Homebound Hoosiers vaccination program continues success in Lake County

INDIANAPOLIS — State Representative Mike Andrade (D-Munster) hosted a press conference with Superior Ambulance today to discuss the Homebound Hoosiers vaccination program.

Michael Kaufmann, EMS State Medical Director with Indiana Department of Homeland Security:

“EMS stands at that intersection of public safety, public health and health care. [The program] was designed specifically to bring vaccines to eligible Hoosiers who have chronic disabilities or chronic illnesses that prevent them from leaving their homes. And if it wasn’t for EMS provider agencies all across our state really stepping up in serving an additional role — or what I like to refer to as a community paramedicine type of function — those individuals would have otherwise not been able to receive the vaccine.”

U.S. Representative Frank Mrvan:

“What we see here today is what I envisioned when I voted for and supported the American Rescue Plan. I thank you for the Homebound Hoosier program. And as your member of Congress, I will continue to make sure that we have programs like this that bring all entities together to make a difference in people’s lives and make them safe.”

Jeff Collins, General Manager of Superior Ambulance:

“For over the last year, I’ve come to work, adapted, changed, overcame impossible odds every single day. But we’re here getting in these ambulances, getting in these response vehicles, and going out and doing a phenomenal job to serve the citizens of this great state.”

Alisha Begeske, EMT-P Highland Station Manager:

“The best thing about doing this, besides getting people fascinated with their health conditions, is seeing the smiles on their faces. That’s honestly, to me, the best. Because we are the first people they’ve seen and talked to and been in their homes for the past year and a half. Everybody has hope that we can get back to normal within the next year.”

State Representative Mike Andrade:

“This is all of us working together to improve everyone’s quality of life. Our people with disabilities are forgotten about a lot of times. People who are bedridden at home, people who don’t have an opportunity to come out and get vaccinated — what a difference we can make in somebody else’s life and give them the ability to get vaccinated.”

In the past three weeks since Superior Ambulance has started volunteering in the program, they have contacted, scheduled and vaccinated 100 homebound residents in Lake County. The program has administered over 1,200 vaccinations to homebound residents across the entire state, and now have been allocated more vaccines by the Indiana Department of Health to vaccinate 2,500 more individuals who have signed up.

The Homebound Hoosiers vaccination program is a COVID-19 vaccine delivery program designed to connect local health departments with homebound individuals throughout Indiana. The program is a collaboration of the Indiana Department of Health, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, local health departments and local EMS agencies.