Harwich Health Department

10/23/2026

A Message from Barnstable County Department of Human Services:
⚠️ A new substance is showing up in the local drug supply

Medetomidine — a sedative used to calm animals — is increasingly being found mixed with illegal opioids, including fentanyl, and people may be exposed without knowing it. It is not approved for use in people, and its effects can be serious. It may also be called Rhino Tranq, Dex, Mede, or Tranq.

Watch for:
• Extreme sleepiness or heavy sedation
• Slowed heart rate and low blood pressure
• Difficulty waking someone up
• Effects that last longer than expected

If someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly, call 911 immediately. Give naloxone (Narcan) if available — it can reverse the opioids that may also be present, but it does not reverse medetomidine itself, so emergency care is still essential. Stay with the person and place them on their side if they are unconscious and breathing.

Withdrawal can also be dangerous. Racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, anxiety, restlessness, sweating, shaking, and nausea or vomiting can begin within a day or two of stopping. Please seek medical care rather than trying to manage withdrawal alone, and tell healthcare providers about possible medetomidine exposure.

Reduce your risk:
• Carry Narcan
• Avoid using alone — Never Use Alone hotline: 1-800-484-3731
• Consider drug checking — the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod offers medetomidine test strips at all its locations and an anonymous drug-checking machine in Hyannis: 508-778-1854

Help is available 24/7:
Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline — call or text 800-327-5050, helplinema.org
SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357

Learn more about the risks, withdrawal signs, and local support: https://loom.ly/Y_Wd_00

10/22/2026

Avoid paranormal bag-tivity by keeping plastic bags OUT of your recycling bin. They get stuck in equipment at the materials recovery facility, causing disruptions and safety hazards. Be a plastic bag ghost-buster: 👻🚫 Take them to a retail drop-off location, reuse them, or put them in the trash.

Find a plastic bag drop-off near you: https://nextrex.com/

10/22/2026

In an emergency, if you can't speak, you can still be heard.
• The Silent Call Procedure uses a phone's keypad to communicate with a 911 dispatcher.
• You can also text to 911.
Knowing what to do in an emergency can make all the difference.
Learn more: https://mass.gov/e911

10/20/2026

📣 Help Make Massachusetts Healthier!

Your voice matters! 💙 Take a few minutes to complete the Massachusetts Health Survey and help support public health efforts and improve the health and well-being of our communities.

📝 Take the survey here:
http://www.mass.gov/healthsurvey

Thank you for participating and helping make a difference in public health across Massachusetts!

Take the Community Health Equity Survey!

10/19/2026

10/19/2026

Looking for a way to give back? Consider donating some toiletries to those who need it most- all items will be donated to The Family Pantry of Cape Cod.

10/19/2026

❤️ THANK YOU, HARWICH! ❤️

A huge thank you to everyone who came out for the Home/Live/Ready, and emergency preparedness event hosted by the Harwich Chamber of Commerce and the Harwich Health Department!

We’re grateful to all our vendors, community partners, first responders, and everyone who helped make the event a success despite the weather. Thank you for sharing your time, knowledge, and resources to help our community stay informed, connected, and prepared for emergencies.

🩸 A special thank-you to everyone who supported our successful mobile blood drive! We appreciate all those who donated and helped make this important, life-saving effort possible.

🎶 Despite the rainy weather, attendees enjoyed live music from The Detours and delicious food from our participating food trucks! Thank you to both for helping bring some fun to the day.

Although the weather prevented us from hosting the planned Touch-A-Truck and car show, we’re so thankful to everyone who came out and supported the event.

💙 Preparedness starts with community, and we’re stronger when we work together!

10/07/2026

Garlic has a relatively short root system, so you don’t need super deep pots to grow massive bulbs. Instead, all you need is a container that’s at least 8 to 10 inches deep. Since garlic is generally planted in the fall and overwintered outdoors, it’s important to choose containers that can handle freezing temperatures without cracking.

Both softneck and hardneck garlic varieties grow well in containers. Softneck garlic produces smaller cloves, but more of them. It’s also more heat-tolerant, stores longer, and can be used to create garlic braids. Hardneck garlic produces fewer, larger cloves, yields edible scapes, and is more cold-hardy.

Just avoid using garden soil in container gardens, as it’s too dense for pots and can cause drainage issues and rotted garlic bulbs! Learn more at Almanac.com/growing-garlic-in-containers

10/07/2026

🧠 Your Brain Called. It Wants a Checkup.

Cape Codders are pretty good at maintenance. We winterize our outdoor showers. We shrink wrap our boats. We take care of our homes. But when it comes to our mental health? Sometimes we wait until things start to feel overwhelming.

That’s why Provincetown Health Department, Town of Truro Health & Conservation Department, Town of Wellfleet, Cape Cod ,Eastham, Town of Orleans, MA, Town of Brewster, Cape Cod, Town of Chatham, MA , and Harwich Health Department have teamed up to offer CredibleMind, a FREE and confidential online mental health and wellness resource for residents across the Outer and Lower Cape.

CredibleMind offers science-based articles, videos, podcasts, and self-assessments covering topics like:

🧠 Stress & anxiety
😴 Sleep
💙 Grief
👨‍👩‍👧 Parenting
🌿 Substance use
…and much more.

You can browse anonymously or create an account for personalized recommendations. Individual information and assessment results are not shared with the participating towns.

The best part? There’s no appointment, waiting room, or pressure to know exactly what you’re looking for. Start wherever you are.

🔗 Visit lowercape.crediblemind.com and give your brain a little maintenance, too.

This regional resource is supported through funding from Cape Cod Healthcare, opioid settlement funds, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. CredibleMind is not an emergency or crisis service.

10/05/2026

🍅🎃 Tomatoes, Kale, and a Little Fall Fun! 🎃🍅

There’s an abundance of fresh tomatoes at the People’s Fridge right now! 🍅❤️ If you’re able to use some, stop by the fridge at the Harwich Community Center, 100 Oak Street, and take what you need.

And while you’re there, be sure to check out the fun fall and Halloween decorations around the Community Center! 👻🍂🎃

Fresh produce + a little Halloween spirit = a great reason to stop by!

Take what you need, leave what you can.
One Community. One Fridge. Shared by All. ❤️