Supporting the Future of Community Paramedicine

Table of Contents

• Trivia

• Dorchester County Community Paramedic Program 3 Months Later

• What’s The Best Way to Start in MIH-CP?

• To Scale Community Paramedicine, Support From Lawmakers, Payors and Local Agencies Is Critical

• Pasco County Fire Rescue’s New Mobile Integrated Health Program Aims to Prevent Crises Before 911 Is Called

Trivia!

New Program

Dorchester County, South Carolina, has launched a Community Paramedic Program offering non-emergency, personalized medical care to residents—so people don’t have to call 911 for lower-acuity health issues. Paramedic Angelina Johnson, with 20 years of experience, is currently the only full-time provider, and she handles home assessments, mobility issues, medication concerns, mental health and substance abuse referrals.

Over the first month, she responded to about 100 requests, including a case where broken medical equipment was causing repeated emergency calls; after her intervention, the family no longer needed to call first responders. The program is free for all county residents, funded by local government and a grant connected to substance abuse prevention. Officials hope this model will reduce unnecessary 911 calls and ease strain on emergency rooms by offering tailored care closer to home.

(An upcoming MIH-CP live event workshop)

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Strategy

What’s The Best Way to Start in MIH-CP?

This is the beginning of a 6-part live event series with the founder of Integrated Care Solutions, Jo Phillips.

Jo worked as the manager of Chesapeake Fire Department’s mobile integrated healthcare program and in this first session she’ll discuss the importance of listening to your local community’s needs.

No matter stage your MIH-CP team is in, this is a can’t-miss opportunity for actionable strategies to align your program with your community’s evolving needs.

Future

To Scale Community Paramedicine, Support From Lawmakers, Payors and Local Agencies Is Critical

An EMSWorld feature outlines how community paramedicine can grow—but stresses that growth depends heavily on systemic support at both the local and federal level. Key levers include creating sustainable funding streams (not just grants), developing reimbursement mechanisms, and clarifying regulatory frameworks to allow EMS providers to expand beyond traditional emergency-response roles.

It emphasizes standardizing training and expanding education so community paramedics are ready for the breadth of care expected in home visits, preventive care, and care coordination. Partnerships with hospitals, primary care, public health, and other community organizations are essential to integrate services, avoid duplication, and ensure quality. Finally, measuring outcomes—patient satisfaction, cost savings, reduced emergency department usage—was framed as crucial to justify ongoing policy and financial support.

(Read how Pasco County Fire Rescue is redefining emergency care with a new Mobile Integrated Health program that delivers preventive, in-home support before crises turn into 911 calls.)

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New Program

Pasco County Fire Rescue (PCFR) has launched a new Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) initiative that moves beyond traditional emergency response to focus on preventive, personalized care. The program, part of their Community Risk Reduction unit, includes paramedics and health experts providing in-home care, health education, and help navigating local health and social resources.

One key goal is to reduce repeat hospital admissions and cut down on emergency calls by proactively identifying and managing chronic conditions or post-hospital recovery needs. Fire Chief Ryan Guynn described the effort as “prevention and personalized support,” emphasizing improving health outcomes and quality of life rather than just reactive emergency care. The initiative reflects a broader shift in healthcare toward holistic, community-based interventions that address both physical and emotional wellbeing.