Launched in 2022 as a pilot program with support and guidance from experts at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Life EMS Ambulance’s Behavioral Health Transport (BHT) program has quickly become a trusted and vital resource across West Michigan.
The program provides safe, respectful, and clinically appropriate transport for both adult and adolescent clients in need of behavioral health services. Today, it is widely regarded as the gold standard for behavioral health transport throughout the Midwest.
In just over two-and-a-half years — including its initial one-year trial period — the Life EMS Ambulance BHT Program has successfully completed more than 7,000 safe and respectful transports.
“This program is a lifeline for patients and providers alike,” Life EMS President Mark Meijer said. “It reflects our core commitment to meeting the growing mental health needs in our communities with compassion, dignity and innovation.”
The Behavioral Health Transport vehicle is a custom-designed and modified SUV, created specifically for transporting behavioral health clients. It includes:
• Interior partitions for safety, complemented by upbeat visual designs
• Disabled interior door handles and window controls to enhance safety
• Real-time video monitoring capability for the passenger compartment
• Continuous GPS location/ tracking
This design ensures both the safety and comfort of behavioral health clients during their transport ranging from local, intra-state and inter-state transports within and beyond Michigan.
Life EMS Ambulance BHT transports are provided by a Life EMS BHT specialist who, in addition to safe vehicle operation, is certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and is specifically trained by Pine Rest to deliver individual attention and care to behavioral health clients.
In the event of a medical or behavioral concern, the BHT specialist maintains direct communication with Life EMS Ambulance’s in-house, International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) Control Center and Life EMS’s dedicated leadership BHT team for oversight to coordinate additional resources immediately if a need arises.
Life EMS Ambulance’s longstanding partnership with Pine Rest has played a key role in the program’s development, providing insight and collaboration to ensure that BHT clients are transported in a way that is safe, dignified and respectful.
“Too often, individuals seeking behavioral health care have found themselves waiting in hospital emergency departments or being transported in ways that didn’t reflect their unique needs,” said Kyle Hoffmaster, MBA, MSN, RN, Director of Patient Access for Hospital and Acute Services at Pine Rest. “Life EMS has delivered a compassionate, practical solution — one that honors each person’s dignity while ensuring timely access to the care they deserve.”
“For many, transportation is the first and often most difficult step toward accessing behavioral health care,” added Heather Treib, Director of New Business Development at Pine Rest. “Through shared collaboration, the BHT program offers a thoughtfully designed solution that reduces stress, removes transportation barriers, and ensures safe, timely access to care.”
The program has expanded to include a fleet of nine — soon to be 10 — custom-designed BHT vehicles, helping to meet growing demand from hospitals, health systems, and community mental health agencies. These vehicles are deployed from Life EMS Ambulance’s central support facilities in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
“As mental health care continues to evolve, transportation must evolve with it,” Meijer said. “We are incredibly proud of our teams who serve with empathy and professionalism every day.”
The program provides safe, respectful, and clinically appropriate transport for both adult and adolescent clients in need of behavioral health services. Today, it is widely regarded as the gold standard for behavioral health transport throughout the Midwest.
In just over two-and-a-half years — including its initial one-year trial period — the Life EMS Ambulance BHT Program has successfully completed more than 7,000 safe and respectful transports.
“This program is a lifeline for patients and providers alike,” Life EMS President Mark Meijer said. “It reflects our core commitment to meeting the growing mental health needs in our communities with compassion, dignity and innovation.”
The Behavioral Health Transport vehicle is a custom-designed and modified SUV, created specifically for transporting behavioral health clients. It includes:
• Interior partitions for safety, complemented by upbeat visual designs
• Disabled interior door handles and window controls to enhance safety
• Real-time video monitoring capability for the passenger compartment
• Continuous GPS location/ tracking
This design ensures both the safety and comfort of behavioral health clients during their transport ranging from local, intra-state and inter-state transports within and beyond Michigan.
Life EMS Ambulance BHT transports are provided by a Life EMS BHT specialist who, in addition to safe vehicle operation, is certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and is specifically trained by Pine Rest to deliver individual attention and care to behavioral health clients.
In the event of a medical or behavioral concern, the BHT specialist maintains direct communication with Life EMS Ambulance’s in-house, International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) Control Center and Life EMS’s dedicated leadership BHT team for oversight to coordinate additional resources immediately if a need arises.
Life EMS Ambulance’s longstanding partnership with Pine Rest has played a key role in the program’s development, providing insight and collaboration to ensure that BHT clients are transported in a way that is safe, dignified and respectful.
“Too often, individuals seeking behavioral health care have found themselves waiting in hospital emergency departments or being transported in ways that didn’t reflect their unique needs,” said Kyle Hoffmaster, MBA, MSN, RN, Director of Patient Access for Hospital and Acute Services at Pine Rest. “Life EMS has delivered a compassionate, practical solution — one that honors each person’s dignity while ensuring timely access to the care they deserve.”
“For many, transportation is the first and often most difficult step toward accessing behavioral health care,” added Heather Treib, Director of New Business Development at Pine Rest. “Through shared collaboration, the BHT program offers a thoughtfully designed solution that reduces stress, removes transportation barriers, and ensures safe, timely access to care.”
The program has expanded to include a fleet of nine — soon to be 10 — custom-designed BHT vehicles, helping to meet growing demand from hospitals, health systems, and community mental health agencies. These vehicles are deployed from Life EMS Ambulance’s central support facilities in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
“As mental health care continues to evolve, transportation must evolve with it,” Meijer said. “We are incredibly proud of our teams who serve with empathy and professionalism every day.”
