§16-4C-25. Emergency Medical Services Crisis Response and Mental Health Treatment Fund.

(a) There is hereby continued in the State Treasury a special revenue fund designated and known as the Emergency Medical Services Salary Enhancement Fund, hereafter to be known as the Emergency Medical Services Crisis Response and Mental Health Treatment Fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be for the purposes set forth in this section, including training, purchasing and maintaining equipment and supplies, facility maintenance, and providing crisis response for county emergency medical service personnel as that term is defined in §16-4C-3(g) of this code or a county-designated or contracted emergency medical service provider. The fund consists of moneys appropriated by the Legislature, grants, gifts, devises, and donations from any public or private source. All interest and other returns derived from the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Any balance, including accrued interest and other returns, remaining in the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the fund and be expended as provided in this section. The Director of the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services shall administer the fund.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section to the contrary, any funds transferred into the fund from the State Lottery Fund pursuant to the provisions of §29-22-18h of this code shall be distributed to counties subject to the following conditions:

(1) The first $1 million transferred shall be used by the Office of Emergency Medical Services for mental health treatment and training for emergency medical service personnel, including, but not limited to:

(A) Crisis Intervention Team training;

(B) Peer support programs;

(C) Adult Mental Health First Aid;

(D) Life Coach training; or

(E) Critical Incident Stress Management training: Provided, That any funds not used in any fiscal year may be redistributed to the counties according to the distribution authorized by this section.

(2) For any money awarded to a county from funds transferred from the State Lottery pursuant to §29-22-18h of this code, the county shall provide a 30 percent match from county funds or funds received by the county from other sources to serve as a match for these funds.

(c) The Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services shall propose legislative rules for promulgation and promulgate emergency rules pursuant to the provisions of §29A-3-15 of this code. These rules shall include a means of distributing any available funds to counties to accomplish the purpose of this section with an emphasis on the following factors:

(1) Counties who may demonstrate the most need;

(2) Counties that have a special levy for emergency medical services;

(3) Counties that have reached the maximum allowable rate on regular levies; and/or

(4) Counties that have a challenge recruiting and retaining emergency medical services personnel due to interstate competition.

(d) The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall prepare an annual report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability. The report shall provide:

(1) A county-by-county accounting of how the funds were distributed;

(2) An accounting by county of the number of emergency medical service workers receiving a salary enhancement; and

(3) Recommendations for continued funding.

The report is due by July 1 annually.