Posted on August 10, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Representatives from Starke County Emergency Medical Services will be part of a Mobile Response Team in an effort to tackle the opioid crisis.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary mentioned to the Starke County Commissioners this week that the county continues to lead the state in overdose cases. He attends Overdose Fatality Review Team meetings and plans to assist with the Mobile Response Team. Team officials are looking for a recovery specialist, an EMT/Paramedic and a police officer.
“I truly think this is the piece we’ve always been missing,” said Clary. “We’ll respond to these overdoses, revive somebody and they basically sign a refusal, and then we end up going back repeatedly. There’s no in-between.”
He said the functions of this team will help narrow the gap.
“This is going to be a team that goes out, the EMT/paramedic will be there to assess the patient to perform vital signs and make sure they’re stable enough to be left alone. A police officer is there for security, and the patient talks to the recovery specialist.”
A grant will assist with the program to fulfill compensation requirements.
The commissioners agreed to allow employees to be on the Mobile Response Team, as long as insurance questions can be answered. The initiative is expected to begin at the end of September.
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