The Community and Public Health Division (CPH) of the Colorado Springs Fire Department was formed to integrate EMS into the broader healthcare system to improve the health outcomes of individuals in need of non-emergency services.
The division came into being with the birth of the Community Assistance, Referral & Education Services (CARES) program in 2012. In the years following, our identity as an organization became synonymous with CARES, and although our division has grown and changed since then, we are still often referred to as “CARES”.
The genius of the Aging in Place Program is that it maximizes the first responder’s role, as they are often first to recognize when a senior citizen is struggling to age in place. For instance, CSFD often receives 9-1-1 calls for “lift assist,” indicating that someone has fallen in their home and cannot get up. While in the home assisting the elder, first responders may observe home and living conditions that indicate the elder is in need of home care, nursing care, or other community-based support and services. The Aging in Place Program (APP) offers a way for CSFD to immediately begin to connect elders and their families with resources and support.
