Salem’s new REACH co-response team handled 49 patient encounters in its first 30 days of operation, city officials told the Salem City Council on March 9, offering an early look at a pilot program designed to connect people in crisis with more appropriate care while easing pressure on fire and ambulance crews.
REACH, which stands for Rapid Engagement, Assessment, and Community Health, launched Jan. 20 as a six-month pilot under the city’s Clean and Healthy Salem initiative. The team pairs a Salem Fire paramedic and EMT with a Marion County mental health associate to respond to certain 911 calls involving medical needs, behavioral health crises, substance use and other complex social service issues.
In a presentation Monday night, Salem Fire Chief David Gerboth said the first month’s numbers suggest the program is helping the city use emergency resources more efficiently while reaching residents who often cycle repeatedly through the 911 system…