Yakima County Launches EMS-Based Program to Connect Overdose Survivors with Treatment at Critical Moment

For decades, EMS crews responding to opioid overdoses have focused on immediate lifesaving care, administering naloxone (Narcan), stabilizing patients, and ensuring they receive the medical attention they need. While that approach saves lives, opportunities to connect patients with long-term treatment have often come after the emergency has passed.

In Yakima County, that is changing.

Through a new program between American Medical Response (AMR), Yakima County EMS, and Triumph Treatment Services, AMR paramedics can now administer a medication called buprenorphine in the field. The medication reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings for several days, allowing people more time to get connected to treatment and recovery services. Unlike naloxone (Narcan), which temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose, buprenorphine helps patients begin the recovery process by supporting their transition into ongoing care.

Since the program launched on August 1, multiple individuals have been connected to treatment, with several entering 30-day rehabilitation programs and transitioning into stable housing.

"Paramedics often meet patients during one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives," said AMR Operations Manager, Gary Tucker-Atherley. "For too long, our role has been limited to reversing overdose and hoping that person finds treatment later. Now, with buprenorphine, it gives patients more time, greater stability, and a better opportunity to connect with the treatment and recovery services that can change the course of their lives."

How the Program Works

When paramedics administer buprenorphine, the patients work with EMS and the Triumph Treatment Services team to discuss ongoing treatment and recovery options. Patients who are interested in pursuing additional support can be connected to Triumph's SPRINT (Specialized Peer Response Intervention Team), a two-person peer response team that engages individuals during regular operating hours. Uniquely, both SPRINT team members bring lived experience with substance use disorder and homelessness, having successfully navigated their own recovery journeys. Drawing from those experiences, they help build trust with patients, connect them to treatment and recovery resources, and offer support from a perspective that many participants find relatable and empowering.

During evenings, weekends, and other off-hours when traditional healthcare services may be more difficult to access, Yakima County's 911 Nurse Navigation helps bridge the gap by connecting patients with treatment providers, coordinating transportation, assisting with access to prescribed medications, and helping navigate the next steps in care.

"The partnership between Yakima EMS, AMR, and Triumph Treatment Services is helping transform overdose response in Yakima County. By connecting emergency medical care with immediate peer support and treatment services, we are creating a coordinated system that gives people the best possible chance at recovery while making our community healthier for everyone," said Jolene Seda, CEO, Triumph Treatment Services.

Through a range of behavioral health, substance use disorder, and recovery support services, Triumph Treatment Services helps connect individuals and families with the care and resources needed to support long-term recovery. To further strengthen the program, Triumph recently expanded the geographic reach of its Peer Support services, increasing access to recovery resources and helping engage more participants throughout the region.

"Naloxone stops the overdose. Buprenorphine helps us reach the person behind it," said Jeremy Rodriquez, EMS operations and training coordinator for Yakima County EMS. "When someone is in severe withdrawal, they're miserable and often focused only on how to make those symptoms stop. Buprenorphine gives us a window to talk with them about recovery and connect them with people who have walked that same path. That human connection can be incredibly powerful and may be the difference between someone walking away and someone accepting help."

The partnership between AMR, Yakima County EMS, and Triumph Treatment Services reflects a broader effort to expand access to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder across Yakima County. By bringing treatment closer to the point of crisis, the program creates a new opportunity to reach patients at a critical moment, when they may be most open to accepting help and beginning the recovery process.

This initiative is possible through a grant awarded by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCORE) at the University of Washington and is allocated to Yakima County EMS.