VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Adam:
Shepherd posted the job description and I read it and it was going to give me the opportunity to do police work the way that I think police work should be done.

Shane:
In the short time you’ve been around us, I think you’re seeing that we know a lot of the people in this neighborhood, people that are coming up to us and that know us, and they’re more comfortable with us. Starting off by building those relationships and asking, “What else can we do for you? How can we help?” I think that’s a way to start scratching away at the problem.

Speaker 3:
I don’t think I’ve ever met a police officer and paramedic that cared so much as these guys do, honestly.

Troy Riggs:
When they respond to a call, it may be a police issue that Adam has to take care of and call for backup from IMPD. But many times there is a healthcare issue, and they’re not understanding what is available to them. And Shane can route them in that manner.

Shane:
From about 10 to two, that’s kind of our ideal time to start interacting with folks that we had made contact with the day before, the week before, people that we’ve been dealing with or interacting with for six months. Ah, perfect. Is she [inaudible 00:01:20]? How’s she doing?

Adam:
Jay always repeats the same comment that poverty restricts people’s ability to advocate and navigate.

Shane:
Your sugar is high. You got to get that diabetic ulcer figured out. So, that’s the trip today to the hospital.

Shane:
This man was staring down the barrel of a full-on amputation. Didn’t know how to navigate his insurance, didn’t know how to navigate the actual healthcare system, and didn’t know how to get a ride to even get to the doctor’s office.

Adam:
Listening and asking more questions is something we’re able to do with our time that many of our peers just don’t have the opportunity to do.

Shane:
They took a portion of his heel and he’s home now. He’s seen his primary care… he actually has a primary care physician now. And, last time we checked his blood sugar, it was down about 200 points.

Troy Riggs:
Really known all the issues that people are dealing with. If Shane and Adam hadn’t been in those homes, talking to people, if they hadn’t had that one-on-one connection. And that’s why I said it’s important that this is community-driven.

Shane:
The amount of return trips to the emergency department, the amount of avoidance in readmission to the hospital. I don’t even know how you would begin to put a dollar sign on what we’ve done out here.

Adam:
It’s the relationship that’s going to change the game. It’s somebody constantly pouring into their lives and them finding hope that things can be different.

Shane:
We couldn’t be more proud. He’s been very successful in the fact that he went from calling 9-1-1 about once a week to, he’s called twice in six months.

Troy Riggs:
The Shepherd’s always been that constant. That’s reassuring to people.

Adam:
I think, by going out and serving the needs that they expressed to us with no expectations of anything in return, just truly doing it out of the care for their well-being, is what will change the quality of life of this neighborhood.