County Communications reports falling vacancy, improved 911 answer times and a nurse navigator pilot
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Summary
County Communications told the committee its dispatcher vacancy rate fell to 9.88% and mandatory overtime dropped 67% over two years; staff also described a nurse navigator pilot that can transfer selected 911 calls to a non‑ambulance care pathway and highlighted text‑to‑911 and staff wellness initiatives.
Santa Clara County’s Department of County Communications reported staffing and operational improvements to the Finance and Government Operations Committee on Dec. 16, including a decline in the department’s vacancy rate and improved 911 performance metrics.
Director Trisha Adcock said the department’s five‑year average vacancy rate was 18% and that it had fallen to 9.88% during the reporting period. Deputy Director Nick Boehm said trainee attrition analysis found 43% of dispatch trainees who resigned cited personal reasons. The department said it implemented an orientation and a sit‑along program for recruits and reported a 67% reduction in mandatory overtime over two years and a 9% decrease in attrition.
Adcock described recruitment outreach (13 events in 2025) and plans for three academies in 2026; a social media reel about competitive wages generated more than 45,000 views and 56 additional applications, staff said. The department reported it consistently met or exceeded state 911 answer time standards and achieved a 0.6‑second improvement in answer times in the reporting period.
On triage innovations, staff described a Nurse Navigator pilot operated by AMR that accepts transfers for certain low‑acuity 911 calls and can arrange non‑ambulance transports (for example, rides to urgent care) or appointments. Staff said utilization has been lower than projected and that reports have been provided quarterly to the Health and Hospital Commission. The pilot currently covers areas served by County Communications’ emergency medical dispatch triage (primarily county fire territory), and staff said they hope to expand participation by other dispatch centers in the county.
Committee members asked about staff wellness and supports; staff highlighted a peer‑support team of certified dispatchers, the Cortico wellness app and periodic outreach events. Members also noted that text‑to‑911 capability exists and asked staff to share outreach materials for constituent education; Adcock said materials from the initial text‑to‑911 launch can be distributed and that multi‑language 'next generation 911' capabilities are part of a statewide implementation timeline that is not yet firm.
The committee received the communications report by vote.
