Outer Cape Health Services Offers New Program For Essential Services

WELLFLEET, MA - As the holiday season approaches and many of Massachusetts’ families battle with financial challenges, Outer Cape Health Services (OCHS), a medical clinic in Wellfleet, is raising awareness for its community resource navigator program. The new, year-round initiative offers residents of the Outer Cape an opportunity to connect with essential services such as housing assistance, food security, employment resources and more.

“The holiday season can be a particularly difficult time for those struggling with basic needs,” said Dr. Damian Archer, CEO of OCHS. His organization is staffed by trained community resource navigators in partnerships with the towns OCHS serves.

Residents of Harwich, Provincetown and Wellfleet can schedule free, one-on-one consultations with OCHS’s team of professionals. They provide assistance in helping individuals apply for benefits such as MassHealth, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and housing aid, as well as helping with referrals to local food pantries, employment services, legal counsel and mental health resources.

“Our goal is to reduce barriers to access and make sure every member of our community can find the support they need,” said Brianne Smith, Director of Behavior Health Services at OCHS.

OCHS was founded in 1987 through a series of mergers between Cape-based health and wellness organizations,and its new program will play an essential role in fulfilling its broader mission of improved health equity across Southeastern Massachusetts.

“We know challenges like food insecurity, homelessness and unemployment traditionally rise during the holiday season,” said Smith. “And we want to ensure no one has to face these difficulties alone.”