“Can we get people the right type of care rather than always sending the big fire truck?“
Brad Brown is Chief of the Grand Rapids Fire Department. He says the initiative aims to reduce preventable emergency room visits and redirect 911 calls to the appropriate level of care by connecting residents to social supports and other resources.
“Corewell is providing a lot of expertise in navigating a lot of different wraparound services. We just don’t have that expertise.“
The Grand Rapids Fire Department responds to over 17,000 medically related calls annually, with many of those calls rooted in social challenges rather than medical emergencies. Senior Director of Healthier Communities West at Corewell Health, Kaley Petersen.
“We know that we cannot do or be all to all, and we really need these partnerships and have been so thrilled, which is how collaborative this has been: truly dedicated around a shared why and have every confidence this really will be a success.“
Corewell Health and the GRFD say the initiative represents a first of its kind model for community health and safety in West Michigan.
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