Medway Public Schools, with support from the Medway Fire Department, has engaged the services of the William James College INTERFACE Referral Service, a telephone helpline that points callers to mental health and wellness services in their area, effective October 15, 2017. This service is available to all residents of Medway at no cost.
The William James INTERFACE Referral Service aims to help break down the “silos” that exist between various agencies, mental health providers, and systems that can often hinder access to mental health and wellness services for individuals. Through the Helpline that operates Monday-Friday from 9 AM- 5 PM, callers will work with a Resource and Referral Counselor who will help them navigate the challenges of finding mental health services. Each caller will be assigned a lead counselor who will provide matches to services, as well as provide information and resources about mental health and wellness.
The service will also help find a provider who accepts their insurance and is available for new patients.
The INTERFACE website describes the 5 step process:
Intake— When you call, you will speak with a resource and referral counselor and you will be asked to complete a confidential intake. You will be asked for some basic contact information, information about yourself or your child, your insurance information, your or your child’s availability to meet with someone, and general information about what you are concerned about. The length of time to complete the intake varies but should take about 15-20 minutes.
Making a match— After the intake is completed, you will be assigned a case number for your reference in calls with INTERFACE. This is to protect your confidentiality. INTERFACE counselors begin a search for a match by utilizing a tailored search process in the database, as well as other resources to find the service you have requested. Counselor aim to make a “match” based on the insurance or fee requirement you have, the location(s) where you would like to be seen, your availability for an appointment, and the specialty or treatment need you have requested. You can expect that your resource and referral counselor will be in touch with you in the first few business days after your call to update you on the status.
Providing matches— Once a match has been identified, an INTERFACE counselor will call and/or email you the information including the provider’s name, credentials, location, and phone number. The INTERFACE counselor may also provide links to guides on our website that may be helpful, including information about how to choose a mental health provider. The INTERFACE Referral Helpline is committed to making a match within two weeks of receiving the intake, and counselors usually provide you with 2-3 matches.
Following-Up— After you have received the matches, one of the INTERFACE counselors will follow up with you within 2 weeks to see if you have been able to connect with the provider(s), and if so, how it is going. INTERFACE Referral Helpline is committed to honoring your voice and choice, and will follow-up with you until you feel you have found a successful match. The number of times you receive a follow-up may vary depending on how quickly a match is made.
Closing a referral— Once you feel you have found a successful match, the INTERFACE referral counselor will close the referral process with you. However, if you need additional support in the future for other referrals or if the match does not work out for some reason, please know that you can always call the Helpline again.
INTERFACE will provide School and Town officials an orientation session on October 17, 2017.
William James College INTERFACE Helpline
Phone: 888-244-6843
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Online: interface.williamjames.edu