{"id":72754,"date":"2026-02-16T16:23:52","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T21:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=72754"},"modified":"2026-02-20T17:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T22:54:10","slug":"michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, fails to provide funds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Michigan has a law meant to better prepare schools to handle cardiac emergencies but no\u00a0designated state funding<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Only a quarter of schools are said to have earned a state \u2018HeartSafe\u2019 designation<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advocates say a $6 million investment could close the gap<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Emily Orta was a seemingly healthy 14-year-old soccer player in Adrian when her life changed in seconds. In the middle of a shooting drill, her heart stopped. She wasn\u2019t breathing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was a complete shock,\u201d Orta, now 26, told Bridge Michigan. She\u2019d later discover she was living with a rare heart defect from birth \u2014 anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, or ALCAPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe had no idea that there was any issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Orta said she \u201cwouldn\u2019t be here today\u201d if it weren\u2019t for the quick work of her coaches, who started emergency CPR on the field to keep her heart pumping. Another person entered a nearby building to grab an automated external defibrillator \u2014 an AED. The portable device delivers an electric shock to restore normal heart rhythm and kept the young teen stable before she was transferred to a hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was at the right place at the right time,\u201d Orta said. \u201cAnd everybody that was around me and had their hands on me that day, they were also in the right place at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-attachment-id=\"72759\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/attachment\/emilyorta_siani-johnsonmichigan-medicine\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?fit=1090%2C613&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1090,613\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"EmilyOrta_Siani JohnsonMichigan Medicine\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Emily Orta returns with her two sons to the same field where she collapsed as a teen during soccer practice. (Courtesy of Siani Johnson, Michigan Medicine)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A woman plays soccer with two children\" class=\"wp-image-72759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine.jpg?w=1090&amp;ssl=1 1090w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EmilyOrta_Siani-JohnsonMichigan-Medicine-1024x576.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emily Orta returns with her two sons to the same field where she collapsed as a teen during soccer practice. (Courtesy of Siani Johnson, Michigan Medicine)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But for many Michigan students, those resources may be more out of reach. A 2024 state law required schools to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan for the current school year \u2014 if the Legislature appropriates \u201csufficient funds.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No dedicated money was included in the current state education budget\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/michigan-has-321m-for-school-safety-the-catch-districts-must-waive-rights\/\">$321 million school safety fund<\/a>. A Senate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mi.gov\/hfa\/PDF\/Summaries\/25s166s3cr1_education_omnibus_conference_report_summary.pdf\">proposal<\/a> to include $25 million for \u201cvisitor management programs, low-level behavior software, panic alerts, and AED devices\u201d was removed by the House and was not included in the final budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/talent-education\/lawmakers-want-more-cpr-cardiac-arrest-training-michigan-schools\/\"><strong>Lawmakers want more CPR, cardiac arrest training for Michigan schools<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/guest-commentary\/providing-regionalized-care-heart-emergencies-would-save-lives\/\"><strong>Providing regionalized care for heart emergencies would save lives<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/high-blood-pressure-rampant-michigan-better-data-may-lead-cure\/\"><strong>High blood pressure is rampant in Michigan. Better data may lead to a cure<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The law does not specify what is considered sufficient funding, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/documents\/2023-2024\/billanalysis\/House\/pdf\/2023-HLA-5527-FFF66969.pdf\">according to an analysis of the 2024 legislation<\/a>, or who makes that determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For<strong> <\/strong>the state\u2019s estimated 5,000 public and nonpublic schools, decisions to implement emergency plans depend on local capacity and available resources, according to Ken Coleman, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Education.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without government funding, enforcement of the law stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;There was not a specific state appropriation to support implementation. The statute provides that, in the absence of designated funding, districts are not required to implement the plan,\u201d Coleman said in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Michigan schools have yet to earn the state\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/migrc.org\/patients-families\/mi-heartsafe-schools\/mi-heartsafe-school-award-program\/\">HeartSafe<\/a>\u201d title, a designation that indicates, among other things, that the school has a written cardiac emergency response plan, adequate numbers of staff are <a href=\"https:\/\/migrc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/MI-HEARTSafe-Administrator-Checklist-2026-AA-1.pdf\">trained and equipped <\/a>to intervene if there is a cardiac emergency and that the schools conduct at least one cardiac emergency response drill every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advocates for heart health say more money is needed to support training and the purchasing of equipment, especially in under-resourced school districts and rural communities where <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/rescue-services-challenge-michigans-rural-communities\/\">ambulances take longer to respond<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s