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2026–2027 CARES ROADMAP AND PRIORITIES
CARES strengthens national measurement and supports coordinated, data-driven improvement across EMS, 
hospitals, and communities. This work is organized across four core areas.
CARES strengthens the national 
infrastructure that supports participation, 
engagement, and shared measurement 
across states and regions through 
coordinated engagement, training, and 
partnership activities.
This work includes:
•	 Regular state and regional calls to 
review participation, data quality, and 
improvement priorities
•	 Training and onboarding support for EMS 
agencies, hospitals, and state programs
•	 Coordination with national 
and regional partners to align 
CARES data with improvement 
initiatives
Strengthening the 
CARES Network
Making Data
More Actionable
CARES sustains a secure and 
reliable platform that supports 
national use and evolving data needs 
by prioritizing stability, security, and 
performance as the platform matures.
This work includes:
•	 Monitoring system performance and 
uptime to support reliable user access
•	 Maintaining appropriate user access 
controls and data security standards
•	 Supporting multiple user roles and 
workflows across EMS, hospitals, and state 
programs
Sustaining a Modern, 
Reliable Platform
CARES improves how users access, 
interpret, and act on their data 
by strengthening reporting, feedback, and 
analytic access that support routine quality 
improvement and program evaluation.
This work includes:
•	 Self-service reports, dashboards, and 
visualizations for participating agencies 
and states
•	 Census tract–level map dashboards 
including incidence, bystander CPR, public 
AED use, and suspected overdose cases 
•	 Data quality feedback to improve 
completeness and accuracy of 
submissions
•	 Streamlined access to commonly 
requested analyses for program 
management and evaluation
Making Quality Improvement 
Activities More Accessible
CARES supports communities in using 
measurement to guide improvement across 
the continuum of care through education, 
analytic support, and collaborative initiatives.
This work includes:
•	 Use of analytic and mapping approaches 
to help identify local improvement 
opportunities
•	 Collaboration with partners to support 
evidence-based improvement efforts
•	 Education and improvement programs 
focused on dispatch, EMS, and hospital 
care, in collaboration with our partners at 
the American Heart Association, 
American Red Cross, CPR 
LifeLinks, and Resuscitation 
Academy
Improving 
Cardiac 
Arrest Survival

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