Gaston County EMS Receives Grant to Establish Crisis Intervention Unit

GASTONIA, N.C. – Gaston County Emergency Medical Services (GEMS) was awarded $300,000 in funding through the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services (NCOEMS) Rural Health Transformation Program to establish a Crisis Intervention Unit (CIT). 

The proposed Crisis Intervention Unit aims to improve mental and behavioral health crisis response, strengthen continuity of care, and reduce strain on ambulances and other public safety resources – especially in the most rural parts of Gaston County. The unit will respond to behavioral health-related 911 calls and provide assistance to patients in collaboration with from Hope United Survivor Network.

"Thanks to this funding, we are able to put more boots on the ground to serve the most vulnerable parts of Gaston County," said Mark Lamphiear, Emergency Medical Services Chief for Gaston County Emergency Medical Services. “Having a dedicated unit geared toward Crisis Intervention will improve our availability and response times of EMS resources across all types of emergencies.” 

The unit expands GEMS’ Community Paramedicine Program, which was established in 2021 to provide substance use intervention and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), lead harm reduction initiatives, and reduce response times by having dedicated community paramedics respond to substance use-related emergencies. The Community Paramedicine Program also connects patients to community resources and provides transportation to those who are receiving recovery services.  

The grant will fund four GEMS positions to directly address increasing behavioral health-related 911 responses involving individuals experiencing mental health crises, such as suicidal ideation. Each staff member assigned to CIT will be specially trained in crisis intervention, de-escalation, care coordination, transportation assistance, behavioral health navigation, and connection to community-based treatment and support services.

A major component of the program is to provide alternate destination pathways and referral coordination processes to help connect patients with appropriate behavioral health and support services whenever medically appropriate, rather than taking patients to an emergency room for every behavioral health-related encounter. 

“Getting those who have experienced trauma connected to resources sooner and with fewer barriers will reduce the strain on our 911 system, EMS staff and improve outcomes,” said Tara Joyner, Director of Hope United Survivor Network. “This initiative will improve coordination between EMS staff, behavioral health providers, social workers, and community organization, and create a pathway to safety for trauma survivors.” 

The Crisis Intervention Unit aligns with the county’s broader goals to improve behavioral health access, strengthen community-based crisis response, reduce barriers to care, and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations throughout Gaston County.

###