Untangle Life’s Challenges

1. Untangle Life’s Challenges Presentation for Crime Prevention Ottawa November 4, 2009

2. Ontario’s Human Services System • Services are funded by all levels of government • Federal • Provincial • Municipal services • Non profit and charitable organizations • Formal and informal community networks • Business services • One time and seasonal programs

3. Comment peut-on trouver des services? • Internet, répertoire téléphonique, dépliants… • Au niveau fédéral – Service Canada • Au niveau provincial – Service Ontario • Au niveau municipal – 311 • Organismes à but non lucratifs • Réseaux formelles et informelles • Programmes saisonniers et programmes où les gens ont accès aux services qu’une seule fois

4. Barriers in accessing services • Access to a phone or Internet • Out of date information • Frustration or confusion with automated telephone systems and lengthy hold times • Language and culture • Literacy and education • Addiction and mental health • Social isolation and poverty

5. Information et aiguillage • Compréhensif : ex. Centres d’information communautaires • Information et aiguillage vers plusieurs programmes et services offerts dans la communauté (communautaire, sociaux, santé et gouvernementaux)

6. Information et aiguillage • Spécialisé : ex. les lignes d’information sur les traitements en toxicomanie, les lignes de services de garde d’enfants, les lignes de crises • Service d’information et d’aiguillage pour un groupe en particulier ou qui dessert une région en particulier

7. The Roles of an Information and Referral Counsellor • Information and referral giving • Crisis intervention • Assessing the needs of each caller • Providing support and using active listening techniques • Advocacy and follow-ups • Assisting the client in making the best possible decision and providing them with three referrals, if possible • Assessing the client’s resources with regards to accessing services • Assessing the client’s informal resources • Identifying service gaps and ways to fulfill those gaps

8. A Service offered by the Community Information Centre of Ottawa

9. N11 Dialing Codes 211 – public information & referral services 311 - non-emergency municipal government services 411 - directory assistance 511 – weather and traveler information 611 - telephone company repair service 711 - message relay for telephone devices for the hearing impaired 811 - non-urgent health care triage services 911 - emergency services

10. 211 Ontario • eight regional call centres • a coordinated telecommunications ability routes calls, including after-hours and overflow calls, between 211 centres to effectively pool resources • local database partners will collect local data for the regional services

11. 211 Ontario • 211 Toronto - 2002 • 211 Niagara - 2005 • 211 Simcoe County - 2005 • 211 Halton - 2007 • 211 Windsor-Essex - 2007 • 211 Thunder Bay – 2008 • 211 Peel – 2008 • 211 Ottawa – 2008 Since the spring of 2008, 50% of Ontarians (6 million people), have access to 211 services

12. The Community Information Centre of Ottawa • The service provider for 211 • A non-profit organization offering information and referral services to individuals and professionals of Ottawa and the surrounding area • The Community Information Centre of Ottawa is a member of InformOntario, InformCanada and AIRS (Alliance of Information and Referral Systems)

13. The Community Information Centre of Ottawa Other services offered to the community: -The Community Information Bulletin -Custom databases and database leasing -Labels -e-Blue Book and the Répertoire francophone -E-mail Broadcasting Services -Publications including the Directory of Ottawa Community Services (the Blue book) and various lists (list of Christmas Programs in Ottawa, list of free income tax clinics during the tax season, etc.)

14. What is 211? • 211 is an easy-to-remember, three-digit, non-emergency telephone number that connects callers to a full range of community, social, government and health service information • Calls to 211 are answered by bilingual and certified information and referral specialists • 211 is free, confidential and multilingual (150 languages)

15. What is 211? • Information is also available at www.211ontario.ca • Community Reporting: • 211 systematically tracks the reasons residents call & the services they require, producing reports which can be used to identify service gaps, duplication & emerging trends in human services

16. Why call 211? • Community Services (General) • Government • Basic Needs (Food, Shelter, Clothing) • Housing • Health • Education • Financial Assistance • Home Support • Employment

17. Why call 211? • Immigration / Settlement / Citizenship • Legal Services • Recreation • Support Groups / Counselling • Transportation • Child Care • Addictions • Crisis

18. Qui bénéficie du 211 ? • Tout le monde en bénéficie – les individus, les familles et les professionnels aussi bien que les agences communautaires et les gens qui font face à des obstacles causés par leur langue, la pauvreté ou des difficultés personnelles.

19. Who benefits from 211? • Residents: • Easy access to community services (one-stop shopping) either by phone or via the internet • Information is current and accurate • Confidence and capacity building – Allows callers to make informed choices • Overcomes barriers to accessing services • Communication network for public dissemination of information

20. Who benefits from 211? • Agencies: • Reduces # of misdirected calls • Provides access to a comprehensive database of services to assist their clients • Time saved by individuals and organizations • Governments, United Way and other funders: • Data collected from calls to 211 help to identify needs and possible service gaps in communities served • Reduction in the number of 1-800 numbers and other information lines • Reduction in non-emergency calls to 911

21. Who funds 211 in Ottawa? • 211 has been developed in Ottawa through a partnership between the Province of Ontario, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, United Way/Centraide Ottawa and the City of Ottawa • The Community Information Centre of Ottawa is the 211 service provider

22. Public Launch of 211 in Ottawa • 211 operated in soft launch mode from February 2008 – September 2008 • The public launch of 211 in Ottawa took place at UW/CO offices on September 19, 2008 • Minister Madeleine Meilleur took this opportunity to make an official announcement about the Province’s overall support for 211 in Ontario

23. Service Highlights • Top Reasons for Calling • Community Services (General) • Government • Basic Needs (Food, Shelter, Clothing) • Housing • Education • Financial Assistance • Home Support • Gaps in Service Found in the Community • Limited Hours of Operation for Basic Needs (food, clothing, social services) • Community Supports for Specific Populations/Needs • Eligibility Requirements

24. What’s next? • As required by the 211 license agreement, Ottawa will offer service 24/7 • United Way/Centraide Ottawa will continue to be involved in the development of 211 in Eastern Ontario (211 for 613). • It is anticipated that most of the 613 will have access to 211 in 2012 • Francophone Centre of Excellence for Ontario • Public Awareness

25. Questions?