The department is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of a statewide comprehensive emergency medical services system and, accordingly, shall
- (1) coordinate public and private agencies engaged in the planning and delivery of emergency medical services, including trauma care, to plan an emergency medical services system;
- (2) assist public and private agencies to deliver emergency medical services, including trauma care, through the award of grants in aid;
- (3) conduct, encourage, and approve programs of education and training designed to upgrade the knowledge and skills of health personnel involved in emergency medical services, including trauma care;
- (4) establish and maintain a process under which hospitals and clinics could represent themselves to be trauma centers because they voluntarily meet criteria adopted by the department; criteria adopted by the department to implement this paragraph must be based on an applicable national evaluation system.