The Funding Rollercoaster in Mobile Healthcare

Table of Contents

• Trivia!

  • Crow Wing County Board Freezes Community Paramedic Pilot Over Cost Uncertainty

  • Lexington Unites Paramedics, Social Workers & Police Under One Roof with New Community Paramedicine Center

  • $89 Million in Permanent Funding Secures Lifeline for Lanark County’s Seniors Through Community Paramedicine

Funding Freeze

The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners has postponed a vote on launching a one-year community paramedic pilot program that would be funded by opioid settlement dollars, after concerns emerged about the high estimated cost—ranging between $161,000 and $175,000. The program, operated by North Memorial Health, aims to deploy a paramedic in the northern part of the county to support responses to mental health, substance misuse, and general health calls, and would work alongside embedded social workers already assisting law enforcement.

Currently, social workers deployed with the sheriff’s and Brainerd police departments handled 850 coordinated calls in 2024, with 216 freeing officers to focus on other duties—highlighting the potential impact of adding paramedic support. Commissioners decided to table the motion until a more precise cost figure is available, delaying another step in the county’s broader BLADE (Brainerd Lakes Area Drug Education Coalition) opioid response strategy. The program would build on existing models elsewhere in Minnesota where paramedic–social worker teams have reduced mental-health-related 911 calls and offered non-emergency medical assistance.

New Program

Lexington has officially opened a central hub for its Community Paramedicine Program, consolidating fire, police, EMS, clinical social work, and peer support staff in a remodeled annex building on Cisco Road. Led by Fire Lieutenant Alexander Jann, the 14-member team provides crisis-based emergency care—spanning overdose follow-ups, mental health response, and mobile integrated health services—under one roof.

In 2024, the program conducted over 700 overdose follow‑ups and more than 500 behavioral health interventions, reconnecting many clients with loved ones and offering timely support. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held August 5, symbolizes Lexington’s commitment to proactive, person-centered care and streamlined response to high-need situations. The new facility enhances operational efficiency and community impact by consolidating the team’s efforts, enabling faster and more coordinated access to resources and services

Funding

Ontario has committed $89 million in permanent annual funding to sustain and expand its Community Paramedicine for Long‑Term Care (CPLTC) program, ensuring continued at‑home healthcare support for seniors, including those on or nearing long‑term care waitlists. Since its inception in Lanark County, the program has enabled seniors to remain independent at home longer, while reducing both emergency department visits and hospital admissions.

Chief Travis Mellema of the Lanark County Paramedic Service emphasized how this stable funding enables compassionate, innovative care that strengthens the healthcare system by preventing crises. With roots in a pilot that began in March 2021, the program delivers proactive in‑home assessments, diagnostics, treatments, and follow‑ups—tailored to each patient’s needs. The funding also paves the way to broaden the program’s reach, enhancing collaboration with primary care networks and community supports to better serve its aging residents