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Spokane Fire expands social-work CARES team and behavioral response to reduce 911 use
Summary
Spokane Fire Department said an expanded non-emergency social-work team and a co-responder behavioral unit have reduced repeat 911 calls and are starting people on buprenorphine in the field as part of a treatment-focused strategy.
Chief Oberg of the Spokane Fire Department said the department expanded its CARES nonemergent social-work team using opioid-settlement dollars and staffing changes, increasing licensed social workers from one to four to follow people for weeks or months after referral.
“Prior to a referral from CARES, we track 911 usage for that particular individual six months before and six months after the referral — and we see a 72 percent decrease in 911 usage,” Chief Oberg…
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