Citrus County launches Community Paramedicine Program with funding from Nat'l Opioid Settlement
CCFR photo of command staff of Citrus County's Community Paramedicine Program.
On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR) announced that their agency, along with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCR), and the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) have implemented a Community Paramedicine Program in Citrus County, that will be funded by the National Opioid Settlement, so that states can “remediate and abate” the impacts of the opioid crisis.
Community paramedicine is a model of communit based health care, in which paramedics work outside their normal emergency response and transport roles, instead providing in-home visits, risk assessments, various types of interventions and monitoring, assisting with medication management, and connecting patients and their families with community based resources.
“This program is an excellent example of collaborative partnerships between community organizations,” said Citrus County Administrator Steve Howard. “Putting these best practices to use will enhance the quality of life for our residents.”
The program is designed to assist local populations struggling with substance use disorder. The plan is to help that segment of the community by involving evidence based addiction treatment, improving access to recovery support, and utilizing and distributing harm reduction resources.
Local community paramedics also support the emergency medical services (EMS) system during times of heavy call volume, and provide community education, such as first aid training, fall prevention, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training.
Patients with higher rates of EMS calls also use the emergency system for minor falls, mobility challenges, and mental health issues. Under the direction of Jason Morgan, Citrus County Fire Rescue’s Division Chief of EMS, and Todd Hockert, Florida Department of Health’s Human Services Program Specialist, the program will be designed to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. An alarming number of people in Citrus County are living with untreated conditions because they do not have access to resources to manage their chronic health needs. Even when services and support systems are available, they are unable to reach them, and calling 9-1-1 can become their only lifeline.
“We are always looking for opportunities to enhance our success with preventive safety and health measures for our community, and the Community Paramedic Program allows for that,” said Citrus County Fire Chief Craig Stevens, “Thanks to our community partners, Florida Department of Health and Department of Children and Families, for their support in this program.”
With this dedicated, full-time program, CCFR will be able to provide ongoing support for patients, in collaboration with other county resources, community partners, and health systems.