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Warrick County Council approves funding for five-year community paramedic program with Ascension EMS
Summary
The council approved appropriations to fund a community paramedic position—half paid by a COVID-era workforce grant for school health and half from HFI carryover—for five years under a contract with Ascension EMS; Ascension is expected to assume funding after year five.
Warrick County health officer Dr. Kari and health administrator April Hicks asked the council to appropriate funds to create a community paramedic position with Warrick EMS under contract with Ascension EMS. The position would be funded for five years using a mix of HFI carryover and a COVID-era workforce-development grant that is restricted to school-health activities; health staff said HFI funds would be used to support non-school components such as elderly fall prevention and home-safety evaluations.
"We would fund the position ideally for 5 years and then after the fifth year, Ascension would carry on with the program and then fund the program after that," Dr. Kari said. The department presented examples from neighboring counties and said community paramedics perform school-based education (vaping cessation, CPR, safety) and home visits for fall prevention, medication reconciliation and hospital follow-up.
A guest, Chief Ryan Boser (community paramedic program lead, Vanderberg County Fire Department), described a similar program his county launched in late 2022 and said demand for services from Warrick County residents already exists. Councilmember Brad Overton moved to approve the appropriation and Rob Dimit seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
Why it matters: County health officials said the program would expand preventive and follow-up care—targeting school health and elderly fall prevention—while reducing unnecessary emergency responses and supporting discharge planning.
What’s next: The council approved the appropriation; the health department will finalize the contract with Ascension EMS and begin programming under the grant terms.
