WEISER, Idaho — Washington County Paramedics launched a first-of-its-kind program to address mental health and substance abuse needs in the rural communities they serve— like Weiser, Idaho.
"It's not easy to talk about. It's ugly, it's scary, it's something that people just want to pretend doesn't exist, but it's a huge need," said Ashley Lynn, a Community Paramedic for Washington County Paramedics.
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The new Community Paramedic Program focuses solely on substance abuse, mental health, and wellness — connecting residents with vital services that are often difficult to access in remote areas.
"We're isolated a bit, we're a long ways out here, so limited resources across the board," Lynn explained.
Lynn says that rural communities like Weiser are especially in need of behavioral health and substance abuse resources.
"People already struggle to get the help they need just because logistically, it's a long road to get to Caldwell or Ada County or wherever it is you might need to go to get these specialty services," she said.
The program, which is funded by a grant, aims to reduce strain on limited local resources by connecting people with mental health services instead of tying up police and the area's single ambulance on non-emergency calls.
"First of its kind program that's not going [on] anywhere else in the country, so it's super exciting to have something like that right here in Weiser," Lynn said. "So our goal here is to be able to facilitate getting those people plugged into the services they need."
Before this new program existed, people experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises were typically taken to either the hospital or jail. Now, Lynn and her team can respond separately to avoid those outcomes.
"Law enforcement, our responders, we interact with people who are unstable and are in crisis and can be very unpredictable," Lynn said.
The program includes special de-escalation training for law enforcement and the paramedic team to ensure safety for everyone involved during crisis situations.
"We're here to help and meet you where you're at and do what we can," Lynn said.
If you are having a mental health or substance abuse crisis, call 988. They can connect you with people in your community who can help.
