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When funding freezes, programs can:
Document outcomes in dollar terms: Simcoe County calculated that its waitlisted patients alone generated $2.5M in hospital costs in six months, making the ROI case impossible to ignore
Advocate for permanent base funding: instead of year-to-year allocations that can't absorb inflation or growth
Diversify funding sources: New Braunfels funds its telehealth expansion through a foundation backed by faith-based groups and insurance companies
Leverage partnerships: Extend capacity without adding headcount
This week's briefs show what that looks like on the ground — from a Texas MIH program cutting response times by two-thirds, to a Canadian county fighting to keep 1,000 patients out of the ER.
Table of Contents:
Region of the Week: New Braunfels, Texas
New Jersey First: Virtua Health Deploys Paramedics for At-Home Non-Emergency Care to Cut Hospital Visits
Harnett County Community Paramedics Earn Top Crisis Intervention Honor
Read Time: 3 minutes
Telehealth
Region of the Week: New Braunfels, Texas
The New Braunfels Fire and EMS department launched its Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program in January 2024 to reduce calls from "super-utilizers" — people who dial 911 more than 10 times a year — by helping them better navigate the healthcare system. The program is led by MIH Specialist Ashley Cammack, who works one-on-one with patients to connect them with primary care providers, set up appointments, and build the skills and support systems they need to handle their health independently.
The initiative has shown strong results, with up to a 70% reduction in calls among super-utilizers, and has helped the department avoid the roughly $1 million annual cost of adding another ambulance to service. The department is now expanding its efforts with RightSite, an on-demand telehealth tool that lets paramedics connect patients directly with a certified ER doctor in the field, enabling alternatives to hospital transport — such as having prescriptions delivered via DoorDash or arranging an Uber to urgent care. The inaugural RightSite case in April cut response time from an hour down to 18 minutes, and the service is provided free to patients through a foundation funded by faith-based groups and insurance companies.
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.
Funding Cuts
Simcoe County's community paramedicine home-visit program, which has grown from about 100 patients to over 1,000 since its 2020 launch, is under financial strain after four consecutive years at the same $2.33 million provincial funding level, with no inflationary adjustments. The freeze has forced the program to leave two paramedic positions vacant and halt new patient intake, leaving 355 people on a wait list — many of whom are medically fragile, with the group collectively accounting for an estimated 316 emergency calls and 243 hospital admissions in just six months.
County officials estimate that the wait-listed patients' hospital costs alone exceed $2.5 million over that same period, far outpacing the roughly $300,000 program shortfall projected for 2026-27. Simcoe County is now urging the province to not only address the funding gap but to shift the program from year-to-year one-time allocations to permanent base funding, with local mayors calling the case for continued investment self-evident given the savings it generates.
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Award
The Harnett County Community Paramedics were awarded the 2025 Heart of CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Award on April 17, 2026 — the highest honor given to a CIT-certified first responder or partner for exemplifying the program's mission of meeting individuals' behavioral health, mental health, and social needs while reducing reliance on jails and emergency departments. The program, which launched in 2020 to reduce hospital readmissions by helping patients remain stable at home, has since expanded significantly to include overdose response through the Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT).
Beyond overdose prevention, the team continues to broaden its reach by connecting vulnerable community members with essential resources, wound care, and supplies — meeting patients where they are and addressing both their medical and social needs. "We are here to listen, guide and give our community members the help that they deserve," said Community Paramedic Leslie Owens, reflecting the team's commitment to ongoing impact.