ProAction Emergency Services Institute Receives Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

ProAction Emergency Services Institute announced it was awarded a Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® (HKHF) grant by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). The HKHF funding will support BCBSTX’s commitment to community-based organizations supporting children and families that focus on health and wellness and target impacts of socio-economic and social determinants of health, as well as economic opportunity.

Career Opportunities for Communities

The shortage of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) is sorely felt in the El Paso community, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic that necessitates hospital transportation and care. For ProAction this is a major opportunity for communities of color, and especially women, to become EMT’s and work in a field that consistently hires.

“ProAction Emergency Medical Services Institute offers a 5-month EMT program that allows students to attend class with a flexible schedule. The training the students receive is invaluable as it prepares them for medical emergencies that range from first aid care to saving lives,”

said Dusty Warden, ProAction, Director of Operations

Upon completion of the course the student must certify as an EMT by the state Texas. There are many opportunities in the medical field that EMT’s are prime for, such working in hospital emergency rooms, doctor’s offices, medical transport or as ProAction first responders.

“We are happy to award these grants that will support and nurture meaningful and transformational projects across Texas,” said Sheena Payne, BCBSTX’s director of Community Investments. “Strategically, it is also important that we continue to aid community-based organizations that are directly supporting children and families with health and wellness equity as well as building foundations for economic opportunity.”

The HKHF program – which centers on nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention and management and supporting safe environments – has awarded more than $20 million in funding since inception, and this year will impact the lives of more than 5 million children and adults in Texas.