Canton and Watertown, N.Y. – Jefferson and St. Lawrence County Directors of Community Services are pleased to announce the launch of their new “Network of Care” websites – websites that will provide individuals, families and providers easy online access to information about mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services in the region. The counties contracted with North Country Management Services to coordinate site development with Trilogy Integrated Services, the California-based company that developed “Network of Care.” The new websites, found at www.northcountrynetworkofcare.org, went “live” on May 22, 2007.
At press conferences held May 22nd in Canton and May 23rd in Watertown, Larry Tingley, Jefferson County Director of Community Services (DCS), and Ruth Ayen, DCS in St. Lawrence County, introduced their new Network of Care sites. “Whether a consumer looking for services or a provider wanting to stay informed, the “Network of Care” is a powerful tool to have available,” Tingley and Ayen stated. Jacqueline Zimmer, National Sales Manager for Trilogy, went on to explain that the new county websites feature a comprehensive, county-specific service directory; political advocacy updates; an online mental health/substance abuse resource library; links to mental health websites nationwide; important information to help link individuals to support groups and personal advocacy resources in the community; and a repository of evidence-based best practices.
Also attending the meetings were several local behavioral health providers and consumers who were given a special sneak preview of the new sites. William Bowman, Executive Director of the Alcohol & Substance Abuse Council, and Kim Smith, a Jefferson County resident shared their impressions of the new site. Daphne Pickert, Executive Director for the NYSARC in St. Lawrence County also commented. All shared how pleased they are to have this new resource available.
Start-up of these new websites was made possible with a grant through Senator James W. Wright’s office. Each county contracted with North Country Management Services, LLC, to coordinate site development with Trilogy Integrated Services, a company dedicated to improving information and communication in the health and social service fields at the community level. North Country Management Services was established in 2001 to provide administrative and project support services to North Country Behavioral Healthcare Network members and other organizations.