CARE Line and CARE Guide
Welcome to www.capecod.gov/CARE!
Do you need help finding a local resource related to aging, mental health, crisis services, disability, disease prevention and treatment, emergency planning, housing and/or homelessness, substance use, food safety or other basic needs?
If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, our CARE team is here for you.
The acronym CARE stands for Community Access to Resources and Education. There are THREE components to this program, the CARE Guide, CARE phone line, and CARE email address.
The mission of the CARE program is to help community members navigate local resources so that they may self-initiate services for either themselves or family members. The CARE program does not send referrals to providers or schedule appointments. It is monitored by Public Health Resource Coordinators who do not provide medical or clinical advice.
“The CARE Guide summarizes and simplifies services found in the Network of Care Service Directory for easy access, while the CARE Line provides the additional benefit and support for those who need it. There are abundant resources on Cape Cod, but many people don’t know where to look, especially when the search begins online. The CARE program will help bridge the gap between the digital world and the available services themselves, while providing much needed personalized support”.
— Wendy Judd, Public Health Nurse
Care Guide
The CARE Guide summarizes local resources by service type and aligns with the existing web-based Network of Care Service Directory, which was developed by the Barnstable County Department of Human Services. The online directory offers a comprehensive database of local health and human services for individuals, families, and agencies on Cape Cod, and includes resources on aging, mental health, crisis services, disability, disease prevention and treatment, emergency planning, housing and homelessness, substance use, and basic needs.
CARE Line and Email
The Care Line is for anyone who needs extra assistance navigating the CARE Guide, Network of Care, Service Directory, or other online resources via telephone. Callers to the CARE line will be prompted to leave a voicemail describing their question or need. The voicemail will be monitored by our Public Health Resource Coordinators. Voicemail messages will be answered within 24 hours, Monday through Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. Messages left on weekends and holidays will be addressed on the next business day.
To Summarize…
What we DO
- Help community members find existing local resources so that they can self-initiate services for themselves or family members.
- Provide a simple, easy to read web-based guide for finding local health resources, and a phone line for additional support when necessary.
- Respond to voicemail by returning calls within 24 hours.
- Respond to email within 24 hours. Messages left on weekends and holidays will be addressed on the next business day.
What We Do NOT Do
- Assist in emergency situations.
- Provide medical or clinical advice.
- Send referrals to providers or schedule appointments.
- Answer live calls; the line accepts voicemail only.
