Situational Analysis
Simcoe County 211
Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan
Final Report
August 26, 2002
Prepared for
Members of the United Way 211 Steering Committee
by Jonquil Eyre Consulting
For more information:
David Jeffery, Executive Director
United Way of Greater Simcoe County
Ph: 705 726 2301 ext. 26
Email: davidj@unitedwaysimcoecounty.on.ca
Pam Hillier, Executive Director
Community Connection
Ph: 705 444 0040 ext.234
Email: phillier@
This initiative is funded by:
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Contents
1. Executive Summary 3
2. Introduction 13
2.1 Scope and Purpose - 211 Simcoe Study 13
2.2 Information and Referral 13
2.3 Channels to Information and Referral 15
2.4 Opportunities and Benefits of 211 17
2.5 Components of a 211 Service 18
2.6 CRTC Application and 211 Decision 19
2.7 Abbreviated Dialing Codes 21
2.8 Minimum Service Standards 22
2.9 Telecommunications 23
2.10 Call Volume Projections 23
2.11 Human Resource Requirements for a 211 Service 25
2.12 Public Awareness and Communications 25
2.13 Other Communities Planning 211 26
3. Situational Analysis 27
3.1 Accessing Human Service Information 28
3.2 Information and Referral Providers in Simcoe County 29
3.3 Database Records and Data Maintenance 37
3.4 Potential Utility of 211 to Simcoe County 40
3.5 Boundary and Location Considerations 56
3.6 Conceptual Model of Service 68
3.7 Marketing, Promotion and Public Education 74
3.8 Guideline with 911 76
3.9 Calling 211 to Volunteer 77
3.10 Potential Funding Partners for 211 80
4. Business Plan 86
4.1 Vision 86
4.2 Utility of a 211 I&R Service 86
4.3 Call Volume and Staffing 88
4.4 Delivery Model 93
4.5 Telecommunications Technology and Implications 98
4.6 Cost estimates 102
4.7 Approach to Funding 105
4.8 Governance and Accountability 106
5. Recommendations 108
6. Implementation Tasks 109
Appendix 1 Steering Committee Terms of Reference 111
Appendix 2 Community Consultation 113
Appendix 3 Comprehensive Information and Referral Providers 117
Appendix 4 Specialized Information Providers 131
Appendix 5 Call Volume 135
Appendix 6 Exchange Boundary Best Practices 136
Appendix 7 Access for Culturally Diverse Residents 138
Appendix 8 Minimum Standards for Operating a 211 Service 139
Appendix 9 Resources 141
1. Executive Summary
In August 2001 the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), approved the abbreviated dialing code 211 for access to community, social, health and government information and referral. 211 will be rolled out across Canada as communities become ready. The Simcoe County 211 Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan, builds on 211 work completed over the last three years nationally in Canada, in the United States, and in Toronto where the first Canadian 211 service was launched on June 13th, 2002.
The Simcoe County United Way 211 Steering Committee guided the development of the Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan. Chaired by David Jeffery, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Simcoe County, the Steering Committee’s members brought skills and experience in information and referral services, telecommunications, technology, fundraising, community development, communications and human services.[1]
The Feasibility Study set out to determine the anticipated impact of 211 on individuals and agencies, including the value of social reporting. How to approach public education and promotion of 211 and how 211 should be resourced, were two further objectives. The design and model of service, the geographic scope, criteria for service delivery, protocols that should be in place were explored. Another objective was to better understand the value and appropriateness of promoting 211 as the number to call to volunteer. A final objective was to identify an appropriate accountability framework for a 211 service.
Community information and referral (I&R) is a critical component of the human service infrastructure in communities across Canada. Information and referral providers collect and maintain relevant, accurate, current and comprehensive databases of available services. Trained information and referral specialists, through a non-clinical mediated assessment refer callers to services they need.[2] In 2001, over one million I&R calls were answered in Canada.
211 is an easy-to-remember number to reach the I&R service for community, social, health and government services and is especially useful for people who face barriers to accessing services.
Providing consumer choice in how to access community information and referral is important. Individuals and organizations typically access information in-person, through printed directories and pamphlets, via the Internet to web-based databases and via the telephone. 211 enhances the telephone channel of access to information and referral. To deliver a 211 I&R service requires attaining a number of minimum standards. Achieving these standards enhances I&R service in all channels.
The minimum standards include at least 70 hours of I&R service a week, trained and qualified information and referral specialists who answer the phones, a comprehensive, community information database which will be maintained and current. As well, there will be a 211 public education and promotion campaign, protocols to address emergency service calls, and a sound business and sustained funding plan. A 211 call is at no-charge to residents and individuals in the area served by 211.
Preparation of the Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan was informed by a collaborative process evolving from discussions at meetings of the United Way 211 Steering Committee. The United Way 211 Steering Committee’s vision for 211 focused on access, equity, quality and results.
Access
Everyone - individuals, families and agencies, especially those who need services, will have a way in, a first stop into a wealth of comprehensive information from which they will receive a coordinated response. People will be able to link into a county-wide network of services as opposed to going to one organization at a time.
Equity
An expansion and coordination of existing services will result in an equalization of information available to all residents and agencies in the county. This will help people overcome parochial thinking and recognize the benefits of interconnectivity.
Quality
Qualified and experienced people will provide a mediated assessment and deliver the information rather than a well-meaning person whose experience is not in the I&R field. Data standards will ensure a high level of consistency and integrity of information. This quality will result in increased confidence and therefore use of the information.
Results
Social reporting on the nature of calls received, will enable agencies and service providers to better assess the demands for services and service gaps. This will assist planning bodies and politicians and their staff, in service and resource planning. Organizations will benefit from social reporting information and will understand the value of keeping the I&R provider(s) informed.
