Accessibility Resource Center

December 20, 2013 

Barnstable County Mass in Motion and Buy Fresh Buy Local Cape Cod recently teamed up to bring a Simple and Delicious Vegetable Recipes Cookbook and a colorful workbook to over 1,500 children in the town of Barnstable. 

Developed in Plymouth by Mass in Motion:  Healthy Plymouth and Jordan Hospital, the cookbook was localized to the Cape Cod region before being distributed to families in the town of Barnstable with children in kindergarten through third grade.  The interactive workbook distributed alongside the cookbooks was developed by Susan Bourque, Nutrition and Food Safety Educator for the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, to help encourage kids and their parents to have fun with their food.

If you know of a family in need during this holiday season, don't forget to check out the Holiday Help Calendar available online at http://www.capecodonline.com/holidayhelp.  Many opportunities listed are for individuals who would like to make a donation, but the information provided could also be used to potentially connect someone in need with a community program providing support this holiday season.  Christmas dinners, including some home-delivery options, are also mentioned.

Open Enrollment for New Health

and Dental Insurance

Massachusetts residents can now apply for health and dental insurance during open enrollment: October 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014.  There are new plans and new ways to get help paying for health insurance.  Commonwealth Care consumers must re-enroll in new coverage.

Locally, Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & the Islands is available to inform and assist individuals on how they may qualify for affordable health coverage and help with enrollment in new programs or re-enrollment in existing programs.  To set up an appointment or for more information contact CACCI at 508/771-1727 or walk in at 372 North St., Hyannis.

Individuals can also seek enrollment assistance online at MAhealthconnector.org or call 1-877-623-6765 for questions, help completing an application, and a list of Navigators in your area. 

Can I still change my Medicare Plan?

For those with a Medicare Advantage Plan:

           Between January 1 and February 14, you can leave your plan and switch to Original Medicare, but you cannot switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan. If you drop your Medicare Advantage plan during this period, you will be able to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Your Original Medicare coverage and your prescription drug coverage will begin the first day of the month after your enrollment. You may also add a supplement (Medigap) at this time.

For those with Prescription Advantage or getting "Extra Help" paying for prescription drugs:

          You can change your plan anytime during the year. Those with Prescription Advantage can do this only once each year. Those with "Extra Help" can change every month.

Trained SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone...on Medicare) volunteers can help you! They offer free, confidential counseling on all aspects of health insurance to anyone on Medicare. To schedule a SHINE appointment, call your local Senior Center. For other SHINE related matters, call 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636), then press or say 3.

The 2013 HUD NOFA Continuum of Care application process is now open.  The application must be submitted to HUD by February 3, 2014.  In order to meet the HUD guidelines for this year's application the following deadlines for Renewal Applications has been established:

December 20: Renewal Project Applications completed in Esnaps and send as pdf to Lee Hamilton, grant writer, for final review at lhamilton@capecod.net

December 24:  Leveraging and Match documentation completed for renewals -scanned copies sent to Lee Hamilton

January 3:  Submit Renewal Project Applications in Esnaps.  (HUD requires application submission 30 days prior to to due date of February 3, 2014).  Read more ...

For questions please contact Caronanne Procaccini at Community Action Committee of C&I at 508/771-1727 ext. 236 or cap@cacci.cc.

Community Breakfast will be held at the Federated Church of Orleans on Saturday, December 21st, 8:30 - 10:30 AM.  Serving will be on a first come first serve basis. 

Free/Free will offering.  All proceeds for Local Missions and Social Concerns.

Thrive! (fka CIGSYA)

2014 Kick-Off Open House

Grand reopening of our David Bohnett Cyber Center.

Featuring the unveiling of our New Mac Technology 

provided by the generosity of the David Bohnett Foundation

56 Barnstable Road, Hyannis, MA. 02601

Donations Welcome

Please stop by and show your support!

Please park at the public lot at the intersection of North Street and Barnstable Road.

Thrive Celebrates our partners with whom we share space:

Cape Cod Neighborhood Support Coalition

Cape Cod Justice For Youth Collaborative

Calmer Choice

Wednesday, January 8, 2014, 4-6:00 PM

The Barnstable Senior Center now offers Online Registration!  Lots of great activities, workshops and classes in January, including:

January 7: My Life, My Health Informational Session

January 8: Food Planning, Health & Nutrition

January 14: Caregiver Bill of Rights 

January 16: Five Aspects of Health

... and much more.  Most activities are FREE and RSVP is required. Visit www.town.barnstable.ma.us/seniorservices for more activities & workshop information and to sign up online.

Are you interested in serving your community?

The Human Service and Faith Community Network of the Lower& Outer Cape is seeking a part time volunteer to help with data entry and data base maintenance. The volunteer would be expected to meet with the Steering Committee of the Network for orientation and guidance. Once a database for email communication has been established, the position could expand to creating a monthly newsletter and executing a communication plan for the Network. We hope to be able to offer compensation for this position in the future.   Periodic meetings (3-4 per year) with the Steering Committee may be required. Knowledge of Lower Outer Cape faith and human service organizations a plus.  Begin work January 2014 or ASAP.  Average 10 hours per month, flexible schedule.

Requirements: The ideal volunteer should be very comfortable using Microsoft Excel software. Experience in editing and on line publishing would be helpful for future tasks. Use of home computer or office necessary.

