Medfield Gets $5K Grant For Post Pandemic Mental Health Services

MEDFIELD, MA — Medfield received a $5,000 grant from the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office to support mental health services following the coronavirus pandemic.

Medfield was one of 15 towns in Norfolk County to receive the grant.

"We try to target our community reinvestment dollars where our towns identify the greatest need," District Attorney Michael Morrissey said. "Coming out of the pandemic year, our partners in the schools and town governments have made it very clear that the deepest need is mental health support and services."

Medfield opted for the William James College Interface Referral Program. The program, created by William James College in Newton, offers a mental health helpline staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Through the helpline, callers can receive mental health consultations, resources and referral from mental health professionals to outpatient practitioners.

"We offered communities three set programs or the ability to propose their own," Morrissey said. "The William James program provides communities with access to a helpline connecting callers with clinicians. Those clinicians conduct a confidential intake and needs assessment, then match the caller with a local clinician who can address those needs. Weeks later they follow up to assure the match works."

Past projects funded by the district attorney's office with community grants include community service dogs, school safety grants, training for school personnel, and prescription drug collection containers, including the one in the Medfield Public Safety Building.

"This year our communities are consistently worried about the emotional well-being of students in particular, but the entire population," Morrissey said.