As part of the feasibility study, in May, June and July 2002, a broad based community consultation with Simcoe County residents, service providers, community leaders, organizations and groups was conducted to explore existing interest, capacity and gaps related to information and referral and 211. More specifically the Simcoe County 211 community consultation set out to explore how service providers and individuals currently access human service information as well as the barriers and strengths to finding information. This includes people who face barriers to accessing information, such as people with disabilities, low levels of literacy, and people who are vulnerable in other ways.
There was widespread support for 211 and a consensus that a 211 service would be a definite asset to Simcoe County residents and organizations. The utility of a 211 I&R service is demonstrated in the impact on:
• Individual consumers – the person who has a problem does not know where to turn, calls 211 and is guided to a path to solve the problem. For example, one person accessing literacy skills and being able to get a job, the un-housed person who accesses housing, or the teen parent who acquires parenting skills. Simcoe County residents become aware of the services that exist. This will assist residents to help themselves find solutions to their problems and reduce individual stress and frustration of not knowing what is available, or being overwhelmed by information. A 211 I&R service is a complement to community based health promotion.
• Human service providers – in a community organization, County, City, Town, Township, Provincial or Federal government office, in order to help a client, a human service provider may require community, social, health or government services information which is beyond the scope of his or her knowledge. The human service provider, instead of calling their network of colleagues, draws on the comprehensive 211 I&R system to get the answers they need quickly using the 211 phone number or the 211 Simcoe County database. In this way resources are used more effectively than ever before. This also enables existing human service organizations to focus their time on providing core services as a result of being able to draw on 211 and refer calls to 211. This will reduce agency staff stress and frustration of not knowing what is available, or being overwhelmed by information. In addition, a centralized, comprehensive, accurate, relevant database will reduce duplication in the collection and maintenance of data.
• The human services system – will facilitate information sharing between human service providers. Data will be collected to assist with social planning and identify trends by tracking demand for services and referrals. Follow up with callers will determine if they followed through and evaluate their satisfaction with the 211 service and levels of success in reaching and receiving services. A 211 I&R service will enhance human services, and strengthen the links in the ‘system’ of human services.
• Support to emergency and crisis services – extended hours of service and ultimately 24/7 hours of 211 I&R service will support specialized crisis service providers and crisis lines including the police, mental health providers, Telecare and services that support survivors of rape and victims of crime.
• Information and referral service delivery - the standards required of an I&R provider to deliver a 211 I&R service include certified information and referral specialists, qualified database managers, comprehensive database, extended hours of service, call tracking, public education and accredited organizations with effective administrative and business systems. A 211 I&R service with a call centre and database is a significant community asset.
• Services and businesses – the employees and clients of all corporations, businesses and service agencies (including tourism and recreation providers, visitor services, the offices of M.P.s, M.P.P.s and Councillors, small businesses and supporters of community economic development), will have a standard community resource for all Simcoe County which will reduce frustration and unnecessary delay in having access to services.
| | | | |Specialized service or program | |Competencies | | |
|Individual has a | |211 | |e.g. literacy class, parenting | |developed | |Well being |
|problem | |I&R service | |skills, health, housing and | | | |Employment |
| | | | |language services | | | |Health |
| | | | | | |Balance restored | |Productivity |
There are five comprehensive information and referral providers in Simcoe County: Community Connection in Collingwood, Community Link North Simcoe in Midland, Information Barrie, Information Orillia and South Simcoe Community Information Centre, CONTACT, in Alliston. The entire County is served by at least one of the five I&R providers. The five I&R providers constitute the membership of the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County (IPC).
The community consultation revealed that each of the I&R providers plays a significant local role in their community with a variety of functions. These include serving walk-in clients as well as taking I&R calls, data collection and directory production. In 2001, the five I&R providers together received 75,000 telephone and over 20,000 in person or walk-in, I&R inquiries. The I&R providers maintain a total of 6,841 human services records which are coordinated County-wide. Each of the I&R providers produces a community directory of services. Compared with other locations, Simcoe County is well served and the I&R providers receive a high number of I&R calls for the population of 377,000 people, relative to other communities.
The community consultation was persuasive that human services in Simcoe County could be enhanced if local service providers were integral to providing the 211 I&R service. Many people wanted a local flavour and preferred to keep expertise, jobs and spending local, if it could be afforded. A 211 service focused on bringing access, equity, quality and results to individuals and service providers in Simcoe County, and one that is nimble and flexible to adapt to changing community requirements, was thought to enhance and strengthen the Simcoe County human services system. The risks of not providing the 211 I&R service at least partially in Simcoe County include erosion of local human services assets, especially the I&R providers.
The easily remembered 211 phone number and the enhanced standards of information and referral services that are associated with 211, would enhance the capacity and services of the five I&R providers. Resources could also be coordinated with an exploration of greater efficiencies among the I&R providers in the areas of data collection, data maintenance and a single user-friendly County-wide directory. In addition, I&R providers could elevate their unique skills to complement the Simcoe County I&R system in such areas as French language skills, aboriginal services, research, volunteer coordination, services for people who are deaf or hearing impaired and newcomer services.
The Simcoe County database of community, social, health and government services including those beyond the County was highly valued.
211 offers a unique opportunity to strengthen and coordinate the human service infrastructure.
• A single number to call, 211, as a first stop for information and referral on community, social, health and government services.
• A Simcoe County database that can be leased and have additional fields and other customized data added.
• Internet access to the Simcoe County database that is comprehensive and up-to-date and provides detailed and accurate information about services.
• Information and statistics from tracking the nature of calls to identify demand for services, gaps and trends.
Government partners, particularly those encumbered by silos, often need to be helped at the political level to be innovative and build cross-Ministry initiatives. Therefore they need to be informed about the public utility and the individual benefits of enhanced I&R services. Planning the implementation of 211 could enhance other aspects of the social service infrastructure. Some of these initiatives have been in development for some time in Simcoe County.
