WINONA LAKE – The K21 Health Foundation (K21) awarded a grant of $20,000 to the city of Warsaw to support the cost of equipment for its Community Assistance, Resources and Emergency Services (CARES) program.
CARES will respond to calls for help for a variety of “non-traditional” needs, including mental-health crisis assistance, support surrounding suicidal subjects, transportation services and help with medication and falls without injury, according to a news release from K21.
The K21 grant will fund the purchase of body cameras, in-car cameras and ballistic vests, providing a higher level of safety and accountability for responders and recipients alike. The grant will also go toward the purchase of a stair chair to allow responders to move people with mobility needs, as well as an automatic external defibrillator (AED).
“The Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory has always been able to answer the calls from our community with the utmost professionalism and compassion,” said Rich Haddad, president and CEO of K21 Health Foundation. “The CARES program is just an extension of this department, and K21 is proud to partner with them to focus on de-escalation and resource allocation that will benefit the health and wellness in our community.”
In recent years, the city of Warsaw’s first responders have noted an increasing number of calls for mental-health crisis assistance and have formed links with relevant organizations and resources in the community. This additional equipment will help them better serve the residents of Kosciusko County.
For more details about K21’s work in the community and current projects, visit k21healthfoundation.org.
