AMR Launches Mental Health Transport Partnership to Ease ER Strain

Santa Barbara County residents in need of non-emergency mental health transportation will soon experience improved care thanks to a new partnership between American Medical Response (AMR) Santa Barbara and Care Connection Transport Services.

This strategic collaboration aims to address the growing demand for mental health patient transport, reducing pressure on emergency medical resources while enhancing patient outcomes and experiences.

Each year, AMR Santa Barbara transports approximately 1,500 mental health patients, many of whom do not require ambulance-level care. Currently, using ambulances for non-medical necessity calls ties up vital emergency response resources and adds strain on local emergency departments.

To address these gaps, AMR is partnering with Care Connection, a trusted provider known for its compassionate care and extensive experience in specialized transportation for elderly individuals, mental health patients, and those with limited mobility.

“Expanding our psychiatric transport network ensures that mental health patients receive appropriate, dignified transportation while freeing critical ambulance resources for emergencies,” said Mike Sanders, AMR’s regional director. “This not only enhances patient care but significantly reduces pressure on emergency departments, making valuable bed space available more rapidly for patients in need of emergency care.”

Under the partnership, Care Connection will directly support non-emergency mental health transport services from the first point of contact. In the future, the implementation of AMR’s Transport Online Ordering System (OLOS) will streamline service requests to ensure transport calls are routed efficiently to the correct providers.

Care Connection, which operates in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, has built a strong reputation for compassionate transport services tailored to the needs of mental health patients, states AMR.

Nancy Crawford, president and CEO of Care Connection, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating: “We at Care Connection have proven ourselves as reliable partners to public and private entities in Santa Barbara County. We look forward to working alongside AMR to further enhance care and transportation options available to the residents of Santa Barbara County.”

This partnership reflects AMR’s commitment to innovative solutions for healthcare challenges in the community. By providing specialized transport options for mental health patients, AMR and Care Connection aim to free up emergency responders for more urgent medical calls, alleviating strain on local hospitals and improving overall patient outcomes.