How the Top MIH-CP Programs are Expanding

See how communities are uniting intervention and reform to build smarter, more resilient systems of care.

October 29, 2025

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Targeted Rural Care: How Umatilla County’s Community Paramedicine Model Strengthens Local Health Networks

Umatilla County Fire District #1 and Good Shepherd Health Care System have built a mature community paramedicine partnership that extends longitudinal care into the homes of high-risk and recently discharged patients. By combining clinical follow-ups, medication reconciliation, and lab draws with social-determinant screening, the program functions as a connective layer between EMS, primary care, and hospital systems.

Rather than duplicating case management, paramedics act as field extenders for existing care teams, using real-time assessments to surface issues that could otherwise escalate to 911 or the ED. Outcomes to date include measurable reductions in repeat emergency utilization and stronger adherence to care plans. The article underscores that in frontier and rural counties, such integrated community health pathways can offset resource shortages while enhancing continuity and population-level resilience.

Bonus Brief: Rising Call Volumes Challenge Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services as Community Paramedicine Needs Grow

The Cornwall–SDG Paramedic Services reported a 4.68 % increase in emergency responses in 2023 compared to the previous year, with the greatest surge occurring within a 20-minute radius of the base. This uptick underscores heightened pressure on paramedics and supports the case for scaling community paramedicine initiatives to mitigate high-acuity emergency responses.

Sterling Heights Expands MIH Services and Refines Dispatch to Match Care with Need

Sterling Heights Fire Department has introduced a medical-priority dispatch system designed to better match response levels to patient acuity, optimizing how crews and resources are deployed. The model classifies 911 calls across five tiers, ensuring that the most critical incidents receive immediate attention while lower-acuity cases can be directed to alternative care pathways.

At the same time, the department is broadening its Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program to support residents beyond emergency response, connecting them with addiction recovery resources, veteran benefits, home-safety upgrades, and sensory-assistance kits. Early data from a new peak-time ambulance unit show it handled 8 % of calls within its first week, suggesting measurable operational relief. The dual focus, on smarter dispatch and proactive community care, reflects a maturing MIH system that aims to prevent avoidable transports and expand population-health impact.

Financing

Buncombe County’s Grant Fuels Expansion of Community Paramedic MIH Pilot

The Buncombe County Emergency Services accepted a $500,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare allocated over 12 months to bolster its community-paramedic and mobile-integrated health (MIH) pilot. The funding will support two full-time paramedic positions, one part-time role, and a dedicated vehicle, enabling paramedics to deliver follow-up care for chronic conditions, wound and infectious disease management, and home-based interventions designed to avoid emergency-department transports and inpatient admissions. The initiative marks a shift from the program’s earlier reactive overdose and behavioral-health model toward a proactive, longitudinal MIH service line focused on high-risk residents in their homes. Commissioners asked how sustainability will be addressed post-grant, and leadership indicated they will explore local ARPA and general-fund sources in the upcoming budget cycle.