For more information or to submit a letter of interest, contact: Beth Albert at Tel: 508/375-6626 or via email at balbert@barnstablecounty.org

Independence House and the GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project are joining together to offer a support group for all individuals who identify as male, live on Cape Cod and are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence.

A 9-week group will begin on January 9, 2014.  Location TBD.  View flyer for more information.  Interested in joining or have questions?  Call 800/439-6507 or email Chris at chrism@indhouse.net or Chuck at capeadvocate@gmdvp.org.

To all interested organizations including: human services, disaster relief, child care and youth development

This request for proposals from the Rotary Club of Hyannis Good Works Foundation through the Human Development Committee is accepting proposals for service projects that focus on basic human need and welfare in the town of Barnstable.  his focus includes but is not limited to Food, Shelter, Safety, Medical and Education.

The Committee is looking for innovative programs (no capital funds will be considered) within the town of Barnstable that could be replicated to other areas of the Cape if the program is successful.  The Committee has $15,000 to support the winning proposals.  Depending on the cost, quality and usefulness of the program proposals there may be one or more awards.  Read more ...  The deadline for receipt of proposals is Friday, January 10, 2014.

The Coalition for Children and the Justice Resource Institute are hosting a FREE five part Special Education Series for Parents and Providers in Falmouth beginning on Monday, January 13, 2014, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  Location TBD.  Attend one or attend all parts of the series which include:  Understanding the Special Education Law, Identifying Children with Disabilities, Including Children with Intellectual Disabilities into the Child Care Setting, Supporting Young Children with Autism in the Child Care Setting, Collaborating with Parents of Young Children with Special Needs in the Child Care setting.  Read more ...

For more information or to register call Tina Toran, Coordinator of the Coalition for Children at 508/548-0151 ext 172.

Every year, high school and middle school students from across Cape Cod gather to learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the Human Rights Academy (HRA) event in the Fall and go back to their schools and make change with a wide arrange of HRA projects to put hearts into Action.  View flyer.

Cape Cod Academy raises money through a concert featuring Cape Cod High School students.  Join Cape Cod Academy students on Friday, February 14, 2014 at Tilden Auditorium at Cape Cod Community College for the Shelter From The Storm Concert to support Cape Cod Veterans.  This event is organized by HRA students at Cape Cod Academy. 

Cape Cod Healthcare is pleased to announce the recipients of its FY2014 Community Benefits Strategic Grants program. Each year, as part of its Community Benefits program, CCHC solicits grant applications from non-profit organizations on Cape Cod. Applicants must demonstrate their value to the community in the way of health or human services benefits.

Ten organizations were awarded CCHC grants for FY2014. The selected grantees represent a variety of programs that benefit the Cape Cod community.  They range from a mentoring program for youth at high risk for substance abuse, to a health insurance enrollment and education program, to a program designed to provide peer support and education to parents of youth struggling with mental health issues.  Read more ... including a list of grant award recipients.

Annual Meeting honored over 200 volunteers and Extraordinary Volunteer Service Award to Debbie Todd.

January 7, 2014:  Work Support morning Workshop - currently registering for January & February.

January 9, 7:30 -11:00 AM: Open House celebration to mark the one year anniversary of opening their new office.  Event will be held at the WE CAN office, 783 Route 28 in Harwich Port.

January 18, 2-4 PM:  1:1 Legal Consults in Falmouth, by appointment only.  More info ...

Be a WE CAN Champion, someone who commits to making a monthly donation via credit card or automatic check to supports WE CAN programs and services.  More info...

For more information on WE CAN activities and workshops visit their website.

Mass 211 is offering free, anonymous mental health screenings online.  This program is an an easy way for people to monitor their mental health and learn about local treatment options.  Although online screenings are not diagnostic, they do provide valuable insight helping to identify if someone is exhibiting symptoms association with depression and other mood disorders and if they should seek help.  Read more ...

The purpose of the project is to improve access to information and the coordination and delivery of home based long term services and supports for residents of Cape Cod aged 18 and over who have chronic health conditions and disabilities, regardless of income.  The Navigator Pilot does not duplicate existing programs and services and is FREE.  To be connected to a Navigator call 508/957-7629.  Click to download program flyers for the community and for professionals.

The Barnstable County Department of Human Services website find.bchumanservices.net features on-line directories of health and human service resources. The Directories are a compilation of local resources organized around areas of critical need such as food, housing,  energy/fuel assistance, and services for seniors and people with disabilities. Find.bchumanservices.net is a valuable resource now available to Barnstable County residents and human service organizations. This new on-line tool is an effective and efficient way to make local information available on a 'simple to search' website. For more information view press release in its entirety.

If you believe your organization should be included in any of the new Directories or have any other feedback on how to improve the on-line directories, call the Department of Human Services at 508/375-6628.

• Do you provide health or human services on Cape Cod or the Islands?
• Does the public know what services you provide?
• Do people know how to access your services?
• Do you need assistance in finding services for your clients?  

The Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, Press 1) is available 24/7/365 to provide confidential counseling and referrals for Veterans and their families.  This is an integrated national outreach effort to increase awareness and use of the Veterans Crisis Line, support and promote broader VA suicide prevention efforts, and promote help-seeking behaviors among Veterans at risk of suicide and other mental health problems.  For more information about the Veterans Crisis Line please click here.

Over 800,000 people worldwide end their lives annually.  Seven to ten people -- parents, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren and close friends -- deeply feel the devastation of each loss.  That means that approximately 5 million "survivors" are left behind every year.  

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