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New Canaan commission discusses single point of entry for health and human services
Summary
Members of the Health and Human Services Commission discussed creating a clear, widely publicized single point of entry (phone, website or app) and 24/7 navigator options to make town services easier to find and use.
Members of the New Canaan Health and Human Services Commission said Thursday they want a clearer, easier way for residents to find help from the town's human services and affiliated nonprofits, and discussed options including a single phone number, a click-through website tool and a 24/7 navigator app.
The commission's chair framed the discussion as part of a broader effort to define priorities for the health department and human services work: “the framework that, we're sort of thinking about is breaking the priorities into a couple different areas,” the chair said as the meeting opened.
Commissioners and other participants described repeated examples of residents who do not know where to call when they need help with utilities, housing, child services or behavioral health. One member said, “I would have always liked to say ... a 1 number, you know, a +1 800 number or something of that nature that is not for 911 calls,” to serve as a single point of entry for the town's services.
Participants discussed several concrete options: a single marketed phone number, a user-friendly website that asks people what they need and then populates the specific contact, QR codes posted around town so residents can find resources when they need them, and a downloadable app with a one‑touch navigator.
Waveny — which operates programs mentioned in the meeting — was offered as an example: a participant described an existing Waveny app used for caregiver support and Alzheimer's/dementia navigation and said that program “is free of charge for any, anyone in New Canaan.” Commissioners noted that a model already exists locally but that broader promotion and staffing, including on-call rotations and well-trained call-takers, would be required if a townwide version were created.
Speakers also suggested nonprofit partnerships to extend hours and coverage, and emphasized that any 24/7 solution would need clear flip charts or scripts so callers are not passed to voicemail or left without immediate guidance. The group discussed marketing channels they believe reach different populations in New Canaan — for example, New Canaan Moms, the New Canaanite, the library and Waveny — and recommended placing visible, easy-to-use materials in community locations so people notice them when they need help.
The commissioners did not adopt a formal motion but directed staff and volunteer leads to continue developing the proposal and to produce a draft priority document for the full commission to review in coming months.
For now, the next steps are staff follow-up and small working groups to scope cost, hand-off protocols (who takes an after‑hours call), and a marketing plan that includes both digital and physical distribution points.
