When I lost my job, I thought my world was falling apart. 211 helped me organize my thoughts and gave me the numbers of places I could call to get help.

Paul

 

 

Out of 12,356 calls reported on 211 in the second quarter (April 1st to June 30th, 2009) there were 33 unmet needs recorded. Out of 11,844 calls reported in the third quarter (July 1st – September 30th, 2009) there were 42 unmet needs recorded. This is a decrease from 64 unmet needs calls in the first quarter of 2009. Consistent with past reports, the top unmet needs were for Housing (26-33%). However, for the first time, Personal Financial, Domestic Violence and In Home Assistance all ranked just behind Housing. If you combine all of the basic needs (housing, health, food, clothing) this accounts for 39-41% of the unmet needs in these quarters.

 

On 211, we often hear from parents whose teens are ‘out of control’ with violent and defiant behaviors. There are few support groups available for these teens or their families and long wait lists to see affordable mental health professionals. Sometimes their needs resemble those of adults but they do not qualify to access adult services. Anger management courses are not appropriate in many cases, as the situation has often escalated to abuse. Parents feel frustrated by the lack of resources or options available to them. Authorities are unable to remove children who abuse their families from the home and there seems to be a lack of intervention support services available for older youth from about 14-15 years and up.

 

In the last year or so, 211 has heard from abusive parents and guardians who were mandated by the court system to seek out and attend a “Family Violence Course” before they are allowed to regain custody. The type of psycho-education training for abusive parents the courts are suggesting does not readily exist. Most of the current training available in our area is geared towards community workers to teach them how to respond to clients in family violence situations. It can be frustrating for clients and workers alike to be expected to fulfill a request when the tools and resources are not available.      

 

Affordable and accessible mental health services for youth remains a challenge in our community. We have heard from some callers that they cannot find affordable supports for issues like ADHD and self-harm (for both youth and adults). Specifically, programs of The Support Network (211’s parent agency), have heard for years about the lack of resources for those who self-harm. Self-harm is an addiction that is increasing amongst youth at an alarming rate. Currently, the only public supports available for those who self-harm are nationwide internet groups. The only option for treatment is to seek the help of a registered professional, and often this is not financially accessible. Affordable supports and treatment options for clients are needed. 

 

For community workers to have a more thorough understanding of self-harm, The Support Network now offers a two hour workshop dedicated to this topic. Please see our website: www.thesupportnetwork.com under Education and Training for more information.