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Support Services

We understand that coping with illness can be overwhelming for you and your family. Every situation has its unique challenges, and we are here to help. We offer support for caregivers as well as interpreter services, counseling services, support groups, and more.

Interpreter Services

The Interpreter Services Department provides trained medical interpreters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help medical staff communicate with limited English proficient (LEP) patients, deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, and their families. 

Contact Interpreter Services

Request an interpreter from your doctor, nurse or other hospital staff member in any Baystate location.

Springfield Building:  Room G-490 413-794-5419
Office hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Baystate Wing Hospital: 413-284-5249, 413-283-7651

Languages and Services

The primary languages other than English spoken in the Baystate Health region are:
  • Spanish
  • Russian
  • Vietnamese
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
Other languages spoken by patients at the hospital include
  • Akan
  • Arabic
  • Bosnian
  • Cambodian
  • French
  • Greek
  • Italian
  • Korean
  • Swahili
    Somalian

We also provide American Sign Language interpreters.  There is also a two-way video system called Deaf Talk that allows a health care professional to speak via a portable TV/video system with a trained sign language interpreter off-site.  Telephonic interpretation is available when face-to-face interpretation is not possible or when a patient calls Baystate Health for information and needs assistance.

On evenings, nights, weekends and holidays, the on-site Spanish interpreter acts as a liaison to all other interpreters and interpreting agencies.

Health Library

The Consumer Health Library, a service of the Baystate Health Sciences Library, provides information for free, by request, for patients and their families. We're working to improve public access to quality medical information so that patients & families can make informed decisions about their health.

Spiritual Services

Our trained professional staff hospital interfaith chaplains offer spiritual care and support to individuals of all faiths or of no particular faith. Specific denominational affiliation is not required to request our services.

Grief Support

Baystate Health offers support for families dealing with loss. Find bereavement support here at Baystate or elsewhere in the community in western Massachusetts. 

Ethics Consultation Service

If you are a Baystate Health patient, family member, or healthcare professional faced with an ethical dilemma, the Ethics Consultation Service is here to help. Learn about how you can use this free service when you're faced with a challenging healthcare situation. 

Social Services

If you or your family have challenges resulting from, or impacting, your medical illness or medical trauma, the Social Work department is here to assist. We can help you with adjusting to illness or injury, dealing with family and interpersonal stressors, and more. Please speak with your nurse or physician to request our support.

We provide

In addition to 24-hour a day, 7-days a week coverage and Emergency Department support for patients and families, we offer services in the following areas.

Counseling interventions and referrals related to:

Adoption
Child and elder abuse
Domestic violence
Drug and alcohol abuse
High-risk newborns
Homelessness
Family & interpersonal conflict
Bereavement
Anxiety
Depression
Other mental health concerns

Support groups can be found in the calendar below.

For financial and insurance concerns: call Patient Accounting (413-794-9999)

Caregiver Communities

Create an Online Caregiving Community

Lotsa Helping Hands is a free web community where you can create a secure site for family, friends, and loved ones to provide support during a medical crisis. You can easily create a private group calendar to help coordinate activities among volunteers including meal delivery, rides, and bedside support. Lotsa Helping Hands is the perfect scheduling tool to help caregivers organize helpers for patients facing long-term or chronic illness.