The work being done to bring 211 to more of the Province will influence decisions about the expansion of a Simcoe County 211 service to include other municipalities. However, some guiding principles are required in order to plan for the 211 I&R service in Simcoe County. This includes making decisions and communicating plans to various community groups to optimize coordination and best use of limited resources. A number of possible scenarios for expansion were identified.
Both the message and the channels of communication are important if public education about 211 is to reach those who most need it. There are multiple channels that can be provided at lower cost if the written or print material is provided to agencies, the faith community, specialized service providers and government departments for inclusion in their regular communication. Highly visible, simple promotion that includes word-of-mouth by service providers, was thought to reach those people who would be least easily contacted by traditional means.
Public education and promotion of 211 should emphasise that 911 is the number to call in a life threatening or emergency situation.[3] However, in the event of a 911 type call being made to 211, a guideline has been developed in consultation with Simcoe County's 911 Central Emergency Reporting Bureau. Other principles of practice may also be useful with the Mental Health Crisis Line, the Rape Crisis Line, Telecare Brampton and Telecare Orillia.
The need for volunteers and the value of an easy to remember number to call to offer to volunteer, received widespread support. There needs to be an effective County-wide system for volunteer recruitment and placement before 211 could be promoted for this purpose. Given the lack of coordination to date, 211 as the number to call to volunteer is recommended in a later phase. Without promoting 211 for this use, 211 I&R service providers in Simcoe County should be prepared to respond to anyone calling to volunteer, as they would to calls requiring other referrals.
The utility of improved access to human services and reduced frustration for everyone, including Simcoe County’s most vulnerable people, suggests that significant funding partners for 211 would be different levels of government. This would fit well with the need for sustained funding.
Community Connection has established relationships and in some cases strong partnership with projects such as Ontario Early Years and the Community Care Access Centre. If partnerships such as these, demonstrate value not only to the local services, but to their Province-wide counterparts, a case for sustained Province-wide support for 211 is viable. A paradigm shift toward integration in provincial services was described as being “led by pockets of people including some good politicians. 211 is a perfect integrative mechanism”. The challenge is to gain the ear of appropriate politicians and leaders in government integrative policy to explore funding partnerships.
The pressure to achieve revenue generating opportunities exists for all the I&R providers. There is a goal to establish and maintain a Simcoe County database that is accessible through the Internet. If it is demonstrated that a 211 I&R service facilitates the effective delivery of services for all levels of government and the non-government human services sector, and facilitates individuals accessing their services, sustainable funding could complement revenue generation through contracts. At the same time the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County (IPC) will be better positioned to offer and customize contracts related to databases and human service call centre services. Government departments and organizations purchasing contracts as well as other funding partners will value the improved standards, accreditation of the I&R provider and certification of staff.
Proposed Conceptual Model: Hub with Satellites that enter system as ready. Any component receiving 211 calls must meet 211 standards.
|Community Link North Simcoe, Midland | | | |Information Barrie |
|Any or all of, for example: | | | |Any or all of, for example: |
|- 211 calls | | | |- 211 calls |
|- Local data collection | | | |- Local data collection |
|- County-wide volunteer coordination | | | |- County-wide research and resource |
|- French language I&R services | | | |functions |
|-Aboriginal I&R services | | | |- Multi cultural language I&R services |
|- Other areas of specialization | | | |-Aboriginal I&R services |
| | | | |- Research |
| | | | |- Other areas of specialization |
| | | | | |
| | |Simcoe County | | |
| | |211 HUB | | |
| | | | | |
| | |Community Connection | | |
| | |Collingwood | | |
| | |- 211 calls | | |
| | |- Local, regional, provincial and federal data | | |
| | |collection | | |
| | |- Comprehensive Simcoe County database | | |
| | |- County-wide contracts | | |
| | |- Database management | | |
| | | | | |
|Information Orillia | | | |South Simcoe Community Information |
|Any or all of, for example: | | | |Centre, Alliston |
|- 211 calls | | | |Any or all of, for example: |
|- Local data collection | | | |- 211 calls |
|- Other areas of specialization | | | |- Local data collection |
| | | | |- County-wide research and resource |
| | | | |functions |
| | | | |- Multi cultural language I&R services |
| | | | |- Other areas of specialization |
| | |E.g.: Base Borden Family Resource Centre | | |
| | |e.g. French language I&R services | | |
Applying the Conceptual Model, three delivery models were identified.
Delivery Model 1: Centralized 211
Community Connection as the I&R provider most prepared and interested in delivering 211, prepares to meet all the 211 requirements. Community Connection continues to develop and strengthen collaborative relationships with I&R partners for data collection, shared contracts, specialized services as well as some other areas.
Delivery Model 2: Centralized 211 with I&R Partner(s)
Community Connection as the I&R provider most prepared and interested in delivering 211, prepares to meet all the 211 requirements. In addition, one or more other I&R provider qualifies I&R specialists to share 211 call answering. This could be phased in as I&R providers make it a priority and attain the required certification. Community Connection is the lead agency with clearly defined relationships with I&R providers that provide 211 and other services. Collaborative relationships with I&R partners for data collection, shared contracts, specialized services and other areas continue.
Delivery Model 3: Decentralized 211 with I&R Partner(s)
An amalgamation of Community Connection with one or more of the I&R providers to reach 211 standards and deliver the 211 I&R service. Collaborative relationships with other I&R partners for data collection, shared contracts, specialized services and other areas continue.
The estimated increase in calls following the launch of the highly visible 211 telephone number to call for information and referral is between sixty and 100 percent in the first year. Although this is a lot given the existing relatively high level of awareness of I&R services in Simcoe County, the population growth projected for the County is over 12,000 newcomers to the County each year. [4] These people would be expected to be users of 211 as they ‘plug in’ to community services.
The major operating cost of the 211 call response service is staffing, which is driven by the number of hours of service and the call volume. Other significant costs are associated with technology, infrastructure and communication. The cost estimate is for enhancements required to answer the projected increase in call volume over the current level. This builds on the existing infrastructure which maintains the database and answers 75,000 calls a year.
