The OCCS mission is to build collaborative solutions that increase health equity and improve the health and wellbeing of all Outer Cape residents through education, advocacy, and collective action.
We do this by helping people understand local resources, working with partners to solve systemic challenges, strengthening relationships across agencies, and advocating for expanded resources at the local and state level.
In 2024, OCCS began organizing its work through a Community Health Improvement Plan, or CHIP, which identifies seven priority areas of concern in our community.
- Transportation & Mobility
- Food Access & Nutrition
- Healthcare Access & Workforce
- Housing Stability & Affordability
- Resource Navigation & Community Access
- Community Belonging & Social Connection
- Behavioral Health & Substance Use
These issues are deeply connected. Each one needs focused attention, but long-term change also requires looking at them together.
At the core of this work is a commitment to designing programs and resources with underserved community members in mind, including but not limited to:
- Children and Families
- Older Adults
- People with Disabilities
- Non-English Speakers
- Immigrant community members
- Seasonal Workers
We recognize that these are not the only issues community members face, but they are some of the most common and connected challenges affecting health and wellbeing on the Outer Cape. This work requires OCCS to consistently ask three questions:
Are we helping collect, clarify, and improve access to resources across all seven priority areas?
Are we helping build stronger relationships, trust, and connection among partners and community members?
Are we creating more consistent, useful ways for partners and community members to understand what exists, who does what, and where to go for support?
OCCS is in the process of creating a report on the Community Health Improvement Plan that defines the different ways our local partners are working to address these seven priority areas and reflect on these questions. This work will continue to evolve over time, with regular review and updates based on shifting needs, partner feedback, and what we are learning from real-time efforts in the community.
Stay tuned for this report in 2026.