Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun reports that Washington County has launched a referral-based community paramedic program for mental health crises.
A new rural crisis-response program
Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun reports that Southwest District Health launched a community paramedic program in Washington County this year. The program, described by Southwest District Health as the first of its kind, is intended to help people experiencing mental health issues, or people seeking help for others, connect with appropriate resources.
According to Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun, paramedic Ashley Lynn leads the rural program. In her first call in late May, Lynn helped a man contact 988 and remained with him until additional help arrived.
Ambulance resources are limited
Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun reports that Weiser Ambulance District has one ambulance staffed with a paramedic each day, plus a backup crew. Lynn said the district does not have extra resources for standard ambulance crews to stay with someone experiencing a crisis.
Wendy Young, a Southwest District Health project coordinator who manages federal grant funding for the program, told Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun that a small EMS team can face response-time pressures when crews are already handling other calls. The report says the program is intended in part to free ambulance and law-enforcement resources.
Referral-based support
According to Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun, the Washington County program is currently referral-based, and Lynn’s first referral came from a local group focused on domestic violence. Lynn can perform a basic medical screening, assess safety, contact the 988 crisis hotline and stay with a person until a mobile crisis team arrives, the report says.
Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun reports that the program uses an unmarked county vehicle rather than a full ambulance. Lynn said program paramedics can spend more time with someone than a typical emergency crew that may need to leave for another call.
Federal grant supports the effort
Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun reports that the program is funded through a five-year grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Young said the grant funds must be used to divert people from 911 or higher levels of care, including emergency rooms, when diversion is appropriate.
The report says the grant is in its second year, with the first year largely devoted to administrative work to establish the program. Other rural Idaho counties are already asking how they might create similar programs, according to Post Register / Idaho Capital Sun.
What this means for Idaho patients
This program may add another local route to crisis resources in Washington County. For people looking for treatment locally, the directory lists 37 published clinics in Idaho.
This is general information, not medical advice.
More Idaho reporting on rural access.
This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.