Open Door Social Services
287 State Street
Springfield MA 01105
Ph: (413) 737-7062
Fax: (413) 746-2297
Email: opendoor@openpantry.org
Contact: Theresa O'Connor, Program Director
Open Pantry's Open Door Social Services program provides case management, housing search assistance, and medical, mental health, and substance abuse referrals for homeless people living in area shelters, on the streets, or temporarily doubled up with friends or relatives. Open Door provided case management services to nearly 1,269 people in 2007. Although many people are referred to Open Door through a network of human service agencies, the majority of people are self-referred.
Open Door social workers complete an assessment with each person to identify individual needs and problems. The assessment serves as a tool for the social worker to develop an individualized service plan with the client to address needs and problems. The needs are often basic: food, shelter, clothing, etc. Problems may include chronic substance abuse, mental health issues, illiteracy, or unemployment.
Open Door social workers provide a variety of services in relation to individualized service plans. They assist people in meeting basic needs, accessing entitlement benefits, connecting with vocational rehabilitation and employment programs, understanding letters they receive, filling out forms, sending for birth certificates. Clients can make necessary phone calls and receive mail at our office. Oftentimes, assisting homeless individuals with small, practical services leads them to develop a trusting relationship with a social worker who can then begin to assist them with more fundamental, underlying problems. Our social workers provide supportive counseling in an individualized, therapeutic manner to elicit solutions and decisions from clients, in order to implement a service plan. Crisis intervention and advocacy services are also provided. Our bilingual staff makes these services available in both English and Spanish.
Open Door staff work in conjunction with Open Pantry's other programs and local agencies to provide comprehensive services for clients. Referrals are made so people can obtain shelter, permanent housing, health care, mental health and substance abuse treatment.
The services provided by Open Door Social Services are essential in assisting people in need.
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