Roles and responsibilities
States have the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect public welfare by ensuring licensed professionals are competent and of sound character.
In EMS and other healthcare fields, this is achieved through collaboration between state regulatory agencies and specialized organizations, including the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (National Registry), the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO), the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP), and the Interstate Commission on EMS Personnel Practice (the EMS Compact).
These partnerships support states in assessing entry-level competency, standardizing education, and defining roles and responsibilities for reporting actions against educational program accreditation and EMS Clinician, student, or candidate certification and licensure.
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
The National Registry is a non-profit, non-governmental certification organization serving the emergency medical services (EMS) community. The National Registry’s examinations are independently accredited by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA)*, which adheres to the rigorous Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to evaluate examination programs. Credentialing protects the public, assures consumers that professionals have met standards of practice, advances the EMS profession, and establishes standards of professional knowledge, skills, and practice. The National Registry’s role is to ensure that all EMS Clinicians have the knowledge and skills required for competent practice.
Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Profession
CoAEMSP is a non-profit, non-governmental accreditation organization for paramedic and AEMT educational programs and functions on behalf of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). CoAEMSP’s role is to independently verify compliance with the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for paramedic educational programs.
Regulatory Agency
(State EMS Office, Territorial EMS Office, Designated Authorizing Agencies, or Local EMS Agencies – LEMSA in California)
The Regulatory Agency is a governmental agency with the ultimate responsibility of providing oversight of the EMS system, including approval of EMS educational programs, and issuance of licenses to EMS Clinicians.
Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice
The Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice is the governmental regulatory body that oversees the United States EMS Compact. The Commission facilitates interstate practice for qualified EMS Clinicians in multiple states by allowing their Home State license to be recognized in all other Compact member states. This supports workforce mobility, emergency response, and consistency in public safety and professional standards across jurisdictions.
Updated – 4.25