Economies of scale may be best realized by answering the majority of calls, during core hours or moderately extended core hours in Simcoe County. After-hours calls could be forwarded to an existing 211 service.
The initial cost estimate to enhance the existing I&R service for residents and service providers of Simcoe County at the required standards for 211 is approximately $126,000 in start up costs and $628,000 for operating costs, for a total of approximately $754,000 in year one. This preliminary estimate is based on the provision of 70 hours of 211 I&R service a week, and on answering 45,000- 75,000 new calls in that year.
Community Connection, the proposed lead agency and hub for 211 for Simcoe County has been working toward attaining 211 standards. Short term action requires the I&R providers to continue to build strength and efficiencies by working differently together and work to attain 211 standards. In addition, achieving financial support for Simcoe County 211 as the first semi-rural 211 I&R service in Canada, should be combined with monitoring both the 211 provincial capacity study and developments in Canada’s first 211 I&R service in Toronto.
Recommendations
Based on the Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan for 211 in Simcoe County the United Way 211 Steering Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. Due to the widespread support for and demonstrated utility of a 211 I&R service, implement 211 in Simcoe County with the target date of 2004.
2. The Simcoe County Coalition for Child Youth and Families (SCCYFS ) be asked to assume the community lead for 211 in Simcoe County and create a 211 Task Group, or similar structure to move the project forward.
3. Strengthen the system of information and referral services in Simcoe County by increasing coordination among I&R providers, building centres of specialization and excellence and eliminating unnecessary duplication.
4. With Community Connection, Collingwood, as the lead I&R provider and any other I&R providers interested in delivering part of 211 I&R service, develop plans to meet 211 standards including the required levels of agency accreditation and staff certification.
5. Create a 211 Champions Funding Task Group to develop a funding plan for the first five years of 211 implementation with multi sectoral funding partners. Develop a sustainable funding plan.[5]
6. Endeavour to prevent potential future partners from creating their own solution in isolation. Do this by informing surrounding regions, districts, counties and 211 coordinating bodies provincially and nationally, of Simcoe County’s intention to implement 211. This will be done by building on and enhancing the capacity of one or more of the existing I&R providers.
7. Plan for the Simcoe County database to be accessible through the Internet.
8. Monitor Toronto’s experience and learning from their 211 implementation. In fall 2002 approach Community Information Toronto with a request for prices for after-hours services.
9. Monitor the findings of the “211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002”, and adjust Simcoe County plans as required. [6]
10. Encourage the development of a County-wide coordinated volunteer recruitment and training system. This would enable 211 to become the number to call to offer help as well as get help, in the medium or longer term.
2. Introduction
This Simcoe County 211 Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan builds on the work on 211 completed over the last three years in the United States, nationally in Canada and in Toronto where the first Canadian 211 service was launched on June 13th, 2002.
An application was made to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requesting the abbreviated dialing code, 211 for access to community, social, health and government information. In the preparation of the application to the CRTC, considerable work was undertaken to research and build a case for 211 in Canada and invite support from many human service organizations and other groups across Canada. Subsequent to the CRTC decision to approve 211, in August 2001, the preparation to implement 211 for residents, organizations and businesses in the 416 and 647 area codes has included fund raising, communications and marketing, as well as operational planning. The partnership and collaboration of United Ways and comprehensive Information and Referral providers enables communities exploring 211, to draw on and share these resources.
The introduction section of this report draws from this experience and provides information that may apply to other 211 services.
2.1 Scope and Purpose - 211 Simcoe Study
A United Way 211 Steering Committee was formed to provide direction and guide the Simcoe County 211 Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan. (See Appendix 1 for Terms of Reference and membership of the committee.)
Preparation of the Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan was informed by a collaborative process, evolving from discussions at United Way 211 Steering Committee meetings. The study included a broad based community consultation with community partners and key stakeholders. (See Appendix 2 for a list of organizations and participants). The Feasibility Study also drew on existing research and studies. (See Appendix 9.)
A provider of 211 needs both a 211 call response centre staffed by qualified information and referral (I&R) specialists and a comprehensive, accurate and current database of community, social, health and government services to support the I&R specialist.
table 4.6 illustrates the service models of how these two major components could be provided both locally and in collaboration with one or more other 211 services.
2.2 Information and Referral
Community information and referral is a critical component of the human service infrastructure in communities across Canada.[7] Information and referral organizations collect and maintain a comprehensive database of available services and, through trained information and referral specialists, help individuals and families connect to the services they need. Currently more than 120 community information and referral agencies exist across Canada, more than forty of which are in Ontario, providing services of 30 or more hours each week to agencies and area residents. In 2001, over one million I&R calls were answered in Canada.
Examples of calls received by information and referral services include:
- A senior citizen wanting home care support in order to live independently.
- A homeless person seeking a hot meal, a shelter bed, or a place to get in out of the cold.
- A family facing eviction with nowhere to turn for help.
- A recent immigrant needing language and employment training.
- A young mother worried about how to properly care for her newborn child.
- A laid-off worker wanting to find out about employment insurance.
- A family searching for childcare services in their community or close to their place of work.
- A union counsellor who calls on behalf of a colleague as part of an employee assistance program.
- A mother asking where to get food for her family.
- A concerned neighbour trying to help a friend in an abusive relationship.
- A family trying to find services for their son with a newly diagnosed illness.
The core business of community information and referral providers is collecting and maintaining a database with relevant, accurate, current, and comprehensive information, and staffing telephone and walk-in services to the public and agencies. Staff are trained to assess caller needs and refer callers to appropriate services.
Provincial and national organizations link information and referral providers together. InformOntario, the professional information and referral provincial network, holds annual conferences, maintains web sites, and has an active bulletin board, thus assisting in the transfer of skills and collaboration between similar organizations in the province. At the national level, InformCanada coordinates professional information and referral providers. The first Canadian national information and referral conference will be held in November 2002, in Ottawa.
