Lead Agency: Stanly County EMS
Program Name: Community Paramedic Division
Location: Albemarle (Stanly County), North Carolina
Partner Agencies: Police, Sheriff, Fire/EMS, Local Public Health Agency, Local Behavioral Health Agency, Peer Organization, Family and Advocacy Organization, Faith-Based Organization
Site population: 63,000
Pathway: Self-Referral, Active Outreach, Naloxone Plus, First Responder and Officer Referral, Officer Intervention, Community Response
Year Started: 2019
Website: https://www.stanlycountync.gov/emergency-medical-services/
Summary:
Prior to the start of the EMS paramedic program in 2019, Stanly County, North Carolina, reported the highest rates of overdose in the state, exacerbated by the county’s low average income, limited access to treatment resources, and high rate of opioids being prescribed. The Stanly County EMS Community Paramedic Program was developed in response to this crisis. The county's community paramedics are part of a larger harm-reduction coalition, which makes it easier to collaborate and connect patients to the resources they need. These professionals respond to overdose calls received by emergency medical dispatchers and work with certified peer support specialists to provide support, treatment referrals, and harm-reduction services such as naloxone distribution and field buprenorphine administration to give individuals the necessary tools to combat their substance use disorders.
