INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) – Something as seemingly simple as a white van is making a big impact in the city of Independence.
The van is part of a program called the Independence Community Health Alternative Resource Program (ARCH). The white van has been serving the community since March 2023 and has saved the community $379,000 in emergency medical response costs.
A program in Independence, Missouri pairs paramedics with social workers to respond to mental health calls. The ARCH program saves the city thousands of dollars a year. (KCTV)
That’s not the only measurable activity for the program, which pairs an Independence Fire Community Paramedic with two licensed social workers.
The teams have responded to 1,200 non-emergency calls from people struggling with substance abuse and mental illness, allowing police and fire departments to focus on their areas of expertise, according to the program.
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KCTV5 got a look at the ARCH program in action Thursday afternoon.
A woman called 911 reporting a break-in at her home, and Independence Police determined the call likely involved someone with a mental illness and requested ARCH respond to the incident.
A program in Independence, Missouri pairs paramedics with social workers to respond to mental health calls. The ARCH program saves the city thousands of dollars a year. (KCTV)
ARCH contacted the woman’s family, who took her to hospital, but ARCH Community Paramedic Matt Heffernan first offered the woman a free ride to the hospital.
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“One of the benefits of this program is that we can take the time during the call to truly empathize with the patient, listen to their issues and identify the best solutions,” Heffernan said.
In 2023, ARCH provided 176 transports. So far in 2024, the program says it has provided 140. Half of those transports were not to a hospital; instead, ARCH can take the person to another agency that can better help them, if necessary.
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