The scope, history, and capacity of community information and referral providers vary. Some information and referral providers are programs of multi-service agencies, and some are a primary function or departments of libraries, social planning councils, or volunteer centres. Some information and referral organizations are located in community centres, others in shopping malls or government offices. The commonality between comprehensive information and referral organizations lies in their combined abilities to maintain information on the broad range of community, government, health, and social services required by their residents, and to disseminate that information by telephone, lists, brochures, mini-directories, Blue or Red Books, and increasingly via the Internet. Serving walk-in inquiries is common, but for many information and referral providers the majority of their service is provided by telephone.
Where community information and referral services are already in place, 211 is expected to build on existing strengths and enhance services to meet identified 211 standards. 211 services will provide information and referrals to individuals on a wide range of services available in their communities. Areas of primary service need are typically related to:
• Food, shelter and clothing
• Emergency assistance
• Crisis intervention
• Financial assistance
• Employment assistance
• Access to permanent housing
• Physical and mental health support
• Home support services
• Childcare
• Legal and correctional services
• Immigrant and refugee services
• Drug/alcohol intervention and rehabilitation
• Counselling and support services
• Individual and group advocacy
• Social action and community development
• Volunteer opportunities.
Information and referral providers do not know the caller’s identity. The service culture emphasizes confidentiality, a non-judgmental attitude, and the concept of choice, by ideally providing three or four appropriate referrals to a caller.
2.3 Channels to Information and Referral
Comprehensive community information and referral complements organizations that provide services such as employment, housing and education, or health, where a clinical assessment with clients may be conducted prior to working closely with individuals and families, often using a case management model. Accessing 211 provides the road map for individuals, families, and agencies to locate such services.
Providing consumer choice in how to access community information and referral is important. Individuals and organizations typically access information in four ways:
i) Walk-in or in-person. People access information in person by approaching people at agencies.
ii) Internet and access to web-based databases.
iii) Printed directories and pamphlets (shorter materials produced as resources to be picked up or delivered to people’s homes).
iv) Telephone.
211 enhances the telephone channel of access to information and referral. However, by raising the standards of I&R services, 211 enhances all channels of access.
Comprehensive and Specialized Information and Referral Providers
Comprehensive information and referral organizations cover the entire spectrum of human need for all types of people and situations within a geographic community. Specialized information and referral organizations concentrate on a particular aspect of human services and apply detailed knowledge and resources to a specific, and usually vulnerable, client base; for example, victim support, health, or children’s services.
The following diagram illustrates the comprehensive and specialized databases supporting the staff who provide information and referral, either in person or over the phone in comprehensive and specialized services. Generally, a comprehensive service has a large number of organizations, programs and services records, with less detail, whereas a specialized service has a smaller number of organizations, programs and services records, with more detail.
Comprehensive Databases
Breadth of information
|Housing |Services for children |Comprehensive database |Services for people with |Employment |
|Shelter |Drop-in centres |supporting 211 is broad and|disabilities |Financial Assistance |
|Education | |meets needs |Hospitals |Food |
|Language classes | |of most callers | |Immigration services |
Specialized Databases - Examples
|Children’s Services | |Health database | |Housing database |
|database | | | | |
| | | |Deeper data- | |
|e.g. detailed records of | |e.g. pharmacies that will |bases with a smaller number |e.g. affordable housing |
|childcare centres | |deliver 24 hours |of records that provide |options |
|e.g. eligibility for | |e.g. nurses with special |detailed information required|available |
|childcare subsidies |Depth of information |skills |by some callers |e.g. wait list information|
|e.g. information on dual | |e.g. breast-feeding | |e.g. eligibility for |
|diagnosis | |clinics | |housing subsidies |
| | |e.g. immunization | | |
| | |information | | |
Data maintenance to support walk-in or phone-based information and referral is essential. The time required for outreach to collect, verify, and maintain records varies, but is considered to require a minimum of one - two hours per record per year. It is very important that data be accurate, current, and complete. It is expensive to maintain data to these standards. Experts in database management begin the process by determining what data is needed to meet consumer requirements.
Typically, people who are not professionals in the field of information and referral believe that more information is better. If a database includes every possible piece of information that may be needed, it may prove useful if used frequently and data remains current; however, when the information is used infrequently, a customized search may be a better use of time and resources. The maintenance of thousands of details on records is extremely costly and, invariably, the important information fails to be properly updated.
2.4 Opportunities and Benefits of 211
Simple access through the 211 telephone number will provide:
• More effective use of resources for existing human services as a result of being able to draw on 211 for assistance and refer calls to 211.
• More effective use of services by more efficiently linking people to available services.
• The vehicle to increase residents’ awareness of human services that exist.
• Existing organizations with more opportunity to focus their time on providing the core services.
• A central access point for information on new community initiatives.
• Assistance to residents to help themselves by finding solutions to their problems.
• A culturally sensitive response to local community needs through multilingual services.
• Help for people who simply do not know where to get the help they need.
• Reduced individual and agency stress and frustration of not knowing what is available or being overwhelmed by too much information.
• A strengthened ‘system’ of linked human services, by utilizing the skill sets of I&R staff to build the information and referral function.
• Ways to strengthen existing community services by collecting data to assist with social planning and identification of trends which will result in improved social reporting, and opportunities to enhance information sharing between organizations.
Those in the greatest need are often the least able to find the support or resources available in their community. Some populations find it especially difficult or impossible to locate the agency or service equipped to serve their needs. These groups include:
• Older adults
• Children and youth
• People who are homeless
• Persons with disabilities
• People who speak neither official language
• Individuals with low levels of literacy
• Individuals incapacitated by crisis such as domestic violence.