still a long ways to go,\u201d said Gwen Fosse, program coordinator for <a href=\"https:\/\/projectadam.com\/Adam\">Project ADAM<\/a> in Michigan. The initiative, housed at the University of Michigan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uofmhealth.org\/our-care\/specialties-services\/congenital-heart-center\">C.S. Mott Children\u2019s Hospital Congenital Heart Center<\/a>, works with schools to prepare staff and students for sudden cardiac emergencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut that said, we know a lot of schools are doing the right thing even without the funding, or they&#8217;re finding alternate ways of funding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While occurrences are rare, <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamanetworkopen\/fullarticle\/2805000\">recent studies<\/a> estimate there are 15,000 to 23,000 pediatric cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the US every year, about 15 per 1,000 pediatric emergency medical service responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan reported 8,632 non-traumatic, out-of-hospital cardiac arrests for both children and adults in 2024, according to a report by the <a href=\"https:\/\/mycares.net\">Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival<\/a> (CARES).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each second CPR and AEDs are delayed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sca-aware.org\/about-sudden-cardiac-arrest\/latest-statistics\">can be fatal<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan\u2019s survival rate for cardiac arrest that year was 9% when emergency medical services responded, but those odds of survival tripled when the patient had a shockable heart rhythm and people who could help the patient observed that they were in distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CARES reports CPR was first performed by a bystander in 40% of the state\u2019s cardiac arrest cases when EMS responded. In 12.8% of cases, people used AEDs in public places like schools, convention centers and airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe importance of having trained personnel in schools as well as AEDs in schools is critical in achieving much higher survival rates,\u201d said Dr. Premchand Anne, the director of pediatric cardiology at Henry Ford St. John Children&#8217;s Hospital in Detroit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018Competing priorities\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During the NFL Draft in Detroit in 2024, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill package to ensure schools develop cardiac emergency response plans with training and access to AEDs, touting the legislation as \u201ccommonsense.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was joined by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scrippsnews.com\/health\/from-the-field-to-advocacy-nfl-nwsl-stars-join-campaign-pushing-others-to-make-cpr-their-superpower\">advocated for student athlete health<\/a> since the NFL player <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buffalobills.com\/video\/damar-hamlin-speaks-for-the-first-time-since-cardiac-event-not-the-end-of-my-sto\">collapsed mid-game<\/a> from cardiac arrest after making a tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-attachment-id=\"72761\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/attachment\/whitmeraed_courtesy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?fit=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1333\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R3&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1714216712&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WhitmerAED_Courtesy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs legislation in Detroit alongside state lawmakers and NFL player Damar Hamlin (second left) on April 27, 2024. (Courtesy of Executive Office of the Governor)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Gretchen Whitmer signs a bill while surrounded by a group of people and AEDs\" class=\"wp-image-72761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy.jpeg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhitmerAED_Courtesy-1024x682.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs legislation in Detroit alongside state lawmakers and NFL player Damar Hamlin (second left) on April 27, 2024. (Courtesy of Executive Office of the Governor)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The plan was set to take effect in the 2025-26 school year. But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilx.com\/2025\/09\/04\/schools-honor-system-new-michigan-law-requires-cardiac-emergency-plans\/\">some districts<\/a> have seen adoption lag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Representatives for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/why-give?s_src=26D511AEMG&amp;s_subsrc=fy26_sem_google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=pmax_master&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=&amp;nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ax%3A22329710638%3A%3A&amp;nb_adtype=&amp;nb_kwd=&amp;nb_ti=&amp;nb_mi=&amp;nb_pc=&amp;nb_pi=&amp;nb_ppi=&amp;nb_placement=&amp;nb_li_ms=&amp;nb_lp_ms=&amp;nb_fii=&amp;nb_ap=&amp;nb_mt=&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22319567022&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADfYbP6abw2R2IE_ijFLtlTls-mJv&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAtLvMBhB_EiwA1u6_PrkOgYSt-EjK8yx8oDUX1mvGl0zbxPAA2kU8AvBMYuR4TfB7UlJx8BoChZ4QAvD_BwE\">American Heart Association<\/a> say the emergency response requirements are tied to state funding, and dollars were not secured during <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-gets-a-new-state-budget-winners-losers-in-the-81b-deal\/\">last year\u2019s budget process<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey stripped out a ton of the things that schools could use,\u201d said Amanda Klein, government relations director for the American Heart Association in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A House Fiscal Agency analysis of the enacted bill concluded \u201cin the event of insufficient appropriations, no requirements for cardiac emergency plans would apply.