Project Grant H79TI084715

SOUTH PEND OREILLE RURAL EMS TRAINING GRANT - PEND OREILLE COUNTY SITS IN THE NORTHEASTERN CORNER OF WASHINGTON STATE, BORDERING IDAHO TO THE EAST AND CANADA TO THE NORTH. THOUGH THE COUNTY IS RICH WITH RUGGED WILDERNESS, PEND OREILLE (PRONOUNCED PONDERAY) IS THE STATE'S POOREST COUNTY ECONOMICALLY. OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL'S 2019 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING OUR COUNTY, AND THE REGION'S LEADING HEALTH PARTNERS HAVE PRIORITIZED IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON YOUTH DEPRESSION. AS THE EMS TRAINING HUB FOR THE COUNTY, SOUTH PEND OREILLE FIRE AND RESCUE (SPOFR) INTENDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN PEND OREILLE COUNTY BY IMPROVING THE ABILITY OF EMS PERSONNEL TO RESPOND TO AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISES. CURRENTLY, ONLY A HANDFUL OF EMTS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY, AND IN WINTER WEATHER RESPONSE CAN TAKE UP TO AN HOUR. COUNTY EMS PERSONNEL HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES AND OVERDOSES IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS. MANY COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE ISOLATED, ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND MANY RESPONSES INVOLVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SEVERE AUTISM. CALLS FOR RESPONSE TO DEMENTIA, FALLS, AND MEDICATION ISSUES FOR OLDER ADULTS ADD TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF CALLS RELATED TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND SUICIDE, INCREASING THE BURDEN ON LOCAL EMS AND HOSPITALS. SPOFR REGULARLY TRAINS EMS PERSONNEL FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY AT OUR SACHEEN LAKE STATION'S FACILITY, INCLUDING INITIAL TRAINING IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND NALOXONE USE; HOWEVER, GUARANTEED, RAPID AVAILABILITY OF EMS RESPONDERS IS STILL LIMITED, AND OUR HOSPITAL AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM IS BURDENED BY CALLS RELATED TO MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. WITH THE REQUESTED FUNDING, SPOFR WILL RECRUIT AND CERTIFY 20 EMS PERSONNEL FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY AND PROVIDE ONGOING EMS TRAINING FOR CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING TO AT LEAST 60 PERSONNEL BY AUGUST 2023. TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS OUR COMMUNITY'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, SPOFR WILL TRAIN AT LEAST 80 EMS PERSONNEL AND RESPONDERS FROM PARTNER AGENCIES WILL RECEIVE TRAINING IN ADDRESSING MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THROUGH FIVE SPECIALIZED COURSES WITHIN ONE YEAR OF FUNDING. IN ORDER TO MEET THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY'S EMS PERSONNEL, SPOFR ALSO REQUESTS FUNDS TO AUDIO AND VISUAL TECHNOLOGY UP TO DATE AND PURCHASE A SMART SIMULATOR MANNEQUIN, IN ADDITION TO OBTAINING AN ADDITIONAL 12 DOSES OF NALOXONE TO EQUIP RESPONSE VEHICLES.