The highly visible 211 telephone number will eliminate confusion and especially benefit the groups identified above. 211 is an easy-to-remember telephone number which simplifies access to the “first-stop” for information. The person who does not know where to all will call 211.
|Finding services without an information and referral provider or | |With an information and referral provider or 211 as a first stop |
|211 | |in finding services |
| | | |
| | | |
|[pic] | | |
| | |211 |
| | | |
| | |[pic] |
| | | |
The value of 211 as a first-stop for individual, family, and agency access to community information and referral is based on the experience of several cities and states in the United States. Metropolitan Atlanta, which has operated a 211 service since 1997, has the most experience. 211 was next implemented statewide in Connecticut. Thirteen other U.S. states now have some level of operational 211 service and all others have plans for 211 implementation.
A 211 service is the first stop in accessing information and referral on community, social, health, and government services. The end user, whether an individual or a professional in an organization acting on the behalf of a client, is the primary beneficiary of the service.
2.5 Components of a 211 Service
Key components of a 211 service include:
1) A collaborative community effort to bring skills and resources together.
2) Quality assurance in a number of areas, including adherence to established quality standards for effective information and referral services, sound business management, community governance, and access for people who face barriers arising from language or disability.
3) Qualified information and referral specialists to answer phones and assess caller needs, and qualified resource specialists to manage the database. Training and professional development opportunities for 211 staff are therefore crucial.
4) The development of a comprehensive and accurate database of community services to support the work of information and referral specialists. Consequently, mechanisms and policies to keep the information in the database current and relevant are necessary.
5) Call centre technology and the necessary facility and equipment infrastructure.
6) Sustainable funding to cover start-up costs, development, and maintenance of the service, including expansion as call volume grows.
7) Capacity to deliver a public awareness and communications plan to keep the public and organizations informed about the service.
8) Endorsement of the provider of the 211 service by the level of government responsible for the area to be served by 211.
2.6 CRTC Application and 211 Decision
In June 2000, four organizations jointly filed an application with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), requesting that the telephone number 211 be assigned for community, government, health, and social service information and referral. The four partner organizations are United Way Canada - Centraide Canada, InformCanada, United Way of Greater Toronto, and Community Information Toronto. The application, which was accompanied by 80 letters of support from local and national organizations, requested 211 for national use to be implemented locally as communities become ready.
In November 2000, the CRTC announced the process to solicit public and telecommunications industry input for their decision. Two rounds of input were invited: Comments by January 5, 2001 and Reply Comments by February 12, 2001.
On August 9, 2001, the CRTC assigned the abbreviated dialing code 211 for the purpose of information and referral for community, government, health, and social services. Communities across Canada are now preparing to meet the standards proposed for 211 and, where there is interest, intend to roll-out the service as they become ready.
CRTC Decision 2001-475 endorsed the proposal of the four applicants to the CRTC that there be the following procedure for the assignment of 211 for information and referral services in any given location:
i) Local organizations[8] seeking to deliver 211 identify their interest and capacity to deliver 211.
ii) Consultations are initiated with local telecommunications service providers on matters of technical implementation, the proposed area to be served, and the planned launch date.
iii) The organization prepares itself to meet two main criteria:
a) Demonstrate that it meets the minimum 211 service standards (as set out below); and
b) Endorsement by the municipal, regional, or provincial authority for the area to be served by 211.
iv) Consultations are initiated with the 211 National Coordinating Group[9] on matters related to:
a) Compliance with minimum 211 service delivery standards; and
b) Public awareness campaign.
v) The local 211 service provider obtains formal endorsement from the appropriate local or regional government. This endorsement would typically come in the form of a council resolution.
vi) The local 211 service provider notifies the CRTC and local telecommunications providers of their readiness to provide 211, documenting compliance with the requirements set out by the Commission.
vii) Telecommunications providers receive a minimum notice period of 12 weeks to implement the technical requirements of 211.[10]
viii) Public awareness campaign and 211 launch.
In addition, CRTC Decision 2001-475 outlined the following:[11]
• Organizations providing 211 should present evidence of stable organizational capabilities and plans to deliver a sustainable 211 service (para. 37).
• The CRTC requires that telecommunications service providers supply
all wireline and wireless subscribers and pay phone users in the 211 service area with access to the 211 service.
• The information and referral provider will bear the costs of providing the 211 call response centres.
• A service charge for 211 will not be passed on to the subscriber or user.
• If 211 dialing is a long-distance call, the charges will be negotiated with the carrier and paid for by the 211 service provider.
• The telecommunications service providers will bear the cost of switch reprogramming to implement 211 (para. 92).
• Information and referral service providers will retain their seven or 10-digit numbers, so that people outside the 211 dialing area can still contact them.
• Calls placed on a wireless phone outside the regular local calling area will be routed to the local 211 number in the location of the caller (para. 93).
8 Abbreviated Dialing Codes
In their Decision, the CRTC determined that “there should be a sound or convincing rationale for having an N11 number, …that N11 should be a public interest requirement…[and] limited to purposes that require the use of a short, easily recalled number to access services that meet an urgent need.”[12] Most of the available N11 codes have already been assigned.
111 - Not available.
211 - Assigned for public access to community information and referral.
311 - Not nationally assigned in Canada.
411 - Directory Assistance. 411 provides directory assistance by supplying the telephone number to callers who know the name of the organization they are calling. Many referrals to information and referral services come from 411.
511 - Not nationally assigned.
611 - Telephone repair.
711 - Message Relay service for people who are hearing impaired.
811 - Not nationally assigned.
911 - Emergency police needs and life-threatening emergencies.
911 was first used for life threatening and emergency calls over 15 years ago, and continues to be introduced in Canadian communities.
Although 311 has not been assigned by the CRTC for implementation in Canada, over the last few years there has been some exploration of the abbreviated dialing code 311 in a few Canadian municipalities. The original assignment of 311 by the Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. in 1997 was intended to improve the effectiveness of 911 emergency services “by alleviating congestion on 911 circuits.” 311 is currently in use in 11 U.S. cities and has been expanded to include access to information about numerous other city services, including animal control, water, sanitation, code compliance, abandoned vehicles, noise disturbances, public works, transportation, parks, health, planning, and development.
