Advocates, on behalf of Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest, was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from The Parmenter Foundation to support its Navigation Line, a phone service that connects area residents with social service and mental health resources.
BHPMW’s Navigation Line was founded in July 2017 in response to community feedback that it was difficult to know how to access needed services. The Navigation Line has proven popular, receiving approximately 850 calls in just the past year. Upon calling, local residents are connected with Care Navigators who speak their primary language and who are up-to-date on available resources. Care Navigators assess callers’ mental health, substance use, medical, and basic needs such as food and housing. They then match callers to appropriate service providers, schedule appointments, and provide follow-up support. The Navigation Line is one of the supports offered by MetroWest Care Connection, the community health hub operated by BHPMW.
“We are grateful for The Parmenter Foundation’s unwavering commitment to our program for the sixth consecutive year,” says Anne Pelletier Parker, executive director of BHPMW. “The Foundation’s investment in the well-being of local residents makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives each day.”
The Parmenter Foundation, with its focus on supporting local residents through their grief processes, has supported the Navigation Line since its founding. With this year’s grant, the Foundation recognized the increased demand for grief-related and other mental health services in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Navigation Line’s growing reputation among local residents whose primary language is not English. The grant specifically supports retention of Navigation Line staff who speak Portuguese and Spanish, as 40% of callers identify as Hispanic or Latinx.
This support for Spanish and Portuguese-language services is already having an impact. One caller, who was referred to the Navigation Line by their primary care physician, remarked, “I was very impressed that the person…spoke my language. She explained the services that I could get and connected me so quickly with someone that also spoke Portuguese. I am very grateful.”
“We know that there is a great deal of grief in our community and for many, the Navigation Line is their first step to receiving the critical mental healthcare they need, in a reasonable amount of time. Supporting this access for our community is a priority for Parmenter and essential for the wellbeing of so many of our neighbors. We are so grateful that BHPMW has collaboratively, innovatively, and successfully established this caring and very important program,” says Angela Crocker, executive director of The Parmenter Foundation.
If you or someone you know would benefit from the services of the Navigation Line, please call (844) 528-6800 and someone will answer or return your call within one business day.
