Honolulu's CORE program rolling along after a year

It is also a front line effort to help the homeless get off the streets. 

Like a number of residents who call Chinatown streets their home, David Tavaras has been there for years.

He suffers from diabetes, high cholesterol and a number of other ailments and used to call 9-1-1 when he needed to go to the doctor.

"I have no more bus pass," explained Tavaras.

"Some homeless residents call 9-1-1 50-100 times a year. They call because they lost their medication, they have gout pain, or they might want a sandwich. There is a need, but not a 9-1-1 highly trained paramedic need," said Dr. Jim Ireland, the Honolulu Emergency Services Director.

Each call, with trained paramedics and transport to the hospital can cost $2000.

For the past year, emergency medical technicians have instead come to Tavaras and others on the streets, through the city's Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement Program - known as CORE.

That has cut down on hundreds of homeless calls to 9-1-1.

"EMS has seen record number of calls and CORE helps with those calls from homeless that are non emergency," said Ireland.

Many of those calls are because of minor injuries, and infections afflicting those living on the streets.

"It's wound care a lot of times. They could also be laying in their own feces, because times are hard and they don't have restrooms or access," said CORE Community Service Specialist Kynsie Won.

EMTs spend a lot of their time cleaning wounds and treating injuries to the feet and legs of homeless residents.

"It is bandages. A lot of times if it is on their foot - they are walking all the time, so the band-aids will wear off. And a lot of the clients we've seen more than once," added Won.

CORE responders also spend time talking with homeless residents about what other services or things they need. Then CORE workers help them get items like documents, EBT cards and even bus passes -- in an effort to help them out of homelessness.

"The goal is get them off the streets. It starts with a first visit and building trust," said Ireland.

"We had an individual, he was homeless for 30 plus years. Now he is doing well at a boarding home. So those are the stories that keep us going," added Won.

Right now there is daily CORE service in Waikiki and Chinatown but the program aims to be island-wide.

Ireland says thanks to guaranteed funding from the city and federal government, they are looking at adding 1-2 more sites for CORE hubs in the new year.