$100k grant to help Tucson’s vulnerable

A $100,000 grant will expand a Tucson program that helps residents whose 911 calls may be rooted in unmet basic needs rather than medical emergencies. The funding, awarded by Arizona health nonprofit Mercy Care to TMC Health Foundation, will support Tucson Collaborative Community Care, known as TC-3, a joint effort involving TMC and the Tucson Fire Department. The program identifies people who repeatedly use the 911 system and works to connect them with lasting assistance, potentially reducing avoidable emergency department visits while addressing problems that can affect their health and safety at home.

The grant comes through Mercy Care’s Mercy C.A.R.E.S. initiative, which stands for Community Action Resources Education and Service. TMC Health leaders said the money will help the program grow and provide additional support in the field. Maya Luria, TMC’s director of senior services and community outreach, said the award is especially important because the need is widespread. The funding is expected to help pay for another nurse, medication reviews and emergency assistance for residents who need immediate help while they are connected with longer term services.

TC-3 focuses on people considered vulnerable because they have basic needs that are not being met. That can include a lack of food, unsafe or uncomfortable living conditions, no family or other support system, or circumstances in which someone has been exploited. In Tucson and elsewhere in Arizona, a home without air conditioning can become a serious health concern during hot weather and may contribute to calls for emergency assistance. Luria said many of the people served by the program are affected by social conditions that medical treatment alone cannot resolve.

The program’s team includes registered nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, behavioral technicians and public health specialists. Their work begins with understanding why someone is calling 911, then determining what kind of help is actually needed. In some cases, the person may require medical care. In others, the emergency call may be a sign of hunger, isolation, confusion about medications, a dangerous living environment or an inability to navigate available services. TC-3 aims to identify that underlying issue and connect the resident with organizations equipped to address it.

That network extends well beyond TMC and the fire department. TC-3 works with adult protective services and the Tucson Police Department’s mental health support team, among other local agencies. Community Home Repair of Southern Arizona can help install bathroom grab bars, which may reduce fall risks for residents with mobility concerns. The Community Food Bank and Interfaith Community Services can help provide food boxes. Pima Council on Aging is among the partners available when older adults need additional services. The program says it has more than 100 key community stakeholders involved in its broader collaboration.

Those partners meet quarterly to share information and better understand how to guide residents through the available resources. That coordination matters because a person’s needs often cross several systems at once. Someone experiencing frequent medical problems may also need food, home repairs, help with transportation, protection from abuse or support for a behavioral health concern. TC-3’s role is not simply to make a referral and move on. The team works to bridge the period before a person is established with a permanent resource, setting goals and checking whether the plan is working.

Medication management is one example of how the program looks for the cause behind repeated emergency calls. Joyce Drozd, an RN manager with TC-3, described a case involving a woman with diabetes who was calling 911 every day because her blood sugar was becoming dangerously low. After talking with her, the team discovered that she had confused her slow acting and fast acting insulin. She was taking far too much insulin, causing her blood sugar to drop. Clarifying which medication she should take and when addressed the immediate problem and showed how a careful conversation could reveal the reason behind repeated calls.

The additional nurse supported by the Mercy C.A.R.E.S. grant will strengthen that kind of work, including medication reconciliation and emergency assistance. Program leaders said some residents need only one relatively simple intervention to prevent a continuing crisis, but finding it requires time, careful questions and coordination among agencies. For Tucson residents who depend on emergency services, the effort could mean receiving help that fits their actual circumstances instead of repeatedly returning to the same unresolved problem. The grant also gives TC-3 more capacity to continue building connections among the local organizations that serve people facing poverty, aging, disability, isolation and unsafe living conditions.