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

Newfoundland and Labrador:

211 Service Navigators are there to help any callers who need help finding their way around the Canadian human service system – even for callers who are not in Canada.

A woman from the Suicide Hotline in the United States called 211. She had recently had a person call from St. John’s who said that he had a disability, could not take care of himself, and only had support services for a limited amount of hours per week. He had stated that he needed to get someone to help him, but had disconnected the call. Because of certain statements that the man had made during his call to the hotline, the caller was concerned that this person might hurt himself. The caller reached out to 211 because she was unsure of how to proceed with her concerns because she did not know the procedures for calls like this in Canada.

The 211 Service Navigator assessed the situation. She asked what, if any, contact information the caller had about the man who had called her. The caller only had the person’s phone number, not their name or address.

The Service Navigator discussed the situation further with the caller, and determined that connecting with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) for a possible wellness check to confirm that the individual was safe was the best option. With the caller’s permission, the caller was connected directly to the RNC phone line after the 211 Service Navigator had explained the situation to them.

 

New Brunswick:

In complex situations, 211 Service Navigators will thoroughly assess needs, and ensure that the client gets the help they need in the moment, and in the long term.

A 211 Service Navigator took a call from a senior who was in desperate need of food and continence supplies. She explained that she had no support and fell off her bed a few days before, and she was still hurting. She had not eaten in two days and had no continence supplies left.

The Service Navigator assessed the situation to see if an ambulance would be needed. She probed to see if the caller needed medical attention. The caller said that she was healing and did not need a doctor.

The 211 Service Navigator brainstormed with the caller for solutions. The Service Navigator tried to see if the caller could have help from friends or family, or if there was another agency already involved with her that could help. The caller said she had received a food delivery before, but could not remember the name of the agency. The caller also stated that she was being verbally abused by her adult child.

The 211 Service Navigator provided advocacy with the client’s permission. With all the information the client gave, a report to Adult Protection was made to ensure that the client was safe. The Service Navigator called different agencies and was able to secure a delivery for food and continence supplies for the caller. The Service Navigator called the client and let her know that she would be receiving a delivery of food and supplies within a few hours, and that a social worker would be contacting her about her well-being or visiting her. The caller was relieved that she would be receiving help.