NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Former paramedics will be working as mobile addiction response specialists in Camden as part of a new program.
Ambulance responses to calls of an overdose don’t always end with hospitalization or follow-ups, as people struggling with addiction sometimes refuse further treatment.
“These are actually really high-risk patients. In fact, 1 in 10 of these patients that suffer an overdose that require Narcan from EMS and don’t go to the emergency department will die within a year. It’s a pretty high mortality for this specific patient population,” said Dr. Paul Comber, the assistant EMS medical director at Cooper Health in Camden.
That’s where Mobile Integrated Health teams will come into play. Patients can be referred to telehealth or inpatient care and get prescriptions for addiction medication.
“A really cool part is that the people we have slated for this position have been doing EMS in the City of Camden for quite a while, so we’re already building upon those already positive relationships. They know the patients, they know the community, they know the needs.”
Comber said they will focus on high-need areas in the city and respond elsewhere when called, helping to connect people to addiction support services.
The program is supported by a $500,000 grant from the state.
