1. (1) Definitions. As used in Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1200-12-01-.22, the following terms have the following meanings:

   1. (a) Licensed Tennessee Ambulance Service - The same as “Ambulance Service” defined at Tenn. Code Ann. Section 68-140-302(2).
   2. (b) Board - Board of Emergency Medical Services.
   3. (c) Department - The Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services.
   4. (d) Emergency Medical Services Personnel (“EMS Personnel”) - Any person licensed or certified by the Board as an emergency medical responder, an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic.
   5. (e) Full-Time Employment - Employment by a licensed Tennessee ambulance service licensed by the Board, for a minimum of thirty (30) hours of service per week or sixty

2. (60) hours biweekly.

   1. (f) In-Service Training Course - At least forty (40) hours of in-service training at a training center commensurate to the licensure classification of the EMS personnel, as defined in 1200-12-.01-.22(1)(d).
   2. (g) Training Center - An eligible EMS educational program approved by the Department.
   3. (h) Agency or Group - The professional associations, training programs, internal training programs, education institutions, ambulance service and/or conferences that are approved to provide the forty (40) hours of in-service training.

3. (2) In-Service Training Course Eligibility.

   1. (a) Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. Section 68-140-335, to be eligible for the training pay supplement, a licensed Tennessee ambulance service must submit to the Department the Board-approved roster listing all eligible personnel for the training pay supplement within thirty (30) days upon request of the Department. The Department shall make requests for rosters at least twice each calendar year. The agency or group’s submission is subject to audit at the State’s request.
   2. (b) To be eligible for the training pay supplement, training must occur on or after January 1, 2024.

   3. (c) Credit for attendance at an in-service-training course shall not be awarded until the Department approves the course. The Department shall approve the in-service-training course as either

      1. 1. Live; or
      2. 2. As an online program with live face-to-face interaction.
   4. (d) The forty (40) hours of training must include routine functions in the practice of emergency medical services.
   5. (e) Instructors shall be authorized by the Department and qualified through academic preparation, training, and experience to teach the courses or topics to which they are assigned in the curriculum. Instructors shall not teach themselves. However, instructors of in-service training courses shall receive one (1) hour credit toward the forty (40) hour total of in-service hours for each hour taught provided that the teaching shall not consist of the use of electronic media exclusively and shall require the instructor to interact with the attendees of the class to obtain credit.
   6. (f) The licensed Tennessee ambulance service providing the training and/or validating the eligible personnel shall be the custodian of record for all training and attendance for a minimum of five (5) years from the date of completion of the course.

4. (3) Qualifications of Satisfactory Completion.

   1. (a) Proof of satisfactory completion, of the training program by the EMS personnel for each class, course, or component towards the forty (40) hour training pay supplement shall be a certificate of completion.
   2. (b) Satisfactory completion is achieved once the agency or group provides proof of completion to the licensed Tennessee ambulance service. The licensed Tennessee ambulance service shall notify the Department within thirty (30) days of the Department’s request. The agency or group’s notification is subject to audit at the State’s request.
   3. (c) Forty (40) hours of training must be completed within the scope of practice of the EMS personnel at their current level of licensure or certification. EMS personnel who are enrolled in an education training program for a higher tier of license are eligible to take training courses which count toward the forty (40) hour requirement in both the current license level and/or the license tier for which the EMS personnel is training to achieve.
   4. (d) Continuing education hours obtained as a result of disciplinary action, are ineligible to be counted towards the forty-hour satisfactory completion requirement.

5. (4) Reimbursement Procedures.

   1. (a) The training pay supplement shall be based on the availability of funds appropriated by the General Assembly.
   2. (b) Payment will be made by the Department or other state government agency after demonstration of successful completion of forty (40) hours of training to the Department. Payment will not be advanced or furnished in anticipation of completing forty (40) hours of training.
   3. (c) To receive a training pay supplement from the Department or other state government agency, which is issued to qualifying EMS personnel by the Tennessee licensed ambulance service, a licensed Tennessee ambulance service shall register as a supplier with the State of Tennessee.
   4. (d) To begin the registration process, a licensed Tennessee ambulance service must register as a Supplier within the State of Tennessee’s EDISON software platform at https://hub.edison.tn.gov/psp/paprd/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=PAPP_GUEST under the “Supplier Portal Home Page” tab (“website”) and complete the registration procedures by submitting all required information and documents as expressed on the website.
   5. (e) Once a completed registration is processed, the State of Tennessee shall issue a Supplier ID to the licensed Tennessee ambulance service.
   6. (f) A training pay supplement distribution shall only occur after the licensed Tennessee ambulance service receives a Supplier ID through the registration process and submits proof of completion and their Supplier ID to the Department.
   7. (g) Payment shall be made by the Department, or other state government agency, biannually in batches directly to the licensed Tennessee ambulance service. The Department shall process a proof of completion received by June 30 in the first batch of distributions and by December 31 in the second batch of distributions. The date of receipt of the proof of completion by the Department determines whether a distribution shall be processed in the first batch or second batch.
   8. (h) To remain eligible for a training pay supplement distribution, EMS personnel must be a full-time employee of a Tennessee licensed ambulance service at the time the biannual batch period closes

