Project ADAM Minnesota partners with Minnesota Dept. of Education to help schools prepare and respond to cardiac emergencies

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (March 20, 2026) – Project ADAM Minnesota, a program provided by Children’s Minnesota and The Children’s Heart Clinic, is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to help schools recognize and respond to sudden cardiac arrest. The partnership will assist schools in meeting a state statute requiring all Minnesota districts and charter schools to establish written and practiced cardiac emergency response plan beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

“When a student or adult suffers sudden cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediate life saving measures by those around them,” said Andrew Schneider, MD, pediatric cardiologist at The Children’s Heart Clinic and director of Project ADAM Minnesota. “Project ADAM Minnesota is committed to helping schools be prepared to recognize and respond to a cardiac emergency. We are grateful to collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Education on this important initiative.”

To support schools in implementing cardiac preparedness plans, Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature created Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) grants. The grants, totaling $836,000, were awarded by MDE to 31 districts, schools and educational cooperatives across the state.

MDE and Project ADAM Minnesota will offer grantees training sessions on developing, implementing and evaluating a cardiac emergency response plan. In addition, Project ADAM Minnesota will provide “train-the-trainer” sessions on CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use that will prepare school staff to effectively teach others in their district.

“These investments strengthen the safety and well-being of our schools, especially in a cardiac medical emergency when every second counts,” said Minnesota Education Commissioner Willie Jett. “Through our partnership with Children’s Minnesota, we are providing schools with the knowledge to recognize signs of cardiac distress and building the capacity and confidence to respond effectively.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 350,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital annually. Only an estimated 10% survive. However, immediate CPR and AED use can increase a person’s chance of survival by as much as 70%.

“Together, we will equip all levels of school staff across the state – including teachers, administrators and support personnel – with lifesaving training and a practiced Cardiac Emergency Response Plan,” said Terasa Smith, RCIS, BHA, cardiovascular technologist at Children’s Minnesota and coordinator of Project ADAM Minnesota. “This partnership brings us another step closer to preventing sudden cardiac death in Minnesota schools and ensuring that every child has the safest possible environment to learn, grow and thrive.”

Project ADAM Minnesota is an affiliate of the national Project ADAM program. Its mission is to serve children and adolescents through education in the deployment of life-saving programs helping prevent sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death within Minnesota schools.