Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have a connection from New Brunswick:

It is easy for anyone to get down during COVID. For people who have already been struggling with mental health, the burden can become too heavy. That’s why having a phone line like 211 is so important.

A woman called 211 and told the Service Navigator that she needed help immediately. She shared that she has mental health issues and felt that she just couldn’t cope. She was so overwhelmed that she did not know where to turn.

The 211 Service Navigator made sure that the caller was not in immediate danger of hurting herself. Once she knew that the caller was safe, she worked with the caller to decide what kind of service would help the most. Together, they decided that a mental health crisis line was the best option – the caller needed help right away.

The Service Navigator asked if they could call the crisis line together to make sure the caller got through. The caller liked that idea; she didn’t want to feel alone. Before making the call to the crisis line, the Service Navigator made sure the caller had the contact number to the crisis line and knew that she could call 211 again anytime if she needed more assistance. The Service Navigator explained the situation to the crisis line worker and connected the caller to the line.