San Jose Fire Department’s six-month pilot sends a two-person mobile unit to connect residents with complex medical and behavioral health needs to long-term care, aiming to reduce repeat cycling through 911

By Ryan Macasero
Bay Area News Group

SAN JOSE, Calif. — To meet the needs of patients who cannot get themselves to a traditional hospital, the San Jose Fire Department launched its community paramedicine pilot on Oct. 1.

The two-person mobile unit will operate Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., initially serving downtown San Jose and response areas around the central and eastern parts of the city. Paramedicine teams will focus on follow-up assessments and connecting patients to long-term social and medical services. Care will be initiated through referral processes, including from department staff following an emergency response. Emergencies will continue to be serviced through 911.

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The program launches as the city continues to address unsheltered homelessness, reporting a 30% drop in that population over the past 18 months. The new program differs from a standard 911 response because it is centered around follow-up care and coordination.

“It aims to help people access more appropriate care and develop a treatment plan that will better support a patient long-term,” the city said in a news release. “Depending on a patient’s needs, the team may work to connect them with medical care, behavioral health and substance use services, or other community resources.”

The pilot will run through March 31 next year. The fire department will conduct an interim review after 90 days and a final evaluation at the conclusion of the program before the city decides whether it will continue, expand or otherwise modify the service.

“Community Paramedicine is an innovative shift in how we support residents with complex needs involving medical and behavioral health,” City Manager Jennifer Maguire said.

Fire Chief Robert Sapien said the program will allow responders to “engage our community beyond the limited reach of the 911 system.”

“This pilot will allow us to invest extra time with residents to connect them with the services that best match their needs,” he said.

The fire department said the initiative was created to help residents “with complex needs who too often cycle between the street, 911, emergency rooms and back again.” The program was made possible through a budget of $880,000 approved by City Council earlier this year, which supports a fire captain serving as program manager, two field paramedics, and essential medical equipment and technology.

The department is currently waiting for state approval before it can expand its services to treat minor medical issues directly on the street or transport patients to specialized clinics instead of the emergency room.

Mayor Matt Mahan said the city hopes to relieve “overstretched emergency rooms and first responders” by allowing care where the patients are.

“I’m eager to see if the people who receive care in the field rely less on emergency services over time, and whether that translates into lower costs and more capacity for everyone who depends on those systems,” he said.

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