Image: Huron County ambulance.
Huron County’s Community Paramedicine program is being given permanent funding from the province.
The program will be receiving funding, as the Ontario government is moving to expand and increase community paramedicine and long term care programs by investing a total of $89 million into the Community Paramedicine, Long Term Care Programs (CPLTC) programs.
Director of Emergency Services Jeff Horseman shared the news as part of a report presented to council at Wednesday’s meeting.
Community Paramedics support vulnerable patients through home visits, by undertaking assessments for things like blood pressure monitoring, glucose monitoring, and vaccination clinics.
The province announced the additional funding in August.
In December 2020, the county had received temporary funding for High Intensity Supports at Home (HISH), which helped patients with complex care needs access to services in their homes, while also expanding virtual care options for patients across the province.
HISH was then renamed “Community Paramedicine Expanded” and was made permanent funding in 2024/25.
The total annual funding for the programs will work out to approximately $1.4 million per fiscal year.