SPRINGFIELD, IL – A new unit at the Springfield Fire Department will assist people with substance abuse disorders, mental health disorders and behavioral health crises.
Dubbed “Rescue One”, the ambulance is estimated to take to the streets in coming months.
The city will for the first time have an ambulance in their fleet of vehicles, though the unit’s primary service will be responding to select 911 calls in partnership with Memorial Behavioral Health.
Licensed social workers will be available for calls 24/7. The co-responder teams will make assessments during crises, de-escalate tense situations, and initiate warm handoffs to treatment or social services.
The council on July 7 passed an ordinance authorizing around $160,000 for personnel services with the nonprofit. Funds from an opioid settlement are paying for the initiative.
The unit is expected to launch at the end of August or the beginning of September.
Mayor Misty Buscher at the July 7 meeting got emotional, saying she has a family member who the program would help a lot. The initiative is something that the Springfield community needs, she said.
“The ask from the administration is if that apparatus needs to be with that individual for four hours to stabilize them, then that’s what we do, Buscher said, adding that the intent is to inform people about resources available to them so they can get help.
Assistant Chief Julie Plunk confirmed that the unit, dubbed BOLT (Beacon Outreach Life-Saving Treatment Vehicle), with a call name of Rescue One, will stay with people in need for long periods of time. When available, it may be used to respond to structure fires to treat injured people.
The overarching project is called BEACON (Bridging Emergency and Community Outreach Network).
A similar program has existed at the Springfield Police Department since January 2023, but the addition will task the fire department with calls that are less threatening, sources told The State Journal-Register.
Police presence can be intimidating for people in crisis situations, people involved said, so in addition to a clinician from Memorial Behavioral Health, the ambulance will be staffed by firefighters who have undergone specialized training. 12 firefighters went through the three-week training.
Reached by the SJ-R, Yoggerst said the co-responder model is the first of its kind in the area, to her knowledge.
People in Springfield can call Mobile Crisis Response directly at 217-788-7070.
Clinicians with the nonprofit will ride with or behind the ambulance. Their 24/7 availability will include an on-call component, Chief Nick Zummo and Lauren Yoggerst, the manager of Mobile Crisis Response at Memorial Behavioral Health, told the council on July 7.
Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Ambulance for substance abuse, mental health disorders nears ready
Reporting by Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
