improve emergency medical services throughout the state. The EMS Grant Program distributes funds from the EMS Trust Fund to improve and expand emergency medical services through county, matching, and rural grants. The EMS Data Program collects and analyzes data from the EMS service providers to measure the effectiveness of services. Five major goals for supporting and strengthening the EMS system in Florida are included in the Emergency Medical Services State Strategic Plan.
In 2003, the Office of Injury Prevention was established to raise the level of awareness of the injury burden in Florida and to establish injury as a priority within the Department of Health (DOH). In 2004, the Florida legislature recognized the need for a comprehensive statewide injury prevention program to support state and community health systems. Toward that end, in 2004, Section 401.243, Florida Statutes, was created and provides that DOH shall establish an injury prevention program with responsibility for the statewide coordination and expansion of injury prevention activities. The duties may include: data collection, surveillance, education, and the promotion of interventions. In addition, DOH may: (1) provide communities, county health departments and other state agencies with expertise and guidance in injury prevention, (2) seek, receive, and expend funds received from grants, donations, or contributions from public or private sources for program purposes, (3) develop and revise as necessary, a comprehensive state plan for injury prevention, and (4) adopt rules governing the implementation of grant programs. DOH has developed a statewide injury prevention plan to serve as a road map in carrying out its duties and responsibilities: 2009-2013 Florida Injury Prevention Strategic Plan .