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mhsaa.com\/sites\/default\/files\/Coaches\/coachguide.pdf\">Michigan High School Athletic Association<\/a> notes that head coaches of high school teams are mandated to have CPR and AED certification as part of the legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Money for AED devices \u2014 which can cost between $1,400 to $3,500 \u2014 staff training, plan implementation with local emergency response agencies and school drills was left out due to &#8220;competing priorities,\u201d Klein said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Klein is &#8220;disappointed&#8221; that <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/gretchen-whitmer-pitches-88b-budget-what-it-means-for-michiganders-schools\/\">Whitmer\u2019s historic $88 billion budget plan<\/a> does not specify funds for cardiac emergency response plans, but said she\u2019s continuing to lobby state lawmakers that the funding is worth it. She said the AHA has determined a one-time, $6 million allocation would allow schools to purchase AEDs and implement training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe next phase really is about moving from the policy just to the real-world preparedness,\u201d Klein said. \u201cThe way to do that is with proper and adequate funding to set our schools up for success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Heart-healthy schools<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reports 965 public and nonpublic schools in the state currently hold active MI HEARTSafe School Award status.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9649a0d9 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"eb7571ca-003f-4163-85fe-86a27df22984\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"MI HEARTSafe Schools\"><\/div><script>!function(e,n,i,s){var d=\"InfogramEmbeds\";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,\"script\",\"infogram-async\",\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/js\/dist\/embed-loader-min.js\");<\/script>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/migrc.org\/patients-families\/mi-heartsafe-schools\/mi-heartsafe-schools-in-the-spotlight-2\/\">designation<\/a> recognizes many of the requirements outlined in the 2024 state law by requiring facilities maintain a written cardiac emergency response plan and a team ready to carry out its directives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MDHHS said 202 schools received the designation for the first time in the 2024-2025 school year. Applications for the current school year are due in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Project ADAM stewards the program and notes a steady increase in applications. Fosse said 20% of the US population is at school on any given day. Encouraging screening forms for student athletes before they play in sports, training staff on emergency response and making AEDs clearly available within three minutes of any location at school can make \u201cthe whole community safer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were seven cardiac emergency incidents on Michigan school grounds reported to Project ADAM last year, with intervention helping to save lives in six cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While only about one in five schools have received a MI HEARTSafe School designation, Fosse said most schools in the state have at least one AED on campus, though it may not be close enough to save someone having a cardiac arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Requirements for cardiac emergency drills can be more relevant today, she said, than some other common school safety drills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe last time somebody died in a school in a fire in Michigan was 1927,\u201d Fosse told Bridge. \u201cThe last time somebody died of a cardiac arrest at a school was a couple months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Knowledge gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Only about half of parents report being aware that their teen\u2019s school has an AED on site, according to new findings from the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children\u2019s Hospital National Poll on Children\u2019s Health&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe whole ball game in a sudden cardiac arrest is you need to act promptly,\u201d said Sarah Clark, co-director of the Mott Poll. \u201cWhen we have that much lack of awareness, people aren&#8217;t going to be in a position to act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"839\" data-attachment-id=\"72763\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/attachment\/cardiacemergencies_mottpoll\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?fit=1000%2C839&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,839\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;(Courtesy of University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children\u2019s Hospital National Poll on Children\u2019s Health)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?fit=300%2C252&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?fit=1000%2C839&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?resize=1000%2C839&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Graphic featuring poll results on using CPR and AEDs in an emergency.\" class=\"wp-image-72763\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?resize=300%2C252&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?resize=768%2C644&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?resize=780%2C654&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?resize=400%2C336&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CardiacEmergencies_MottPoll.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Courtesy of University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children\u2019s Hospital National Poll on Children\u2019s Health)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Mott Poll found that while nearly half of parents have heard of students experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, only 1 in 7 say their own child had ever had a heart evaluation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is strong support for CPR\/AED education among parents across the country, according to the Mott Poll, while about 1 in 5 parents say their teen has CPR training, and just 1 in 15 say their teen has been trained to use an AED.