Our Mission
Mission
The mission of the Barnstable County Department of Human Services is to plan, develop, and implement programs which enhance the overall delivery of human services in Barnstable County, to promote the health and social well-being of County residents through regional efforts designed to improve coordination and efficiency of human services, and designed to strengthen the fabric of community care available to all.
Healthy Connected Cape Cod
Healthy Connected Cape Cod is the conceptual framework that ties together the work of the Department. Our goal is to organize regional approaches by engaging residents, health and human service organizations, coalitions and networks throughout Cape Cod to plan and implement activities that promote health and well-being for County residents.
Convene
Barnstable County Department of Human Services convenes several regional coalitions to ensure a sustained regional impact on priority initiatives. By providing strategic leadership and structure, the Department supports regional efforts that address key health and human service issues, such as homelessness and substance use.
Connect
As the region’s health and human services clearinghouse, Barnstable County Department of Human Services connects individuals and organizations to the information and the services they need, providing data, research, technical assistance, online resource directories, and E-Newsletters. The online calendar provides a schedule of the Department’s priority meetings and events, and the easily accessible “Emergency Hotlines” provides contact information for immediate help for those in crisis.
Collaborate
With the stewardship of the Health and Human Services Advisory Council, Barnstable County Department of Human Services brings community partners together to foster collaborations that enhance the health and well-being of Barnstable County residents.
Barnstable County Health and Human Services Advisory Council
In 2003 the Barnstable County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 03-19 which established the Health and Human Services Advisory Council. The Advisory Council, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, is responsible for providing advice concerning the human service needs of the residents of Barnstable County.
Barnstable County Human Services Plan
The Department of Human Services, in conjunction with the Barnstable County Health and Human Services Advisory Council, is responsible for developing a Barnstable County Health and Human Services Plan to prioritize issues for action by the County government.
Click below to read the Barnstable County Department of Human Services Plan January 2024 – December 2024.
Services
Barnstable County Department of Human Services responds to local, County and State-specific data and information requests and provides consultation to assist in interpretation. 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.
Barnstable County Department of Human Services responds to pertinent data 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.
Barnstable County Department of Human Services can assist organizations and collaborations by providing a Cape-wide perspective based upon public health planning principles.
Barnstable County Regional Government
Barnstable County is the regional government of Cape Cod. It was first created in 1685. The mission of Barnstable County is to promote and sustain a proactive government that enhances the quality of life for the citizens of Barnstable County.
Staff Directory
Contact Information
Barnstable County Department of Human Services
3195 Main Street
P.O. Box 427
Barnstable, Massachusetts 02630
508-375-6628 (TEL)
508-858-5094 (FAX)
humanservices@capecod.gov