Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN)

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) program, hereafter referred to as PECARN or “the network.” The purpose of this demonstration program is to improve pediatric emergency care by supporting the development and dissemination of evidence-based guidelines for hospital emergency department (ED) and prehospital emergency medical services (EMS). This program will achieve this goal by supporting a multi-center research network that will demonstrate how conducting and disseminating rigorous clinical research advances equitable pediatric emergency care. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) solicits applications for funding for the seven research nodes described below that will comprise the network. The network will work in conjunction with the EMSC Data Center (EDC), which is funded through a separate HRSA cooperative agreement (HRSA-022-087). The PECARN program has two categories of research nodes or “nodes”, each led by a Research Node Center (RNC) which will also be the recipient of funds. You may apply for one award in one of these categories: Category 1 (“Research Nodes”): Each recipient/RNC will lead a Research Node comprised of three (3) Hospital Emergency Department Affiliates (HEDAs) and one co-located EMS affiliate.[1] The RNC is co-located at one of the three HEDAs. Research Nodes will coordinate multi-center prehospital EMS and hospital ED clinical care research. Six (6) Research Nodes will be funded at $700,000 each. Category 2 (“EMS Research Node”): This recipient/RNC will lead an EMS Research Node comprised of three (3) EMS affiliates. In addition, this RNC will help to coordinate multi-center, prehospital EMS clinical care research that may take place with the nine EMS affiliates[2] in PECARN. One (1) EMS Research Node will be funded at $700,000. In addition, this notice includes the opportunity to receive additional funding to support activities of the PECARN chairperson. The PECARN chairperson is selected by the network for the purposes of leading the network and liaising with HRSA. The Research Node recipient that supports the selected Chairperson will be awarded an additional $50,000 annually to support the specific activities listed in the Appendix: Additional PECARN Background. For more details, see Program Requirements and Expectations. [1] The EMS affiliate is located within the catchment area of one of the participating Emergency Departments. [2] The nine PECARN EMS affiliates are the six EMS affiliates who are part of the Category 1 Research Nodes and the three EMS affiliates in the one EMSC Research Node.