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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, March 26, 2018 <br /> Page 7 <br /> • Pillar#3: EMS Prevention and Community Health Outreach Programs <br /> Assistant Fire Chief Brosnahan explained the big piece of this pillar is the <br /> proactive nature of community health. One goal is to decrease existing <br /> 911 calls. The police and FD will sometimes be called to one address 4 or <br /> 5 times in the course of a month. Proactively, a preventative approach <br /> might prevent several calls down the line. There are several facets: a med- <br /> ical assessment, reviewing medications, home safety check, injuries, and <br /> nutritional services to address any needs a person may have. Another <br /> piece is developing a partnership with hospitals or a skilled-nursing facili- <br /> ty. Discharged patients often come home with a pile of paperwork and a <br /> huge stack of pills. In this model, a community paramedic could explain <br /> the pills and how to take them, and also conduct a nutritional evaluation. <br /> That partnership could be established with a hospital or skilled-nursing fa- <br /> cility. Another goal is to set up a clinic partnership where there is free <br /> care on the first floor of the fire station. This community risk reduction <br /> piece is not as immediately impactful but will have a long-term impact. <br /> Another facet is the educational component, for example, a falls and fire- <br /> prevention program. <br /> Fire Chef O'Neill added that this is a new concept, and these programs <br /> would take several years to roll out. This pillar would be created in part- <br /> nership with clinics and hospitals. It is anticipated that this will bring rev- <br /> enue back to the City, above any costs, as a community EMT or medic is a <br /> State-sponsored program with a reimbursement program attached to it. <br /> Mayor Roe recalled the Community Health Advisory Team (CHAT) folks <br /> started off by evaluating by block nurse program and their recommenda- <br /> tion was not to pursue reinstating that. This pillar reminds him of that in <br /> some aspects, and he asked for a comparison between that program and <br /> this proposed program. <br /> Assistant Fire Chief Brosnahan responded there are many parallels be- <br /> tween the programs. He worked closely with Sarah Barsel, the lead advo- <br /> cate of the CHAT program. He explained there are similarities with the <br /> in-home care like nutritional and social services. The difference lies in the <br /> initiation. For this proposal, the program initiates through frequency of <br /> use of 911, and partnership with an existing clinic or hospital. There are <br /> differences in how to get to the front door, but very similar once inside the <br /> front door. <br /> Councilmember McGehee stated this is a service that could be quite costly <br /> and there will be a few people who will be 911 users many times over, <br /> even while a lot of effort is being put into keeping them off the 911 sys- <br />