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Community Paramedic Program
Mission Statement
“Improving health by dismantling barriers, providing compassionate care, and integrating community-based support.”
Established in May of 2023 with Opioid Settlement Funds, Edgecombe County EMS partnered with the Edgecombe County Public Health Dept to design and operate a community paramedic program to address the substance-use crisis. Operational hours are Monday - Friday. Our community paramedic is "board certified" (CP-C) through the International Board of Specialty Certifications.
Community paramedicine is a model of community-based health care in which paramedics work outside their normal emergency response and transport roles. Community Paramedics care for patients at home or in other non-urgent settings outside of a hospital under the supervision of a physician or advanced practice provider. They also provide in-home visits, risk assessments, various types of interventions/monitoring, assist with medication management, and they connect patients/families with community based resources. Our aim is to enhance healthcare accessibility especially in underserved/remote/rural areas.
Community paramedics are unlike traditional paramedics and are not governed by a traditional scope of practice.
The primary focus with our CP program is helping those struggling with substance use disorders, particularly opioids. We believe that addiction is “a chronic brain disorder,” rather than a moral or character flaw. We offer many different types of strategies to meet the needs of the patients dealing with addiction where they are.
We distribute naloxone to patients, family members, etc both on the community paramedic vehicle as well as every EMS unit in the county. The naloxone kits are free of charge. We also stock a narcan dispensing machine at the Edgecombe County Detention Center for recently released inmates.
The community paramedic program also offers a number of other services as well.
- Buprenorphine induction for withdrawal and post Narcan reversal
- Withdrawal symptom management
- Community education and engagement sessions on substance use prevention
- Mobile syringe exchange
- Anonymous street drug testing/analysis
- Distribution of harm reduction supplies: (fentanyl, xylazine, benzodiazepine, and cocaine test strips)
- Alternative destination transport aboard the EMS QRV to prevent the lack of transportation being a barrier to care
- Free Hepatitis C, HIV, and Syphilis blood testing and linkage to treatment if positive
- Other referrals to care: Peer support, office based opioid treatment, and other long term recovery options.
Our equipment also includes IV pumps. These IV pumps allow us to facilitate a wider range of medical treatments in the comfort of patients' homes or in other community settings. Some of the services we can now offer include hydration therapy, antibiotic infusions, and more. Services depend on what provider/physician, clinic, etc is agreeable to prescribe for the patient.
This expansion of our services is a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality, convenient care to the residents of Edgecombe County. We are proud to be able to offer new treatment options that will improve the health and well-being of our community members.
If you or a loved one could benefit from IV infusion therapy, please contact us to learn more about our services and schedule an appointment with our community paramedic. We look forward to continuing to meet the evolving healthcare needs of Edgecombe County
Our Community Paramedic also supports the local EMS system at times of heavy call volume, during disasters, during mass casualty events, and to assist lower credentialed providers with high-acuity patient interaction.
Edgecombe County jail, overdose reversal drug available in a vending machine
WRAL Article Community Paramedic / Street Drugs