CORE – Community, Outreach, Referral & Education
ANCHORAGE, AK – February 2, 2026
The Anchorage Fire Department relaunched a one-year pilot project called CORE (Community, Outreach, Referral & Education). The program provides proactive outreach and follow-up to individuals with repeated EMS contact and vulnerable individuals. CORE connects individuals through follow-up from EMS responses with appropriate community resources and supports.
CORE, consisting of a licensed mental health provider and a paramedic, operates under the Mobile Integrated Health Program which also runs the Mobile Crisis Team. CORE supports early intervention and coordinated care to reduce repeat 911 calls and emergency department use while improving access to medical, behavioral health, and substance use treatment services for vulnerable community members.
“For the past few years, the AFD call for service volume climbed by about 10% each year. Like most large communities, a relatively small number of people comprise the highest number of EMS users," said Dr. Jennifer Pierce, Mobile Integrated Health Program Manager/Clinical Supervisor. “Research identified the need for alternative responses to lower-acuity calls, behavioral health crises, and frequent EMS utilization. When the program first launched in 2018 early outcomes demonstrated a reduction in emergency department utilization and improved individual outcomes through proactive follow-up. However, despite those positive results, the program paused due to funding limitations."
The relaunch comes with an updated referral process, stronger operational integration, and an expanded scope that includes opioid overdose response and follow-up, as well as outreach to individuals experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Dr. Pierce is available for media inquiries tomorrow, Feb. 3, 2026, between 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.
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Media Contact::
Megan A. Peters
Public Information Officer
megan.a.peters@anchorageak.gov
(907) 227-9473
Anchorage Fire Department: Serving our Community Before, During, and After an Emergency