Barnstable County Commissioners Appoint Co-Chairs

to Regional Substance Abuse Council

The Commissioners appointed Beth Albert, Director of the Barnstable County Department of Human Services, Cheryl Bartlett, Executive Director of the Office of Community Health at Cape Cod Healthcare, and Ray Tamasi, CEO and President of Gosnold on Cape Cod to co-chair the Regional Council.

Formed in 2014, the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council brings together a diverse group of over thirty five stakeholders including town representatives, healthcare, elected officials, people in recovery, law enforcement, treatment providers, health centers, employers, town coalitions, faith community, and others.  Read more...

Open Enrollment November 1, 2015 - January 31, 2016 - apply for Health and Dental insurance.  If you are a current member and want to change your plan you can shop for and choose a plan - compare plans online at www.MAhealthconnector.org.  View flyer for more information.

Mass Health Connector/MassHealth Open Enrollment event, November 6, 5-8 PM & November 7, 9 AM - 4 PM at Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & the Islands, 372 North St., Hyannis.  View flyer for more information.

Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands has certified MA Health Connector Navigators trained to help you! To schedule an appointment or for more information: call 508-771-1727 or walk-in at 372 North St., Hyannis, MA. (We offer services in Falmouth and on Nantucket, by appointment only.)

Crisis Line Volunteer Training: November 9, 10, 16, 17 & 18, 5:45 - 8:45 PM.  For more information call 508/548-7999 or email ccsamaritans@verizon.net.  View flyer.

Elder Suicide Prevention Training for Cape and Islands Communities: November 12, 8:45 AM - 4:30 PM, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 91 West Main Street, Falmouth.  This training is open to all community members and is free of charge.  7.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered for registered Nurses, Social Workers, and Licensed Mental Health Clinicians.  To register, please complete and submit this form.  Space is limited to 15 participants so register today!

Hope Hospice 25th Annual Tree of Memories Ceremonies:  Trees in 19 communities will be adorned with lights and scallop shells inscribed with the names of family and friends being honored and remembered.  View list of dates & locations.

An Evening with Lisa Genova and Michael Verde - Ending the Dis-Ease of Alzheimer's:  Thursday, November 12, 7-9:30 PM at the Chatham Orpheum Theatre.  $35.00 per person to benefit Hope Dementia & Alzheimer's Services.

18th Annual Dementia & Alzheimer's Awareness Conference - Adapting & Planning for Disease Progression:  Friday, November 13, 8 AM - 3:30 PM at the Double Tree by Hilton Cape Cod, Hyannis.  Tuition $125.00 includes materials, breakfast, lunch and CEs.

Read more  about the announcements above. 

Stable Path: 23 year round affordable rental homes, studio/efficiency, one, two and three bedrooms, in Provincetown.  Available Spring 2016.  Three tiers of Income Eligibility apply based on household income as a percentage of Area Median Income (AMI).  Rental Subsidy Vouchers welcome.  Income and household size restrictions apply.

Information sessions will be held at Veteran's Memorial Community Center, 2 Mayflower Street, Provincetown on Saturday, November 14 at 11:30 AM and Wednesday, November 18 at 5:30 PM.  Read more.....  

Completed applications must be postmarked by U.S. Mail no later than Tuesday, January 5, 2016.

Stable Path is currently a construction site and only authorized personnel are allowed on site.

SAVE THE DATE

Cape Cod Family Services First Annual Showcase scheduled for November 18, 2016 from 4-6:00 PM.  A free opportunity to meet other Cape Cod Providers servicing families and children, share services available to Cape Cod families, explore possible opportunities for collaboration, and discuss the intricacies of serving families on Cape Cod.

Call the Cape Cod Family Resource Center at 508/862-0600 for more information.  View flyer.

Dance in the Rain Whole Person Approach Peer to Peer Services presents it's 2nd Annual Coffee House Fundraising Event "Underground Asylum" on Thursday, November 19, 5:30 - 9:00 PM at the Doubletree Inn - Vine Room, Route 28 in Hyannis.

An evening of challenging stigma through community engagement.  This important community event will raise the awareness of life with mental health challenges and how it affects the community as a whole.  Mental health weaves a web of destruction destroying individuals, tearing families apart and challenging the community as a whole.  View flyer for more information.

Play & Learn Groups: Free for families with children birth to school age.  December is drop-in month and register for winter groups.  For more information call 508/548-0151 x172.

