Information
The CHAT Program has achieved estimated health care system savings in excess of $10M since 2021.
To address the growing number of non-urgent 9-1-1 calls, PF&R has created Mobile-Integrated Health (MIH) teams. These teams provide care in the community and follow up within 24 hours to re-engage and provide support.
The Community Health Assess and Treat (CHAT) teams offer one-on-one support from medical professionals to:
- Assist 9-1-1 callers with non-emergency health concerns, providing immediate care and connecting them to long-term resources like doctors, health plans, and treatment options.
- Educate the community on how to access the right healthcare services, so 9-1-1 is used only for true emergencies.
- Reduce unnecessary emergency room visits for minor medical issues.
- Keep fire and ambulance crews available for life-threatening emergencies.
The CHAT Program is designed to add value to the Emergency Response System (EMS) and healthcare system by:
- Responding to non-urgent 9-1-1 medical calls
- Increasing access to healthcare services
- Improving population health over time
- Enhancing the patient experience
- Improving first responder satisfaction and resilience
- Reducing the overall cost of care
CHAT Operations
- CHAT Overdose Response Teams (ORT) respond to overdose calls instead of Fire apparatus in the Downtown Core, Old Town, and Southeast neighborhoods.
- All CHAT response teams respond within 15 minutes of the 9-1-1 call.
- CHAT Aftercare teams work 6-days a week to re-engage with clients to reassess needs, provide connections to resources including access to health insurance plans, healthcare and basic needs.
- CHAT Aftercare teams work with Multnomah County and community-based organizations on frequent callers to 9-1-1 to provide health education, and access to care to reduce additional 9-1-1 calls.
CHAT Call Types
- Abdominal Pain
- Allergic Reaction
- Assault (not dangerous)
- Back Pain
- Bleeding (minor)
- Choking (not now)
- Cold Exposure
- Diabetic (alert and normal)
- Drowning (alert, breathing ok)
- Fainting now alert
- Falls (not dangerous)
- Headache
- Heart Problems/ Chest Pain (with no priority symptoms)
- Heat Exposure
- Injury (> 6 hours ago)
- Overdose
- Public Assist Falls
- Seizure (previous or impending)
- Sick Person
- Stroke (low-acuity only)
