Federal funding cuts could be ‘detrimental’ to Lexington emergency response program
With the future of federal funding uncertain, a Lexington emergency response program could have to make significant changes.
The Community Paramedicine Program operates out of the city’s fire department, sending paramedics and social workers, but not ambulances, to respond to non-emergiencies that come through dispatch, like when someone falls and needs help getting up.
The program helps take the burden off of Lexington’s ambulance service, which responds to over 45,000 calls annually, cutting runs by around 6%.
“The one thing that people always know how to do is call 911, and that will never change,” said Mackenzie Moulis, a social worker on the community paramedicine team.
“People are calling for help because they don’t know who else to call.”
The Community Paramedicine Program started in 2018 as a two-person initiative, with a $252,201 federal grant and $25,221 from the city. The program has expanded, now with 13 people on staff, and boasts over $1.1 million in annual funding. About 40% of that comes from state or federal grants.
Over the past several months, the Trump administration has made funding and staffing cuts to multiple agencies across the country. No one knows if or when federal funding will disappear. If the grants sustaining the program are cut, the city would have to foot the bill.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton is set to give her budget address Tuesday, which will give clarity to how the city plans to address potential federal funding cuts.
The program faced financial uncertainty back in 2019, when the founding grant ran out and the city cut back on expenses amid budgeting concerns. Three local hospitals donated a total of $200,000 to keep the program going.
Without federal and state grants, Lt. Alex Jann, who oversees the Community Paramedicine Program, said there would almost certainly have to be staffing and programming cuts, since four employee positions along with operational costs are funded through grants.
The city could pick up those costs, but there’s no guarantee. Susan Straub, a spokeswoman for the city, said Gorton has long supported the Community Paramedicine Program and the city would try to make up for any funding cuts if they were to happen.
Jann said there is a significant unmet need in Lexington that the program helps alleviate, and the program needs not just to continue, but to grow.
“We go wherever we need to go to meet these people and try to make a difference in their lives,” Jann said.
“We’re just the gap filler. Where healthcare fails, we come in and we try to make a difference.”
Federal funding cuts would cut overdose treatment programming
The Community Paramedicine Program operates three specialty units: Mobile Integrated Health Team, Quick Response Team and Crisis Co-Response Team.
The Mobile Integrated Health unit is what Jann described as “stereotypical community paramedicine,” with social workers and paramedics addressing non-emergent calls. Everyone on that team, three firefighters/paramedics and one social worker, is funded through the Lexington city government general fund.
“A lot of our individuals just feel defeated by the system, because it’s difficult to navigate,” Moulis said. “If they feel like there’s someone there that’s going to help, then maybe they just feel a little bit less defeated.”
The Quick Response Team helps connect non-fatal overdose patients with addiction resources in the city. The team also has a peer support specialist, through a partnership with Voice of Hope, that has recovered from addiction and helps reach people who need resources.
“They’re often overlooked and devalued because of their addiction. Our goal is to take away that stigma and just show care and compassion,” said Maria Slone, a social worker who has been with the community paramedicine program since it started in 2018.
Last year, Lexington reported 1,403 calls related to substance abuse disorder, including non-fatal overdoses. The paramedicine program followed up 754 times, successfully making contact with 533 individuals. Jann said the Quick Response Team is successful because of a staffing expansion made possible through a federal grant.
Slone said the loss of any grant funded positions would be “detrimental” to Fayette County. She predicted an increase in emergency call volume and overdose deaths.
The Crisis Co-Response Team is a new initiative, staffed with a firefighter/paramedic and licensed therapist. That team works in conjunction with the Lexington Police Department to respond to calls of behavioral health issues or suicidal ideation.
“There’s so many gaps in healthcare. People go to the (emergency room) expecting a solution, but when it comes to mental health or substance use disorders there’s no ER solution,” Jann said.
Funding for the Crisis Co-Response Team comes from a $850,000 state grant from the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services administered over three years. The city secured that funding in September 2024.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM.