LAFAYETTE — An emergency medical transport company in Lafayette, which has been providing regular ambulance services in the area, now looks to further its assistance to Montgomery County.
Phoenix Paramedic Solutions offers a range of community services in addition to emergency transport, including substance-use recovery programs, occupational health services and safe-sitter classes with an emphasis on special needs.
The company is run by Nathaniel Metz, but employees with Montgomery County ties are leading the charge to expand its footprint in the area, including 2006 North Montgomery graduate Aaron Hutchens.
Hutchens is an EMT who works with a small group of Phoenix employees dedicated to the Montgomery County expansion, and has been in talks with multiple industries in the area to provide drug-screening services, already locking in one with Closure Systems International.
The company partners with non-profit organizations, such as Valley Oaks Health, and already provides occupational health services to 10 manufacturing companies in Tippecanoe County.
“That’s a big thing we do,” Hutchens said. “If they don’t need to go to the ER, a lot of times we can just fix it right there and put them back to work. That cuts you out of the ER bill right there, which we all know, if you get any treatment at all, it’s going to be over $3,000.”
Companies can utilize Phoenix for drug screens and medical services to avoid terminating employees, forcing them to hire new, in the event they fail.
A grant through the state of Indiana for $1.5 million has allowed for the creation of multiple classes, and has given Director of Marketing Jason Padgett and his crew the chance to dive into the opioid epidemic, among other social needs.
“We now service nine counties with peer supports, and that’s basically removing barriers and exploring pathways to recovery for individuals who struggle with homelessness, mental health issues or substance use issues,” he said. “We can help them get a clinical evaluation so that we know what level of treatment they need, and walk alongside them on that journey, so they can remain employed. Hopefully that helps the health of the individual and the bottom line of the company.”
The team includes Director of Innovative Services Colby Reel and EMT Jordan Meyers, who is moving to the Darlington area with fiancé and Crawfordsville firefighter Timothy Bligh. Reel, along with Hutchens and Metz, got his start in the industry with S.T.A.R. Ambulance.
“Our primary focus is to help out with the apparent need for significant ambulance transportation, and then offer our occupational health services to the clientele and the factories, because it’s a large industrialized area. There’s a ton of factories,” Reel said.
“We do injury care, we do OSHA-required trainings, we do injury mitigation — if the injury is severe, we’ll get it stabilized and we’ll actually do the transport. But most anything that we can care for in house is cared for in house,” he added. “It gets the employee back to the line quicker, it gets them the adequate care that they need, and it reduces their lost time, which saves the company money.”
Safe sitter classes, spearheaded by Meyers, are in the works as another service offered by the company. Once certified, Phoenix will be the only provider of its kind in West Central Indiana.
“We’re going to do safe-sitter classes for junior high and high school students. Then, incorporated in that, will be safety in an online world, behavior management, safe sleep, and we’re getting certified for child passenger safety for car seats,” Meyers said. “We’re also looking into getting specialized autism training, to help parents who have special needs kids or for babysitters who are going to babysit special needs kids.”
The classes will also be available to the public at large, she added, though reaching young adults will be the initial goal.
The expansion comes at a strange time for Montgomery County ambulance services. County and city officials are in the middle of a strategic study on emergency transports in Montgomery County.
The study is being performed by Ritter Strategic Services. Results of the study will be the subject of a March 7 public meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. at Fusion 54, 101 W. Main St., Crawfordsville. A Zoom link is also available for the meeting.
