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This week's edition highlights how MIH-CP programs across North America are expanding their reach and proving their value. From Seattle's Health One unit adding weekend coverage to Walla Walla's CARES program scaling toward 24/7 service, communities are doubling down on community paramedicine as a smarter alternative to emergency response.
We also look at federal hospice legislation with direct implications for MIH-CP teams, and a striking demographic snapshot from Grey County, Ontario that makes the case for why this work has never been more urgent.
Table of Contents:
Seattle Fire's Health One Expands to Seven Days a Week, Delivering Results for Vulnerable Residents
Policy Brief
Region of the Week
Grey County's Aging Population Puts Pressure on Community Health and Paramedicine Programs
Read Time: 6 minutes
Vulnerable Residents
Seattle Fire Department's Health One unit has expanded to seven-day-a-week service, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., thanks to additional funding approved in the 2026 City budget. The teams, made up of specially trained firefighters, Human Service Department caseworkers, and a Harborview advanced registered nurse practitioner, respond to non-emergent 911 calls involving behavioral health, medical care, social services, and shelter needs. In 2025, clients enrolled in the program saw, on average, a 76% decrease in 911 utilization and a 69% reduction in emergency department visits. Looking ahead, Seattle Fire hopes to also expand hours for its Health 99 and Health 98 units, which follow up with overdose patients and connect them to treatment and other essential services.
Policy Brief:
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA) have reintroduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act, which would strengthen program integrity measures and modernize the hospice benefit by expanding Medicare payments to cover palliative treatments such as dialysis and radiation, and adding home respite care for caregivers.
For MIH-CP programs, this legislation is particularly relevant, as community paramedics frequently encounter patients in the late stages of illness who are not yet enrolled in hospice or are receiving fragmented end-of-life care. A more robust and accountable hospice benefit could serve as a key downstream resource for MIH-CP teams, helping connect patients to appropriate end-of-life care at home and reducing preventable 911 utilization.
Sponsored By: Julota
Julota's MIH-CP software empowers community paramedics to deliver smarter, more connected care by simplifying fragmented data and streamlining processes. With real-time patient insights, automated reporting, customizable workflows, secure HIPAA and CFR-42-compliant collaboration, and actionable analytics, Julota enables impactful care and improved outcomes. Designed to bridge healthcare and social determinants of health, it helps your program stay ahead of change.
Region of the Week: Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla's Community Assistance, Referral, and Education Services (CARES) program, a community paramedicine initiative focused on connecting residents with resources before situations escalate into emergencies, has grown from a single staff member and $110,000 in funding to a five-person team backed by nearly $1 million in grants. City leaders are now planning to integrate CARES team members into fire department shifts to achieve 24/7 coverage, a model closely aligned with MIH-CP's mission of embedding community paramedics within the healthcare system to reduce unnecessary 911 calls and emergency department utilization.’
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Grey County's 2026 Age-Friendly Community Action Plan progress update reveals that roughly 28% of residents are already over 65, well above the national average, with projections showing nearly one in three residents will be 65 or older by 2035, underscoring the growing demand for community-based supports like the County's Community Paramedicine program and Supportive Outreach Services, which now operates seven days a week and has delivered more than 12,000 services since 2021.