Annual Dance with Toe Jam Puppet Band concert, Pie/Bake Sale, & Storywalk:  Saturday, November 21, Mullen-Hall School, Falmouth.  Doors open at 9:00 AM, concert at 9:30 AM, Storywalk begins at 10:30 AM.

Holiday Help:  Consider starting a family tradition by giving to the Falmouth Service Center for a community members in need.  On Sunday, November 22nd from noon to 4:00 PM you can drop off frozen turkeys and/or all the Thanksgiving fixings.  Questions call 508/548-2794.

Fundamentals of Effective Parenting: Free eight week workshop begins January 21 for parents with children ages 1-6.

For more great offerings from the Coalition for Children view the November/December newsletter .

Homicide Victims Program:  A new program recently launched provides specialized counseling for survivors of homicide victims.

Holiday Giving Program:  Thanksgiving program provides a full Thanksgiving meal to clients in need.  December holiday giving program provides gifts for clients and their children who financially are unable to provide these items for their family. Please contact Independence House to make donation arrangements at 508/771-6507.

Alternative Gift Fairs:  An alternative gift fair (or gift market) is a unique shopping experience that provides opportunities to purchase donations as gifts from non-profit organizations.  Fairs will be held on November 14 & 15 at Unitarian Church of Barnstable and St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Falmouth.

Visit the Independence House website for more information.

Teddy Bear Breakfast will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2015, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at Clancy's Restaurant, 8 Upper County Rd., Dennisport to support Independence House programs.  Breakfast includes a plus new teddy bear, a photo & visit with Santa and his elves, and a Belgian Waffle decorating station.  Adults are $20 and children $15.  Advance reservations required.  Reserve your spot online or by calling 508/771-6507 x221. View flyer.

Please consider the holiday giving season and bring a non-perishable food item for the Independence House Food Pantry.

Would you like to adopt a Homeless Prevention Council child o family for the holidays?  This program continues to be a warm and wonderful success thanks to all the community support.  Your gift is up to you ... anything from clothing, toys, a bike, or one special gift.  If you would prefer, you can also send a donation and our "Special Moms" will do the shopping for you!

To join the Adopt-A-Family Program call Maureen Linehan at the Homeless Prevention Council at 508/255-9667 ext 13 or email Maureen@HPCcapecod.org.  Deadline for dropping off gifts is December 7, 2015.  View flyer for more information.

Two New Exciting Courses at Bridgewater State University Cape Cod:  Social Innovation Certificate Program  and Managing a Happy and Effective Volunteer Program.

Call for Gingerbread Entries:  Heritage Museums & Gardens invites professional bakers, bakeries, restaurants and student culinary organizations to display gingerbread creations during the holiday celebration, Gardens Aglow.  This event occurs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 4:30 - 8:30 PM beginning November 27 and concluding December 27, 2015. View more details.  Print application. 

The deadline to apply for grants through the Falmouth Fund is Tuesday, December 15, 2015.  The technical assistance scheduled for November 3rd was cancelled but applicants are encouraged to contact Dara Bryan with questions about the grant process.

Recipients of the grants must be 501(c)(3) organizations and serve the residents of Falmouth.  Visit the Cape Cod Foundation website for grant guidelines and access to online applications.  Grant recipients will be notified within three months of the December 15th deadline.

Becoming a parent is a major change that affects every aspect of life.  It is normal to feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and sensitive as you learn about motherhood, especially in the first few weeks.  However, if the troubles with adjusting to your new role persist, getting information and help as soon as possible will make a big difference in your ability to cope.

Postpartum depression can happen to anyone regardless of work status, marital status, number of children, or mental health history.  Both men and women can experience postpartum depression.  View brochure for more information and resources list.

Health Resources in Action officially launched it's Working on Wellness program.  Working on Wellness is Massachusetts' newest initiative to support employers in implementing comprehensive, evidence-based worksite health initiatives.  The program specifically aims to reach businesses or organizations that are smaller, have low-wage workers, and do not have the internal capacity to implement a comprehensive wellness program.

Working on Wellness offers organizations support from experts, an online learning community that offers opportunities for collaboration, and financial resources to help launch a program.  Read more.....

The Cape and Islands Workforce Investment Board (WIB) provides a wide range of services to young people in the region, our "emerging workforce".  Anything that can assist an individual to maximize their understanding of themselves, their skills, talents and how they match up with existing jobs will help when it is time to pick a career. 

WIB runs a number of programs that provide the emerging workforce with information and hands on experience in the workplace such as:  School to Careers, ArtWorks, Leadership Academy, Residential Construction Career Day, Youthworks Program and more.  Click here for more information.