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Tumwater reports 11 referrals to CARES program in partnership with Olympia Fire; half-time coordinator onboard
Summary
City Administrator Parks told the council that Tumwater’s CARES (Community Assistance Referral and Education Services) program, a partnership with the Olympia Fire Department, has placed 11 community referrals since launching and has a half-time coordinator, Ariana Gomez, onsite.
TUMWATER, Wash. — At the March 18 Tumwater City Council meeting, City Administrator Parks provided an update on the city’s CARES program, a joint initiative with the Olympia Fire Department aimed at diverting nonemergency 911 calls to community services.
Parks said the city’s half-time CARES coordinator, Ariana Gomez, is now working out of Tumwater headquarters with office space and will soon have a program vehicle. "This CARES program, as you recall, is a partnership with the city of Olympia Fire Department," Parks said. He added that all firefighters have received referral training and the program has handled 11 community referrals to date.
Scope and purpose: CARES stands for Community Assistance Referral and Education Services. Parks described the program as a resource for people who call 911 for nonemergency needs such as help obtaining medications or addressing home-safety concerns; the intent is to connect people to appropriate services rather than use emergency medical responses.
Operational notes: Administrator Parks said the city has a half-time employee assigned to CARES and that a vehicle for community outreach will be available soon. He said the program is set up to reduce unnecessary 911 responses by making referrals and coordinating support services.
Next steps: The city indicated it will continue integrating CARES referrals into fire department operations and monitor outcomes as referrals increase.
