Finding of Responsibility and Suitability of Applicants for Accreditation

(A) Upon receipt and review of an application for accreditation, the Department shall make a finding concerning the responsibility and suitability of the applicant training institution. Findings may be based upon information concerning persons with a significant financial or management interest in the training institution. A determination of responsibility and suitability shall be based on factors including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The applicant’s history, if any, of prior compliance with 105 CMR 170.000, 105 CMR 171.000: Massachusetts First Responder Training, M.G.L. c. 111C, and 105 CMR 700.000: Implementation of M.G.L. c. 94C; (2) The familiarity and experience of the applicant in operating an EMS training program approved under 105 CMR 170.000, or in operating adult vocational training or higher educational programs; (3) The applicant’s ability to provide and sustain quality EMS training programs to serve the needs of students; (4) The ability of training institution administrators to operate the program in a manner sufficient to satisfy the requirements of 105 CMR 170.000 and/or 105 CMR 171.000: Massachusetts First Responder Training, as applicable; (5) Adequate financial resources of the applicant to provide training sufficient to meet the requirements of 105 CMR 170.000, as demonstrated by a current financial statement or current budget; (6) The adequacy of the training institution’s legal capacity to operate, as demonstrated by articles of incorporation and corporate bylaws; (7) The applicant’s history, if any, of any of the following: (a) Any willful or deliberate failure to provide training to a person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry or disability; (b) Any attempt to impede the work of a duly authorized representative of the Department or the lawful enforcement of any provisions of M.G.L. c. 111C or 105 CMR 170.000; (c) Conviction of a criminal offense, such as drug-related offenses, rape, assault or other violent crime against a person, or related to the provision of training subject to the Department’s approval; or (d) Any attempt to obtain accreditation or training program approval by fraud, misrepresentation, or the submission of false information. (B) If the Department is unable to make a finding of responsibility and suitability on the basis of any of the factors listed above, the applicant will have the burden of persuasion to prove the applicant’s responsibility and suitability.