What are Community Paramedics and what is their role?

Community Paramedics are paramedics with Primary Care certification. The Community Paramedic should be available to respond to a scene and arrange appointments and transportation to alternate destinations through established partnerships or direct field communication. Established alternative destinations should include walk-in clinics, mental health triage, social detox facilities, shelters and homeless services, and in-home assistance services, among others. These paramedics also schedule in-home evaluation of high-risk patients following hospital discharge. The paramedics can assess and report to the referring physicians using standard field tools including EKG, blood glucose, pulse oximetry, venous lactate, end-tidal carbon dioxide, along with the standard vital signs, optional blood draws, and other treatment if needed.

A Community Paramedic Program should seek to establish a sustainable model for improving the use of existing EMS providers through scope of practice flexibility and coordination with other health providers.

A Community Paramedic Program has the potential to:

1. Reduce health system expenditures;
2. Become self-sustaining; and
3. Enhance public health and safety by meaningfully supporting the health and social welfare needs of the community.

Community Paramedic Vehicles

Community Paramedic/Health vehicles are eligible under this program. A Community Paramedic/Health vehicle is a non-transport vehicle and is not intended to have a dual role (e.g., as utility or support vehicles). There is nothing inherent in the delivery of community paramedic services that requires any emergency response packages (e.g., lights, sirens) or operational equipment (e.g., rescue tools, structural/wildland firefighting equipment). Consequently, such activities are ineligible.