San José Launches Pilot Connecting People in Crisis With Care
New Mobile Care Unit will follow up with residents who repeatedly rely on emergency services and connect them with medical, behavioral health, substance use and social services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2026
Media Contact:
Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
SAN JOSÉ, CA — The San José Fire Department (SJFD) will launch a new Community Paramedicine pilot on Oct. 1, 2026 to help residents with complex needs who too often cycle between the street, 911, emergency rooms and back again. Mayor Matt Mahan first designated it as a priority during the budget process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27, directing the City Manager to identify funding to launch the pilot and measure its effectiveness. The six-month pilot creates a dedicated Mobile Care Unit within SJFD to follow up with residents whose medical, behavioral health, substance use or social service needs may not be resolved through a traditional 911 response and trip to the emergency room.
“Our first responders know who the highest need residents are because they’re the ones taking them to an emergency room, then responding days later because nothing has changed,” said Mayor Matt Mahan. “The Community Paramedicine pilot gives our Fire Department the tools to follow up, connect people to care and test whether we can break that cycle before the next emergency.”
The San José City Council approved $880,000 to establish the pilot as part of the FY 2026-27 budget. The funding supports a fire captain serving as program manager and two dedicated field paramedic positions, along with medical equipment and technology. Five additional SJFD paramedics are also completing specialized community paramedicine training to provide additional staffing capacity. The two-person Mobile Care Unit will operate Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., initially serving downtown San José and the response areas surrounding Fire Stations 1, 3, 8, 26, 30 and 34. Mobile Care Unit services will be initiated through established referral processes, including referrals from Department personnel following an emergency response. Residents will continue to access emergency medical services through 9-1-1.
“Launching the Community Paramedicine pilot is a proud moment for the City of San José. Community Paramedicine is an innovative shift in how we support residents with complex needs involving medical and behavioral health. As part of our efforts to expand non-law enforcement response, the pilot aims to improve health outcomes while also diverting individuals from potential justice system involvement. I am grateful to Chief Sapien and the San José Fire Department team for their leadership, and I look forward to seeing the difference this program makes in the lives of our residents," said City Manager Jennifer Maguire.
"The Fire Department Mobile Care Unit will allow responders to engage our community beyond the limited reach of the 9-1-1 system,” said Fire Chief Robert Sapien. “This pilot will allow us to invest extra time with residents to connect them with the services that best match their needs.”
The Community Paramedicine pilot adds an important tool to San José alternative response options to 911 calls for service. Compared to a standard 911 emergency medical response, which is primarily intended to stabilize someone with a medical emergency and gauge whether hospital transport is necessary, Community Paramedicine gives specially trained paramedics more opportunities for follow-up and care coordination. It aims to help people access more appropriate care and develop a treatment plan that will better support a patient long-term. Depending on a patient’s needs, the team may work to connect them with medical care, behavioral health and substance use services, or other community resources.
“We are excited to support the Community Paramedicine Pilot and its efforts to enhance public safety and better serve the needs of our community,” said San José Police Department Assistant Chief Ali Miri.
Some expanded community paramedicine services, however, require approval from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority. SJFD submitted its program application to the Santa Clara County Emergency Medical Services Agency in August, and the County subsequently forwarded it to the State for review. Until State approval is received, services requiring that authorization, including treat-in-place protocols and transportation to alternate destinations, will not be implemented.
The pilot will run through March 31, 2027. SJFD will conduct an interim review after approximately 90 days and a final evaluation at the conclusion of the program, examining patient outcomes, service utilization and program costs. Those results will help inform whether the City continues, expands or modifies the program.
###
About the City of San José
With nearly one million residents, San José is the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the nation's most diverse and creative. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.