KCKFD Partnership Supports Health and Well-Being across Wyandotte

Published on August 24, 2022

WYCO Care Connection (WCC) is a community paramedicine program made possible through a partnership between the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department (KCKFD) and Vibrant Health. Its primary mission is to improve the health and well-being of Wyandotte County by providing some of the county's most vulnerable residents with high-quality healthcare and connection to community resources to meet their needs. The program seeks to reduce the number of individuals using emergency medical services for non-emergent care. 

Launched in partnership with KCKFD in October 2021, there have been 178 referrals from KCKFD, local hospitals, and clinics. These referrals help the KCKFD reduce the strain on our local health system and improves the quality of care for patients.

"This partnership has decreased non-transport calls by over 50%," said KCKFD Chief Michael Callahan. "This is very promising, indicating that this partnership is working to provide our community with the needed support without having to call an ambulance, freeing up the KCKFD for emergencies."

It's been a busy year, but here are some of the highlights:

Needed Resources

• Provided wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, and ostomy supplies for those in immediate need of medical equipment at no cost to the city or program.
• Donated foods, blankets, sleeping bags, sunglasses, lip balm, toys, gloves, hats, and soap to the houseless, including transitional youth housing, without cost to the city or program.
• Facilitated the donation and distribution of baby formula during the height of the national shortage to at least 100 individual mothers, low-income daycares, low-income pediatric clinics, NICU social workers, domestic violence shelters, food pantries, lactation nurses, foster families, Labor & Delivery nurses, WIC, children's services, and parents as teachers.
• Equipped multiple homes with smoke detectors.
• Connected community transportation program with additional funding opportunities as our patients use and need transportation assistance.
• We created a Narcan Leave Behind program to include the donation of 50 kits and training for staff at no cost to the city or program.

Training

• Taught hands-only CPR to 159 community members thus far with more events planned, including partnering with other community programs and schools.

Community Support

• Administered flu vaccines to Fire Department employees.
• Provided weekly visits to those in need.
• Recognized a regular patient was not herself, sent her out via EMS, and was admitted for critically-high blood glucose.
• Assisted KU case management with at-home barriers for patients returning home.
• Advocated for patients needed dialysis transportation.
• Assisted with medication reconciliation.
• Advocated for patients with speech difficulties by making phone calls for them to get their medical and home needs met.
• Provided in-home evaluation and treatment for a patient with post-partum depression in her native language of Spanish, including medication prescription by our Nurse Practitioner.
• Created strong working relationships with area hospitals.
• Developed strong relationships with area organizations for a whole community approach.
• Been able to meet houseless patients in their area to assist with needs.
• Helped facilitate volunteers with area organizations to address the need for food pantry delivery services.

Coming Spring 2023

The community paramedicine program will host a no-barriers community health event coming in the spring. This will include teaching hands-only CPR, and providing on-site health screens for diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. We will have on-site provider follow-up, vision screenings with on-site glasses fitting, dental, free hygiene kits, family events, and market to multi-cultural demographics.

Learn More

Learn more about this exciting partnership, including the services provided and referral services, here.