211 for community information and referral complements several of the existing abbreviated dialing codes and does not duplicate the functions of any.
9 Minimum Service Standards
The CRTC application proposed the following minimum service standards:
(a) Organization and Governance: 211 service providers must be either incorporated, non-profit or registered charitable organizations or a service delivered by government or a designated agent of government. In each case, the service must have a formal and clear governance model, to include community representation.
(b) Minimum 211 Service Standards: Local 211 providers must demonstrate compliance with the following minimum standards:
• 211 services will operate a minimum of 70 hours per week with the objective of providing service on a 24–hours a day, 7 days a week basis.[13]
• A comprehensive, accurate, and computerized Information and Referral database with a standard service classification system.
• Automated Call Distribution (ACD) capability, with the ability to track call volume, number of abandoned calls, average speed of answering, and average call length.
• Cooperative relationships with specialized information and referral organizations, crisis centres, and local community service providers.
• Trained information and referral specialists capable of handling crisis calls if and when they occur.
• Adequate protocols to address emergency service calls which should be handled by 911 and/or emergency services.
• TTY (teletypewriter) accessibility and multilingual accessibility on-site or through translation services based on local need.
• A comprehensive public education and outreach plan to educate the public on 211, both during the service launch and on an on-going basis.
• A formal and comprehensive business plan which addresses the above requirements and includes call volume projections, staffing models, call answer targets, and a sustainable revenue model.
(c) Evolving Standards: Community Information and Referral 211 service providers would be expected to attempt to meet the evolving I&R standards consistent with the Standards for Professional Information and Referral, 4th Edition, established by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS)/ InformCanada, as well as any future versions adapted and endorsed by InformCanada.[14]
The current version of AIRS/InformCanada standards is available at the following Internet address: .
10 Telecommunications
Once 211 is implemented, individuals, families, and agencies will simply dial 211 and be routed automatically to a ten-digit number at the 211 call response centre. People outside the 211 service area will also be able to reach the call response centre but only by dialing the organization’s ten-digit phone number.
The location of the telephone exchange boundaries will determine the exact perimeter of the geographic area to be served by a 211 service.
Answering calls to 211 with a person, and not by an automated response, is the recognized standard. People answering the telephone will be Certified Information and Referral Specialists (CIRS) specifically trained to conduct a mediated, non-clinical assessment of callers’ needs, to problem solve with callers, to research available options, and to provide callers with relevant referrals.
If the 211 call is from a location that would normally require long distance dialing to the information and referral provider, the 211 call is translated into a toll-free number, so that the call remains free to all callers within the 211 service area. The cost of long distance calls is paid for by the 211 information and referral provider.
Technology that blends telecommunications with the Internet, such as Voice Over Information Processing, offer alternatives to long distance charges and intelligence in the technology that creates possibilities for coordination of 211 services over large areas, while providing the opportunity for calls to be answered by local 211 I&R services.
Due to the variety of technology, wireless calls may be unevenly routed along boundaries between two 211 calling areas.
11 Call Volume Projections
Projected 211 call volume growth builds on the experiences of Metropolitan Atlanta and the State of Connecticut, where region-wide community information and referral services existed prior to the introduction of 211, but awareness of the services was limited.
When the 211 service was launched in Atlanta, a U.S. city with a population of three million, the volume of calls more than doubled to 135,000 calls per annum. In Atlanta the launch of 211 combined the introduction of the high profile number with an expansion of service from 45 hours a week to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In Connecticut, which has a population of 3.3 million, the addition of the high profile number boosted calls by 40 per cent to 204,000 calls per annum, while the hours of service did not change.
The Atlanta and Connecticut 211 services continue to grow at 10 to 20 per cent a year. In Connecticut, three years after the launch of 211, annual call volume had increased 58 percent. As is to be expected, 211 call volume is significantly impacted by public promotion of the service. The U.S. experience with 211 also indicates that 211 services receive more calls in times of recession when food, shelter, income, and employment concerns are prevalent.
The value of 211 might be described as X in the drawing below. Easier, quicker access to the right services helps mitigate the risk of delay and stress, which may exacerbate a problem.
[pic]
| | |
| | |
|211 as a first stop for |Cost of delay in frustration and |
|information will reduce delay in |exacerbation of the X |
|finding out about services |problem |
The highly recognizable phone number is expected to assist a community’s most vulnerable residents. Connecticut’s 211 service attributes approximately 50 percent of its calls to low income callers who present complex issues. Others who call 211 have less desperate situations; for example, a family new to the community seeking recreation opportunities for their children or further education opportunities for a parent. 211, where it has been implemented, is a service for everyone.
When urgency is not an element, and where individuals have access to the Internet, one would expect to see an increase in the use of web-based databases to access human services information as an alternative to phone calls. However, for people who face barriers to access as a result of language, age, culture, race, poverty, lack of education, low levels of literacy, physical or mental health issues, unemployment, or fear of violence, access to information and referral in-person or by telephone, are expected to remain the preferred channels.
Calls to an information and referral centre are not evenly distributed throughout the day. To manage this variation in the number of incoming calls, staff scheduling will include a number of part-time staff. Information and referral services find that the hours between midnight and six a.m. receive significantly fewer calls; however, these calls tend to be longer and more complex.
Providing effective and economical service 70 hours a week or 24/7 could include combining services with other after-hours or overnight services that meet the 211 standards or, alternatively, forwarding calls to an existing 24/7 211 service in another area. Increasingly, call answering can be carried out from remote locations with transparency to the caller, provided there is access to the local database. Police services and other caregivers value a 211 service being provided 24/7, to support their work around the clock.