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Michigan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/documents\/2015-2016\/publicact\/pdf\/2016-PA-0388.pdf\">schools are required<\/a> to teach middle and high schools students CPR and AED use through their health curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A shared responsibility&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The American Heart Association estimates about 1,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting every day in the US. The state saw 97.5 out-of-hospital incidences per 100,000 people in 2024, according to the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About 20% of sudden cardiac arrest deaths in youth occurred during \u201cperiods of exertion\u201d like sports, according to Dr. Swati Sehgal, medical director of pediatric heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and heart transplant for the Children\u2019s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two underlying heart conditions are cited as the most frequent culprit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost common are arrhythmia issues \u2013 a problem with the electrical impulses in the heart \u2013 or cardiomyopathy, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in which there is increase in the heart wall muscle thickness,\u201d Sehgal said in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctors say symptoms such as severe chest pain, abnormally fast heart beat, unexplained fainting or passing out during physical exercise should be evaluated by a health care professional. Recreational use of stimulants and performance-enhancing drugs, and high doses of caffeine can also exacerbate heart issues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA thorough history including family history and physical exam can raise suspicion for these conditions; however, an (electrocardiogram) and in some cases an echocardiogram will be required to make appropriate diagnosis,\u201d Sehgal said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Universal EKG screening is not recommended by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acc.org\/Latest-in-Cardiology\/Journal-Scans\/2026\/02\/13\/12\/47\/ACC-Statement-Opposes-Legislative-Mandates-For-Universal-ECG-Screening-in-Competitive-Athletes\">American College of Cardiology<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org\/uspstf\/recommendation\/cardiovascular-disease-risk-screening-with-electrocardiography\">U.S. Preventative Services Task Force<\/a>, with physician groups citing the rarity of sudden arrest in children, high cost-burden and other systemic constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, some countries with universal health care systems like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escardio.org\/communities\/associations\/eapc\/Advocacy\/prevention-in-your-country\/italy\/\">Italy<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/cardiovascular-medicine\/articles\/10.3389\/fcvm.2025.1471989\/full\">Japan<\/a> regularly test the hearts of their youth, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/high-school\/florida\/florida-s-new-ekg-requirement-for-high-school-athletes-aims-to-prevent-sudden-cardiac-death-01khear73xn8#:~:text=Beginning%20with%20the%202026%E2%80%9327,Gary%20Adornato%20%7C%209%20Hours%20Ago\">some states<\/a> are requiring student athletes to get an EKG screening before play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless of preventive screening measures, physicians like Dr. Mohammad-Ali Jazayeri, a medical director at the Cardiac Device Clinic at Trinity Health in Ann Arbor, say having the right tools and training for a cardiac emergency is vital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Society can do a \u201cbetter job\u201d of educating people to act, he said, when the alternative is \u201ccertain death.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>\u201cThere&#8217;s an individual responsibility, but then there&#8217;s also the group,\u201d said Jazayeri. \u201cEach minute that somebody goes on with cardiac arrest without life-saving treatment, their likelihood of death goes up by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/take-a-class\/resources\/articles\/cpr-facts-and-statistics?srsltid=AfmBOope_sDilKal5qOzufrFBtzPiObXzArXPdcuJbqlmqWSd2us6nBP\">about 7 to 10%<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent Michigan law requires schools to better prepare for cardiac emergencies. But without money from the state, some schools lack resources to put  those measures in place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1814,"featured_media":72755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-02-16T21:23:59Z","apple_news_api_id":"4f01bd84-4522-4721-aeb3-f285be56bd1b","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-02-20T22:54:17Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/ATwG9hEUiRyGus_KFvla9Gw","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2446],"tags":[1510],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[4259],"class_list":["post-72754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-health-watch","tag-michigan-k-12-schools","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, fails to provide funds - Bridge Michigan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, fails to provide funds - Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A recent Michigan law requires schools to better prepare for cardiac emergencies. But without money from the state, some schools lack resources to put those measures in place.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BridgeMichigan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-16T21:23:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-20T22:54:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP262391987828-scaled-e1771277373622.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Eli Newman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Eli Newman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Eli Newman\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/person\/415f6e88f4a8be67354673c9765e054d\"},\"headline\":\"Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, fails to provide funds\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-16T21:23:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T22:54:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\"},\"wordCount\":1980,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP262391987828-scaled-e1771277373622.jpg?fit=2500%2C1667&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Michigan K-12 schools\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Michigan Health Watch\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\",\"name\":\"Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, fails to provide funds - Bridge Michigan\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP262391987828-scaled-e1771277373622.jpg?fit=2500%2C1667&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-16T21:23:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T22:54:10+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-wants-schools-ready-for-cardiac-emergencies-fails-to-provide-funds\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP262391987828-scaled-e1771277373622.jpg?fit=2500%2C1667&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP262391987828-scaled-e1771277373622.jpg?fit=2500%2C1667&ssl=1\",\"width\":2500,\"height\":1667,\"caption\":\"File image of An emergency defibrillator, used to treat life threatening conditions that affect the rhythm of the heart such as cardiac arrhythmia. 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