The health and fire departments in Independence have teamed up over the last few years to develop a program called ARCH, which is short for "Alternative Response for Community Health."
The program sends social workers and paramedics along with — and even in place of — other first responders on Independence's 911 calls. ARCH works to not only provide people with the exact kind of help they need, but free up services for other emergencies.
Justin Newkirk, who works as a licensed social worker on the Health Department side of ARCH, told KCUR's Up To Date that his goal is to meet people in the midst of their crisis.
"We're responding to 911 calls related to mental health, suicidal ideation, substance use, houselessness, quality of life, those kinds of things," he said.
"We provide them help and support in that moment and then we provide follow up services. So, we go and check in on these folks — as long as they're welcoming of it — in the weeks after, trying to connect them to what's going to be most helpful and beneficial to them in their health and well-being moving forward."
- Justin Newkirk, licensed social worker
- Matt Heffernan, community paramedic