   9. (i) If an eligible individual is separated from the licensed Tennessee ambulance service for any of the following reasons, after becoming qualified, the EMS licensee will be considered as having met the December 31 requirements if the licensee:

      1. 1. Becomes eligible and accepts a service retirement and begins drawing retirement benefits;
      2. 2. Becomes eligible and accepts a disability retirement; or
      3. 3. Dies while employed by the qualifying ambulance service.
   10. (j) The licensed Tennessee ambulance service that awards the training pay supplement shall be responsible for withholding any and all tax and other federal withholding requirements and for the payment of other applicable taxes of the training pay supplement.
   11. (k) The balance of the training pay supplement shall be distributed to qualifying EMS personnel within thirty (30) calendar days or the next appropriate pay cycle after disbursement to the licensed Tennessee ambulance service.
   12. (l) The licensed Tennessee ambulance service receiving the funds shall be responsible for any increase in the employer’s contribution to social security or like programs necessitated by the increase in the employee’s annual base earnings.
   13. (m) EMS personnel shall not be eligible for the training pay supplement from more than one
6. (1) licensed Tennessee ambulance service in a calendar year.

7. (5) Military Service Member EMS Personnel.

   1. (a) EMS personnel who qualify under Tenn. Code Ann. Section 68-140-335 are eligible to receive the training pay supplement.

8. (6) Audit Procedures.

   1. (a) All accounts shall be subject to audit by the State Comptroller.
   2. (b) All records pertaining to and generated for the pay supplement for in-service training shall be made available for inspection to a member of the Department and shall be stored for five (5) years by the licensed Tennessee ambulance service after the pay supplement was issued.
   3. (c) All licensed Tennessee ambulance services that submit EMS personnel for receipt of the training pay supplement, are subject to annual, random audit by the Department.
   4. (d) All EMS personnel, who received the training pay supplement, are subject to annual, random audit by the Department.

9. (7) Disciplinary Action and Prosecution of False Claims.

   1. (a) To guard against the misuse of State funds, Tennessee licensed ambulance services shall report to the Department and the Attorney General’s Office within ten (10) days of discovery any fraudulent conduct or false representation in connection with the completion of training requirements committed by any EMS personnel in order to unjustly obtain the training pay supplement.
   2. (b) The Board recognizes the possibility of inadvertent mistakes involved in record keeping. The Board shall seek immediate reimbursement of such funds erroneously paid to the licensed Tennessee ambulance service. If such reimbursement is not immediately forthcoming, the Department, in conjunction with the Office of General Counsel, shall commence legal action accordingly.
   3. (c) The training pay supplement is subject to Tenn. Code Ann. Section 66-29-101. If the training supplement is designated for a dormancy period, licensed Tennessee ambulance service in possession of a training pay supplement would be responsible for following the due diligence and reporting requirements as required by law designated at https://treasury.tn.gov/Unclaimed-Property/Report-Unclaimed-Property/Submit-Your- Report-Online.

   4. (d) The Board may revoke, modify, suspend or condition the license of any licensed Tennessee ambulance service and/or EMS personnel, if it finds, after appropriate notice and hearing, that:

      1. 1. The requirements for the training pay supplement had not been met as pursuant to this rule but certified to the Department as complete; or
      2. 2. Any fraud, collusion, misrepresentation or substantial mistake was involved in the procurement of training pay supplement.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 68-140-304 and 68-140-335. Administrative History: Emergency rule filed April 9, 2024; effective through October 6, 2024. Emergency rule expired effective October 7, 2024, and the rule reverted to its previous status. New rule filed March 25, 2026; effective June 23, 2026.