When the fire department transitioned from Chatham Emergency Services to a county run fire department on July 1, 2024, the county also inherited the Behavioral Health Unit. This unit is within Chatham Fire led by Medical Services Director Lydia McCrary and includes two community paramedics. Among the numerous collaborations the unit also includes Corporal Hiram Rivera from the Chatham County Police Department. Collectively, they are on the front lines in the war on drugs and the mental health crisis.

The primary goal of the unit is to bridge the gap in access to care in Chatham County to meet the needs of citizens and transform traditional healthcare services. As of October 4, 2024, there have been 45 overdose deaths in Chatham County. In the last 90 days from July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024, there have been 356 overdoses in Chatham County. Of which, 86 of them were opioid related overdoses. The BHU have been dispatched more than 117 times within that period.

That is how busy the unit has been since the inception of becoming a county run department. Year to date numbers reveal 999 overdoses of which 286 have been opioid related.

On October 3, 2024, both Cpl. Rivera and Community Paramedic Coleen Robertson were guest speakers on the WSAV afternoon show as part of a panel discussion. The panel also included Congressman Buddy Carter and Sara Holbach from Beaufort EMS. Each contributed by sharing their experiences in the field and strategic tactics in battling the opioid crisis. Ultimately, it is about getting resources to the right people at the right time.