The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) recently dished out $2.35 million in grants aimed at bolstering emergency services for seniors in long-term care. These grants represent part of the Senior Emergency Medical Services Innovation Program, which sprang into existence after the passage of Oregon House Bill 2397 back in 2021. According to ODHS, this money flow started in January 2025 and will keep on until December 2026.
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue (TVF&R) snagged $758,000 to put towards their Advanced Resource Medic (ARM) unit, complete with advanced practice paramedics and physician assistants ready to answer the call from licensed facilities. This move is expected to chip away at unnecessary hospital trips for residents. The TVF&R juggles around 45,000 emergency calls per annum, with 14 percent emanating from care facilities. Similarly, Eugene-Springfield Fire is now $1,233,000 richer, putting the funds to good use by establishing a Community Aid Response Unit, prepped to stick around longer at the scene and even rope in risk evaluation and educational services.
Not left behind, the City of Lake Oswego received a tidy sum of $288,000 dedicated to Risk Reduction and Prevention and Education Programs for the senior set. Their fire department is on the lookout to enlist a risk reduction specialist aiming at a partnership with licensed care outfits to hatch emergency plans. Lake Oswego has eyes on crafting a state-level master emergency plan, serving as the blueprint for care facilities statewide. Meanwhile, the City of Albany got a piece of the pie, too: a $68,500 slice funding their Care Facility Response Safety Program, designed to beef up staff training on equipment like lifting devices and managing falls.
"Each of these pilot projects represents a step forward for our state as we look to meet the needs of older adults and use community emergency response resources effectively," Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Ph.D., Director of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities, told ODHS. This quote affirms the department's dedication to honing the quality of emergency services for the ageing population while also streamlining efficiency and endorsing community-based problem-solving tactics.
The grant process was a competitive one, with the Request for Proposal managed via OregonBuys. Funding for these innovative pilot projects pours from the APD’s Quality Care Fund, a reservoir earmarked for driving improvements in the care for older adults. These initiatives highlight a strong commitment by the ODHS towards enhancing not just the quality but also the efficiency of essential emergency services, ensuring that Oregon's seniors residing in long-term care are receiving the attention and care they need during some of the most critical times of their lives.
