CORE EMS Program

CORE EMS Program

Coordinated Overdose Response and Engagement
(CORE)

The Courage Center and Lexington County Emergency Medical Services launched the Coordinated Overdose Response and Engagement (CORE) Program in 2021 to reduce opioid overdoses in Lexington County by connecting overdose survivors to treatment and recovery resources. CORE was one of only four pilot projects in the country to be funded by an implementation grant awarded by the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO) in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The initial strategies for CORE were twofold:


  • Connect overdose survivors with a peer recovery coach from The Courage Center who would help the individuals and their families navigate local treatment, recovery, and wrap-around services.


  • Support the Coroner’s Office in establishing an Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Committee to examine Lexington County overdose fatalities to identify gaps and prevention opportunities.

How the First Round of CORE Worked:

During Lexington County EMS transport, individuals who had been administered NARCAN nasal spray received a green CORE care pouch containing resource information and a cell phone preloaded with 60 free minutes. Within 24 to 72 hour after the overdose incident, a recovery coach from The Courage Center would call the phone/text/leave a voicemail to offer the survivor a way to connect with local resources that could help them get and stay well. After three calls or texts without a response from the survivor, a coach would attempt a home visit. The Year One results:


  • 104 individuals received pouches from March to September 2021
  • 25% of overdose survivors were successfully reached via phone or text within 72 hours of incident
  • 47% of overdose survivors, family members, or friends reached through phone or in-person visit
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This is boots on the ground, face to face, each-visit-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates process. The impact of seeing a man tear up as one of our [peer recovery] coaches tells him, “We wanted to let you know someone cares” is indescribable.

Claude Baldwin

TCC Grants and Operations Coordinator

Year Two Campaign

The Year Two CORE campaign began in March 2022. The campaign was expanded to involve any substance-related EMS calls (not just those involving opioids) and hospital referrals​ (with our partner Lexington Medical Center).


This campaign primarily utilizes text-based outreach with a person’s current phone. After EMS encounters an individual using opioids or other substances, the individual is provided with a recovery resource card​. If the patient is alert, EMS describes the service: “The Courage Center can help you. They have people who have been through similar situations. If you want help, scan or text the number on this card to connect with TCC at no cost.”​ EMS strongly encourages the patient to scan or text the number in real time​.


Once the patient has scanned or texted the card number, a brief survey asks questions about a person’s well-being and resources ​(recovery capital). Courage Center coaches can access this information and use it to provide a personalized approach to the patient's care. The Courage Center is also continuing in-person outreach. Here is how one coach describes the visits made so far:


"The past few Wednesdays have been busy for The Courage Center as we’ve  visited the homes of overdose survivors with our partners at Lexington County Emergency Services. This is boots on the ground, face to face, each-visit-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates process. The impact of seeing a man tear up as one of our coaches tells him, “We wanted to let you know someone cares” is indescribable.


Last week we jumped from Batesburg to Red Bank, Springdale to Cayce. This micro-level engagement cannot be dismissed. One conversation we had last Wednesday with a 17-year-old may just have planted a seed. What we’ve shared will likely pay dividends down the road, but meeting people where they are right now is a start.”

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