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Engage in Our Community Forums on Children’s Behavioral Health Needs Assessment

Published on: October 4, 2023

You are invited to participate in an essential initiative aimed at understanding and addressing the behavioral health needs of children and youth in Barnstable County. The Barnstable County Department of Human Services (BCDHS) is conducting a Children’s Behavioral Health Baseline Needs Assessment, and your input and insights are invaluable to this process.

Overview

The Children’s Behavioral Health Baseline Needs Assessment comprises a series of four Community Forums, each tailored to different sub-regions of Barnstable County. These forums offer you the opportunity to engage, contribute, and be a part of this crucial assessment. Whether you prefer attending in person or virtually, there’s a forum for you.

Event Time and Location Details:

  • Outer Cape Forum: Monday, October 16 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Truro Community Center, 7 Standish Way, North Truro REGISTER OUTER CAPE
  • Lower Cape Forum: Wednesday, October 25 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Cape Cod Technical High School, 351 Pleasant Lake Ave., Harwich REGISTER LOWER CAPE
  • Mid Cape Forum: Thursday, October 26 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | The Family Collaborative, 1338 Route 28, South Yarmouth REGISTER MID CAPE
  • Upper Cape Forum: Monday, November 6 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Mashpee Wampanoag Community/Govt. Center, 483 Great Neck Road, S. Mashpee REGISTER UPPER CAPE

Goals of the Assessment

  1. Document and understand the behavioral health needs of youth and young adults (ages 0-21) residing in Barnstable County.
  2. Assess the availability and accessibility of behavioral health services for youth and young adults within the county.
  3. Provide insights to guide future advocacy, collaboration, and service sharing initiatives across Barnstable County regions.

Understanding Behavioral Health

For the purposes of this assessment, behavioral health encompasses a wide range of factors, including individual and family experiences of life stressors, mental, emotional, and social well-being, health-related behaviors, and mental health and substance use disorders. The focus is primarily on children and young people, with particular attention to early childhood experiences, the influence of adult behaviors, emotional development milestones, and learned social skills and behaviors.

Engage with Us

These Community Forums are your opportunity to actively participate in the assessment process. We encourage all Barnstable County residents to join us, share their experiences, and provide input on the behavioral health needs of our youth and young adults. Your thoughts and perspectives are crucial to shaping a brighter future for our community’s children.

We hope to see you at one of these upcoming Community Forums. Your involvement can make a significant impact on the well-being of our youth and young adults. Together, we can work towards a healthier, happier, and more resilient future for Barnstable County.

Questions? Contact Mandi Speakman at mandi.speakman@capecod.gov