Arlington and Tarrant County seek to diminish the number of "heavy users" of emergency services through a new alliance.
Tarrant County Public Health Collaborates with Arlington Emergency Services to Reduce Non-Emergency 911 Calls
Tarrant County Public Health is partnering with Arlington Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to address the issue of non-emergency 911 calls commonly made by a group of frequent callers known as "superusers." The goal is to reduce the strain on emergency services, potentially saving up to $1 million.
The project involves Arlington EMS identifying superusers and referring them to Tarrant County Public Health's Community Engagement Team, a group of health workers dedicated to providing support and treatment for these individuals. Tarrant County personnel, already funded by the 2025 budget, will visit these identified individuals at designated times to offer various resources.
These resources may include healthcare products, utility assistance, food, and transportation. In addition, the team will educate individuals on managing chronic illnesses, proper medication usage, and handling side effects. Many of the superusers struggle with opioid addiction, mental health crises, chronic disease, loneliness, or poverty.
"When you can start identifying those groups, you can start reducing the number of calls a little bit," said Chris Weinzapfel, operations manager for Arlington EMS. This proactive approach aims to alleviate the high costs associated with non-emergency 911 calls, currently estimated at about $8.4 million.
The collaboration focuses on reducing non-emergency 911 calls by connecting frequent callers to supportive health services and resources aimed at addressing the underlying issues driving their calls. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to improve health outcomes for the individuals involved and reduce the strain on emergency services.
Dylan Duke is KERA's summer 2025 SPJ news intern. If you have a tip, email [email protected].
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- Tarrant County Public Health's Community Engagement Team offers medical-conditions management education to help superusers handle their chronic diseases effectively.
- The collaborative effort between Tarrant County Public Health and Arlington Emergency Medical Services also includes providing resources for health-and-wellness, such as healthcare products and utility assistance.
- The news intern, Dylan Duke, reported that this initiative aims to address the mental-health issues many superusers face, including opioid addiction and loneliness.
- The partnership aims to save Tarrant County up to $1 million by reducing non-emergency 911 calls related to frequent callers, who struggle with issues like chronic diseases and mental-health crises.
- Arlington EMS's proactive approach to identifying and connecting superusers with supportive health services and resources in science, education, and community sectors contribute to improved health outcomes and less strain on emergency services.
