An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in emergency medical services system, providing for dementia care training.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dave Argall and 11 co-sponsors

Requires dementia care training for Pennsylvania EMS personnel to improve care for individuals with dementia during EMS responses and transport.

Referred to Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness

Purpose

SB 1305 would amend Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, specifically within the emergency medical services (EMS) system, to establish dementia care training requirements for EMS personnel.

Primary aim: Ensure EMS personnel receive dementia-related training to improve care for individuals with dementia during EMS responses and transport.

Key Provisions (as indicated by title and framing)

Amendments to Title 35 governing the EMS system.

Establishment or mandate of dementia care training for EMS personnel (format, curriculum, or minimum standards are not detailed in the provided text, but the bill’s subject indicates such content would be included).

Training would be integrated into the ongoing EMS education or certification requirements, potentially affecting EMS agencies, EMTs, paramedics, and other EMS responders.

Affected Parties

EMS personnel operating within Pennsylvania (e.g., emergency medical responders, EMTs, paramedics).

EMS agencies and service providers that oversee or deploy EMS personnel.

Training providers and continuing education entities responsible for delivering mandated dementia care content.

Individuals with dementia and their families who encounter EMS during emergencies, as the training is intended to improve care quality and safety.

Procedural / Timeline Aspects

Prime Sponsor: Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver, with co-sponsors from both major parties (Senators Art Haywood, Jay Costa, and Elder Vogel).

Status: Referred to the Senate committee: Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness.

Latest action (as of the record): May 1, 2026 – Referred to the Senate committee.

There are no vote records available yet, and no committee hearings are listed in the provided materials.

Potential Impacts and Implications

Positive outcomes anticipated: Improved recognition of dementia symptoms during EMS encounters, better communication with patients and caregivers, reduced use of unnecessary restraints, enhanced safety for patients with dementia and EMS staff, and possibly better clinical decision-making in dementia-related emergencies.

Implementation considerations: Determination of training standards (duration, curriculum content, assessment methods), timelines for rollout, potential grandfathering or phased compliance for existing personnel, and funding or resource needs for training delivery.

Oversight and accountability: Likely mechanisms would be set through the EMS system regulations, with ongoing compliance reporting to the appropriate state agency.

Note on Status

The bill has been referred to the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness committee. No further actions, votes, or amendments are recorded in the provided data.

If you’d like, I can add a brief context section comparing this bill to similar dementia training initiatives in other states or outline a proposed implementation timeline with potential milestones.

Bill