AGENCIES

Durham is resource rich.

Community health and human service agencies help feed the community garden. With their help, babies can grow tall and strong and blossom into healthy children. Durham Connects can help match families with the right resources and help agencies connect with the community. How can mom find breastfeeding support, dad a parenting class, or Grandma childcare resources? Durham’s Network of Care agencies are here to assist.

Agency participation and referral is at the core of Durham Connects success. Durham Connects has created an exhaustive list of agencies serving residents with children 0-5 years of age. The information is shared with the Network of Care to produce a seamless public database. Durham Connects’ nurses use this list extensively while visiting new parents to make referrals and provide services.

At times, Durham Connects nurses will follow-up with agencies to ensure that families have taken advantage of the services provided. All families are asked to sign a release of information allowing the nurse to correspond with agencies and pediatricians.

It is Durham Connects’ goal to evenly distribute referrals and to never overcrowd or over extend a community resource. Agencies are encouraged to communicate regularly with the Office of Community Resources to discuss appropriateness of referrals, capacity issues or other areas of concern.

Durham Connects collects referral data to identify trends in new parent demand. This information may be useful to agencies in justifying increases in funding or reallocation of existing funds. In some cases Durham Connects may identify gaps in service, in which it will strive to fill.

To contact the Office of Community Resources, please call 919-668-3295.