Peggy Revell
Rainy River District residents eventually will be able to dial “2-1-1” to access information on the various services available to them here.
“2-1-1 is similar to 4-1-1,” Trudy McCormick, executive director of the Northwest Community Legal Clinic, said about the service, which has a “multitude of aspects.”
“The idea is that 2-1-1 is a central collection of up to date information about services available in a community,” she explained.
2-1-1 began in the United States a number of years ago and now has spread to a number of cities and communities in Canada, McCormick noted, adding the McGuinty government has made it a priority to “blanket the province” with 2-1-1.
The Lakehead Social Planning Council in Thunder Bay received the contract to make 2-1-1 happen in Northern Ontario, said McCormick, and has created 2-1-1 Ontario North.
The Northwest Community Legal Clinic has signed on to be what’s called a database partner—meaning it will be updating, collecting, and putting information into the 2-1-1 program and database for the Kenora and Rainy River districts.
While dialing 2-1-1 to access the services currently is only available in Thunder Bay District, it is available to district residents who call the toll-free number at 1-866-624-1729.
McCormick said they are looking at “flipping the switch” for Rainy River District later this year—possibly in September—but doing this requires setting up a partnership with Bell.
By dialing 2-1-1, people can talk to an operator who has on hand all the information in the database.
The 2-1-1 operators who answer the phone and deal with the database are trained and qualified information and referral specialists, McCormick noted
For example, someone can use 2-1-1 if they have applied for welfare and been denied, and now need to know where to go to for help, she explained.
“So they will talk to [the operator]—kind of like here at the clinic.
“When somebody comes in, they may think that they have one issue, like the person who has been denied welfare, but you may find out in the conversation they may also not have any food [so] you refer them to [a program],” she added.
“It’s more than just a quick, ‘Hey, I need the number for. . . .’ It’s an information and referral service,” McCormick stressed.
“It’s all about connections and communication, and that if someone makes contact with an agency, they don’t end up with what we call referral fatigue,” she reiterated, explaining that people sometimes can get bounced around from agency to agency when looking for help, which can be a frustrating experience.
“So the concept of 2-1-1 is that we all have one place to look that’s got good, up to date data about how to contact people and what exactly it is that they do at their organization,” she said, adding that it’s not only helpful to individuals but to other service providers looking to help their clients.
The service also is available online at www.211north.ca
“There are some things that only a 2-1-1 operator can see, but it’s searchable by people in the community,” McCormick noted. “If I’m somebody sitting in the Victim Services office [and] somebody across the desk from me is looking for some kind of funding for medical travel, I could go to the 2-1-1 database and see what’s there.
“Or if I needed to contact a sister agency in Kenora, I could go to the 2-1-1 database and theoretically I’m going to get current contact information there.”
In an emergency, 2-1-1 also becomes an alternate number for everything other than police, fire, and ambulance, McCormick said.
“So, for example, when we had the flooding here three, four years ago, 2-1-1 would have become an alternate number for people to call and say, ‘Is my road closed right now? Where do I get sandbags? Where can I go for shelter? What’s the phone number for the flood helpline?’” she explained.
“So that takes the pressure off the phone operators for the emergency services.”
McCormick stressed one important aspect of 2-1-1 is that it is an ongoing commitment.
“It’s not that we put all of the information in this month and leave it, so that if [I] leave the legal clinic, [my] name is still in the database.
“The idea is that you update it at least once every 12 months.”
This means the legal clinic will be having ongoing contact with organizations to ensure the information in the database is current.
With the 2-1-1 service already active in Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, McCormick said everyone she’s talked to about it has been “very excited.”
“Service providers are thrilled because we all struggle with ‘How do you get good information for clients?’” she reasoned.
“And to have it all in one place.
“I know here in town there was a group looking at doing a resource directory, but what we’re doing now, instead, is putting our energies towards getting the information into the 2-1-1 database.”
The legal clinic staff attended training last week, and from there will start updating the database’s records for the Kenora and Rainy River districts, McCormick said.
For agencies who should be listed with 2-1-1, she suggested they first check the website to see what information is currently there and then contact the Northwest Community Legal Clinic (274-5327) to ensure any needed information is added.
“I’ve been told there’s a need for information from First Nations’ agencies—for social services and stuff from each of the First Nations, so we’ll be looking to add that to the database,” McCormick noted.
“So hopefully as the months go by, we will strengthen the database information for Kenora-Rainy River.
“It’s a really awesome thing and the more people hear about it, the more people access it, the better it will be,” she enthused.
