HEROES: From the Crises Line /211 Director

Judi Hampshire, LMFT*, Crises Line/211 Director, Contra Costa County Crises Center, sent us this information --- to expand upon the blog article, here, entitled, "TO SAVE THIS WORLD, WE NEED EVERY HERO WE CAN GET -- 211."  Thank you, Judi Hampshire-- for everything!

*LMFT = Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
[A gentle profession to grace the world]

2-1-1:

People know to call 911 for emergencies, 411 for directory assistance, and 511 for traffic information. Now, you can call 211 for assistance when you need help or a friend needs help, and you don’t know where to turn. 211 is information and referral for health and human services.

Available 24/7 in 150 languages, the 211 referral line connects callers with programs to aid in accessing food pantries, food stamps, shelter, affordable housing options, employment programs, treatment for addiction, health care, senior services, child care, legal aid, volunteer opportunities, and more. The support callers receive from trained specialists empowers them to more easily navigate a confusing maze of services. 

Instead of multiple calls leading nowhere, with one call to 211, people can reach a trained specialist who will assess a caller’s full scope of needs and explore what services might be available to address those needs in their community.

211 is also there during times of disaster, providing critical information about evacuation routes, food, and shelter. As of October 2011, 211 serves over 260 million Americans (more than 86.6% of the entire population) in all 50 states (including 37 states with 90%+ coverage) plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico.  In Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Crisis Centerruns the 211 program for the community. Our website is www.crisis-center.org. More information can be found about 211 across the US at www.211us.org.

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David-You may wish to add a separate section for the Crisis Center and the crisis lines-24/7 access for people coping with overwhelming problems and stress, relationship issues, mental health and physical health concerns, grief and loss, thoughts of suicide. Trained and compassionate staff and volunteers are available to provide support, explore problem-solving options, and enhance safety and connectedness when the burdens of life feel intolerable.

Yes, Judi, I certainly shall!

Tags: "Homelessness, Human Crises, Philosophy, MENTOR"