Why MIH-CP Is Becoming Canada’s Next Essential Service

Table of Contents

• Trivia!

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

• Mobile Integrated Healthcare, Advocacy and Mental …

  • 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

New Program

Ashley Emery has begun serving as the new full‑time community paramedic (CP) for Winlaw and New Denver—though he prefers the title “Slocan Valley community paramedic.” His reach extends throughout the Slocan Valley up to Summit Lake, having started this role in late October 2024. CPs like Emery are licensed paramedics who focus on non‑urgent, community‑based care, including primary and palliative services, health promotion, and outreach, all provided at no cost. Their aim is to help prevent unnecessary hospital visits by keeping people comfortable and cared for in their homes.

Emery offers services such as wellness checks, fall‑risk assessments, and monitoring of vital signs via Telus home health technology—which he shares with clients' doctors to facilitate early intervention. He also actively engages the community through blood pressure clinics, emergency‑preparedness events, seniors’ gatherings, and soon, naloxone training for local RCMP.

Notably, his full‑time role replaces two former part‑time positions, one each in Winlaw and New Denver—a shift that substantially enhances support and continuity for the valley's communities.

Funding

Ontario has officially made Grey County’s Community Paramedicine for Long‑Term Care (CPLTC) program permanent and added $500,000 in provincial funding to bolster its operations. The announcement is part of a broader, $89 million investment aimed at expanding community paramedicine across the province. This program enables specially trained paramedics to deliver in‑home care—such as managing chronic conditions and reducing unnecessary hospital visits—especially for seniors and those without a primary care provider.

Local leaders highlight that the program keeps more seniors comfortably within their homes, supports caregivers, and alleviates pressure on busy emergency departments. Notably, this funding ensures that the program is fully covered by the province with no impact on the county tax levy. Grey County has been a pioneer in community paramedicine in Ontario, participating in early pilot projects since 2014 and now offering a wide range of services beyond CPLTC, including chronic disease management, mental health and palliative care, and community outreach.

Mobile Clinic

Inspired by her partner’s grandmother’s struggle to get basic testing at home, nurse Erica Montoya founded the Sunflower Mobile and Medical Clinic in Santa Fe. The clinic combines a mobile unit with a physical location, offering both in-home and in-clinic care to seniors and other residents who face barriers to accessing traditional health services.

Staffed by nurses, a nurse practitioner, a medical assistant, a respiratory therapist, and a doctor, the team provides a wide scope of services—from testing and primary care to respiratory support. The model is designed to deliver “everything and the kitchen sink,” prioritizing convenience and patient dignity. Sunflower has already earned recognition, being named Business of the Year at the Santa Fe Chamber awards, highlighting its growing role in community healthcare.