About the DCC
The Division of Community Care (DCC) is a public health-led, public safety initiative in the City of Northampton, MA. DCC Community Responders provide non-clinical crisis support and unarmed mobile response for community members who need immediate help with nonviolent mental health challenges or quality of life concerns, and connect people to immediate and long-term resources. The Division of Community Care (DCC) is a public health-led, public safety initiative in the City of Northampton, MA. DCC Community Responders provide non-clinical crisis support and unarmed mobile response for community members who need immediate help with nonviolent mental health challenges or quality of life concerns, and connect people to immediate and long-term resources.
DCC Program Highlights
The DCC Community Space
The DCC Community Space provides a safe, supportive environment where individuals can stabilize during challenging moments, access resources, and connect with ongoing support services, reinforcing the DCC’s commitment to holistic care.
Proactive Community Outreach
DCC Community Responders actively engage in outreach efforts to prevent crises and provide early assistance to individuals at risk.
Prevention-Focused Support
The DCC plays a crucial role in prevention by proactively addressing the root causes of crises, offering resources for mental health, substance use, and housing stability before emergencies arise.
Public Transportation Assistance
In partnership with Craig’s Doors, the DCC helped community members access free day passes for PVTA, improving mobility and access to essential services.
Conflict Resolution and Safety Services
The DCC has effectively delivered conflict resolution, de-escalation services, wellness checks, and community safety interventions, creating a safer environment for Northampton residents.
Multi-Agency Collaboration
The DCC has formed strong partnerships with local organizations such as Craig’s Doors, MANNA, Eliot Homeless Services, Hilltown Health Care, Clinical Support Options, and Tapestry. These partnerships help deliver comprehensive support in areas like healthcare, shelter, harm eeduction, and mental health services.
Personalized Wellness Checks
DCC’s Community Responders are skilled in providing wellness checks focused to individual needs, ensuring people receive the helpthey need promptly.
Harm Reduction Collaboration
The DCC works with Tapestry, a leading local organization, to offer harm reduction services, demonstrating a commitment to public health and substance use nitiatives.
Community Voice Inclusivity and Listening Sessions
The DCC’s approach is based on a commitment to cultural humility, health equity, and trauma-informed care, ensuring services are inclusive, respectful, and sensitive to the diverse needs of Northampton’s community.
Emergency Food and Clothing Vouchers
In 2024, the DCC issued 104 emergency food and clothing vouchers through the Salvation Army, offering immediate relief to those in urgent need.
Connecting Community Members to Resources
DCC has been instrumental in connecting community members to vital services, from mental health support to assistance with basic needs, ensuring equitable access to resources.
Public Health Leadership
DHHS is dedicated to protecting, promoting, and improving the health and well-being of all residents through science-based practices. With core values of equity, trust, service, and partnership. DHHS strives for fair treatment, mutual respect, and community strength, addressing social determinants and enhancing policies for community wellness.
Our Services and What We Offer
The Division of Community Care (DCC) responds to calls for those experiencing emotional distress, conflict, challenges meeting basic needs, houselessness, substance use concerns, and other difficulties. The DCC works to reduce the disparities and risks individuals face, promoting equitable health outcomes across the Northampton community. These efforts aim to minimize intersections with the criminal justice system, address gaps in care, and alleviate burdens on healthcare and emergency department capacities.
The DCC receives non-violent, non-medical referrals from Northampton Public Safety Dispatch in addition to calls from community members, local businesses, and partner organizations.
Our team collaborates across all six divisions within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to ensure holistic care and a seamless continuum of support. These divisions include:
Additionally, DHHS facilitates community education programs, outreach initiatives, and prevention strategies to address and mitigate the root causes of crises, ensuring a proactive approach to community well-being.
The DCC also operates a welcoming community space where people can access essential services and connect with others in a supportive environment.
Partnerships
The DCC is proud to work in partnership with many other dedicated organizations in support of community members. Following are some of our key partners:
MANNA Community Kitchen offers prepared gourmet community meals four days a week. MANNA Community Center is a place people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity can go to access everyday necessities.
Clinical & Support Options (CSO) offers behavioral health and family support services, emergency and crisis stabilization services, and housing and homelessness resources, including emergency shelters, in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties.
Craig's Doors is a human services organization that provides vulnerable and unhoused members of our community with emergency shelter, food, and safety, as well as access to the resources they need to achieve physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.
Eliot Community Human Services
Eliot Community Human Services (Eliot) is committed to serving the most vulnerable of populations. Eliot offers care coordination and child, youth, and family support services, as well as services for adults that include behavioral health, counseling and psychiatric services, homeless services, and developmental disability and brain injury programming.
Community Legal Aid (CLA) provides free civil legal services to low-income and elderly residents of Central and Western Massachusetts. CLA practice areas including housign and homelessness, employment and government benefits, family law and domestic abuse, elder law, veterans services, education law, and CORI/re-renty.
https://www.tapestryhealth.org/
Tapestry Health provides comprehensive community-based healthcare for adults, teens and children. Services include sexual reproductive health, harm reduction, community education, and food access and family nutrition.
Hilltown Community Health Center
Hilltown Community Health Center (HCHC) provides accessible, affordable healthcare services to ensure the health of all Hilltown residents. HCHC offers a range of community programs and services to connect patients and their families to resources, education, and assistance.