The partners for the Community Paramedic Program include:

Establishing a Community Paramedic Program was identified as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in behavioral health outcomes in Yancey County. This is a new program in our community. 

The Community Paramedic Program will provide the following services:

• Fall Risk Assessment
• Home Safety Assessment
• CO/Smoke Detector Inspection
• Hypertension Follow Up
• 72hr Opioid Misuse Follow up
• Physical Assessment
• Vital Signs Assessment
• Blood Glucose Assessment
• Medication Compliance
• 12 Lead/ 15 Lead ECG
• Influenza Vaccination
• Education/ Review of Care Plan
• COVID-19 Vaccination
• COVID-19 Testing
• Blood Draw
• Urinalysis

The customers served by the Community Paramedic Program are Yancey County residents referred by health and human services agencies. The Community Paramedic aims to make a difference at the individual, interpersonal, and community change levels. The Community Paramedic will be based in the Yancey County Health Department and will conduct home visits with clients.

Yancey County Government/Yancey County Health Department hired a Community Paramedic. The Community Paramedic will begin supporting clients in January of 2023.

The community paramedic program skyrocketed from a total of 271 patients seen in 2022 to a total of 774 patients seen in 2023. This program significantly reduced the amount of high hospital utilizers in 2023 and relieved local EMS volumes by triaging non-emergent patients in the field. The communtiy paramedic program is notably bridging gaps to healthcare services.