The Barnstable County Department of Human Services provides the following services and support:
Information and Referral. In collaboration with the Cape and Islands United Way and Community Health Network Alliance (CHNA 27), the Department has taken the lead in bringing 2-1-1 to Barnstable County. 2-1-1 is a state wide information and referral database and 24.7 call in center. With the help of our Americorp VISTA volunteer and with part time staff support paid for with a grant from the CHNA, the Department has been working on the 2-1-1 project since the fall of 2009and has entered and updated information on hundreds of health and human service resources in the region.
E-Newsletter. The Department acts as the “clearinghouse” for human services in the County. One of our services is to disseminate a periodic e-newsletter which contains timely information and is sent to hundreds of human service organizations, elected officials and County residents about trainings, funding opportunities and important community events.
Community Based Research. The Department conducts community based research to gather current information on the health and well-being of Cape Cod residents. This research helps inform government leaders and the region’s network of health and human services providers in several ways: a) to identify new or changing health and human service needs of the region’s residents, b) to identify challenges and barriers to service access, and c) to provide the perspective of residents and others regarding opportunities to strengthen existing services or consider new services to respond to gaps and barriers. The Department’s researcher is skilled in conducting research and evaluation projects using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Data Requests. The Department’s researcher is available to address requests for information regarding Cape Cod towns and villages by drawing from the Department’s primary research, as well as from other data sources such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Census Bureau.
