Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, that the city has received a grant to support and expand its Community Paramedicine program, with a focus on supporting people experiencing homelessness.
The $462,523 Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Grant comes through the Rural Health Transformation Crisis to Care Program.
The program was established in 2018 to support individuals struggling with substance use, behavioral health challenges or chronic system involvement. It also helps to reduce the need for emergency calls and visits.
“I am so excited about our ability to grow our Community Paramedicine program,” Gorton said in a news release. “Great work has already been done by this program, and expanding its services and staff will only help better serve people in our high-risk and high-need populations, with an added focus on those who are experiencing homelessness.”
The grant enables the Community Paramedicine program to add two additional civilian positions and a firefighter. It also supports additional training, equipment, technology, clinical supplies, transportation assistance, and other infrastructure needs, according to the release.
Further, it adds that 911 calls have decreased over 60%, and emergency department visits have decreased nearly 58% for patients in the paramedicine program.
“This grant is about more than reducing emergency calls; it’s about meeting people where they are, improving health outcomes, and building a healthier, safer and more resilient community,” Lexington Fire Chief Jason Wells said in the release.
Lexington’s paramedicine program is staffed by firefighter/paramedics, police officers, licensed clinical social workers, peer support specialists, harm reduction experts and others trained in crisis intervention and trauma-informed care.
