Knoxville partnership reduces non-emergency 911 calls by 23% in Mission District

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A partnership aimed at reducing non-emergency 911 calls in a vulnerable part of Knoxville has seen a 23% drop in calls after one year of operation.

The Mission District Medical Initiative focuses on North Broadway under the I-40 overpass, an area known as “the Mission District.” AMR Director Jerry Harnish started the program to free resources for emergencies.

“In many instances, it’s not clear that an emergency ambulance would have been the right answer. Nevertheless, when these folks need care, if they have no other option other than to call 911, then that’s what they would do,” Harnish said.

The initiative involves five groups including AMR and Metro Drug Coalition. Harnish said the biggest need was preventative care, treating cuts and illnesses before they became serious.

“So it does two things. It relieves the stress on the emergency system, not just on ambulances, but also on the fire department and the hospital emergency rooms. And it gives better care to the people, which is the goal in the first place,” Harnish said.

Brandon Styles with Metro Drug Coalition said the partnership helps cover all needs for people living in the Mission District.

“So everyone has their own specialty, right? So you have Kappa that brings different food from their Kappa kitchen, right? And then you have AMR who’s set up to do wound care,” Styles said. “I do overdose prevention. I bring different resources down there for that. We have our care coordinator that helps connect people into treatment.”

Styles added building trust and connecting on a personal level was important, saying the biggest difference was showing up consistently to give basic care.

“They appreciate that we don’t just show up for one season. Right? I’ve had several people come to me and say, ‘I just want to say thank you for not just showing up when it’s convenient,’” Styles said.

Harnish said he wants to continue fine-tuning the program before considering expansion to other parts of Knoxville.

“We know there are people that have needs that live elsewhere in the county, and it may be a little more difficult to provide outreach to them,” Harnish said. “But that doesn’t make the responsibility any less.”.

Harnish said he is hopeful the program will continue to make a difference.