PULSE Magazine | November/December 2018 Issue

By Lia Bermudez, BA, EMT-B, Community Health Paramedic Program

Community Health Para

Field providers are always prepared to swoop in and save the day when there is an acute medical emergency or severe trauma that threatens life or limb. ATCEMS crews are the best of the best in making our patients’ worst days a little less scary, and a lot less devastating. At some point, though, every provider grows weary and frustrated when the patient’s needs go beyond the scope of emergency medicine. Many patients slip through the cracks of society, leading to a vast population of needy and underrepresent- ed citizens. The ATCEMS Community Health Paramedic Program seeks to connect people in need with resources that improve their health and increase their overall quality of life. The vision of the program is to make healthcare available and accessible to a vulnerable and underserved population. Through the utilization of local resources and partnerships with other organiza- tions, CHP envisions a city with increasing equality of healthcare and a decrease in disparity of healthcare options. Clients are often aware that resources exist, but do not know how to get from Point A to Point B. A large part of CHP is navigating these clients to the right place, walking with them through the application process, and anticipating what other services they may need. While the CHP program is constantly evolving, as is the role of the CHP medic, there are currently several programs and functions in place to serve the target population. Enter the CHP’s.

The Street Med Collaboration and HOST are two programs that work specifically with the homeless population. Street Med is a pilot program that brings medicine and services to where homeless clients live. An ATCEMS Sprinter is outfitted as a mobile clinic, with a Nurse Practi- tioner on board. Field crews have likely seen the Sprinter under various overpasses, with CHP medics engaged in care with homeless clients. A partnership with CommUnity Care allows a Nurse Practitioner to do full medical assessments, write prescriptions, and make referrals to specialty providers and imaging. The Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) engages the homeless population in downtown Austin through collaboration between ATCEMS, the Austin Police Department, the Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC), and Integral Care. The HOST team helps their clients obtain essential items such as valid identification, birth certificates, and access to many other services that can address their needs. They help people begin the process of getting off the street and into housing. Both Street Med and HOST offer clients assistance in filling out applications for MAP, many times beginning their medical coverage the same day. Referrals to mental health services and substance abuse treatment are also performed on a regular basis. Coordinated Assessments are administered to assess clients’ eligibility to receive housing. A key element to both programs, and central to CHP’s overall vision, is preventive and proactive measures that reduce unnecessary hospital transports. Both HOST and Street Med make a regular practice of using alternate transport to

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