A 211 service is likely to heighten the awareness of all human services and is expected to increase the number of appropriate calls to those services.
13 Human Resource Requirements for a 211 Service
There are at least five skill sets required to run a 211 service. They include the following:
1. Information and referral specialists who assess caller needs and provide telephone information and referral.
2. Resource specialists who develop, implement, and maintain the information and referral database.
3. 211 call response centre operations, including facility, technology, staffing, and training.
4. Financial management, business development and fundraising, including sustainable funding.
5. Communications, outreach, and public relations, which include collaboration and partnerships, public education, and promotion.
The Certified Information and Referral Specialist (CIRS) designation is the current recognized qualification for information and referral specialists. Processes to ensure ongoing training are essential. The recognized qualification for resource specialists who manage the database is Certified Resource Specialist (CRS).
In addition to time spent answering calls, information and referral specialists may conduct satisfaction surveys, make return calls, advocate on behalf of callers who need assistance, document outcomes, follow up with database specialists, participate in training, stay abreast of community events that are impacting caller information requests, and prepare reports.
2.12 Public Awareness and Communications
The communication messages accompanying the launch of a 211 service are critical. Such messages should clearly present the following information:
a) the 211 service exists for everyone's use
b) 211 is not a convenient alternative to using the phone book (although people of all levels of literacy refer to the difficulty of finding services in the blue pages of the telephone directory)[15]
c) the geographic area served by 211 is clearly defined so that people ‘out of area’ will not become confused or frustrated
d) 211 is a phone channel of access to a comprehensive range of community, social, health, and all levels of government services, and is not one type of service, or services for only one sector of the population
e) 211 must be distinguished from emergency calls such as 911 and distress centre calls
f) 211 is a service that maintains the caller's privacy and anonymity.
211 communications include the importance of clear messages from the outset, so that people do not dismiss 211 as ‘not being for them.’ In the U.S., 211 services with some years of experience have targeted 211 promotion to specific sectors, as needs arise. For instance, a particular need may be identified for seniors, necessitating public information messages targeted at seniors to call 211 to find out more about existing relevant services. The 211 service provider then prepares information and referral specialists to answer an unusually high number of calls from seniors, which may be longer in duration than the average call. Recognition of funding partners may also be prominent on public education materials.
2.13 Other Communities Planning 211
Community Information Toronto, in partnership with United Way of Greater Toronto and the City of Toronto, was the first organization to launch 211 in Canada on June 13, 2002. Community Information Toronto, (CIT) which has over 30 years of experience as an information and referral organization, has enhanced the current Community Helpline, 416 397 INFO, to become 211.
United Way of Winnipeg is working with Contact, the local community information and referral organization, to implement 211 for the province of Manitoba in 2003. One of Contact’s strengths is its experience with a province-wide database. United Way of Winnipeg will contribute management, fundraising, and communications skills to the 211 initiative.
The Support Network and community partners in Edmonton, and Information Services Vancouver for the Lower Mainland, have expressed readiness to launch 211 in 2003 or 2004. In Ontario, Thunder Bay, York, Halton and Peel Regions have conducted Feasibility Studies. Groups are exploring 211 in other locations in Ontario, including Niagara Region, London and area and Kingston, and across Canada,. It is expected that as these organizations explore their options, a number of them will decide to collaborate on the implementation of 211. A project to enhance coordination of 211 in Ontario received Trillium funding in April 2002, thus providing further incentive for collaboration and partnership.[16]
3. Situational Analysis
Overview
As part of the feasibility study, in May, June and July 2002, a broad based community consultation with Simcoe County residents, service providers, community leaders, organizations and groups was conducted to explore existing interest, capacity and gaps related to information and referral and 211. (See Appendix 2 for a list of people and organizations consulted). More specifically the Simcoe County 211 community consultation set out to explore how service providers and individuals currently access human service information, and the barriers and strengths to finding information, especially for people who face barriers to accessing information, such as people with disabilities, low levels of literacy, and people who are vulnerable in other ways.
The community consultation set out to determine the potential benefits of 211 to Simcoe County residents. Another objective was to understand the anticipated impact on agencies including the value of social reporting, i.e., tracking and reporting on the nature of calls. The approach to public education and promotion of 211 and also how 211 should be resourced were two further objectives. The design and model of service, the geographic scope, criteria for service delivery, protocols that should be in place were also explored. Another objective was to better understand the value and appropriateness of promoting 211 as the number to call to volunteer. A final objective was to identify an appropriate accountability framework for a 211 service.
One participant in the community consultation suggested that people did not have to be consulted because “211 brings obvious value, one should just get on and do it.” However this was not the approach of the United Way 211 Steering Committee for Simcoe County, for whom this feasibility study was being conducted. Strongly committed to building community capacity, the Steering Committee requested a broad based community consultation that would inform the community about this potential new resource, determine whether there was community interest and ensure that a collective wisdom informed how a local 211 solution was designed.
The situational analysis that follows, is based on the opinions, experience and suggestions from the many participants in focus groups and interviews. It also draws on related studies and resources. At the end of each topic is a short conclusion, which is the consultant’s conclusion of the findings.
The efficacy of the findings of the community consultation attest to participant generosity with both time and thoughtfulness. The Simcoe County community consultation on 211 invited service providers and consumers to share their opinions, and it was clear that for many people this was not a common occurrence. Asking stakeholders about trying to access information brought out a lot of passionate comments describing frustration in getting a run around in trying to reach services, long waits on government lines, the inadequate choices, difficulty of navigation and the loops that automated systems often result in, causing callers to give up. The consultation also drew out frustration about not being consulted on other occasions, about services being in Toronto and not locally available, about lack of services for different populations, about lack of funding or fear of loss of funding and other areas. Where these topics shed light on implementing a new 211 service, they have been included in this section.
Although the focus of this feasibility study is 211, comments tended to be about community information and referral in general. Among service providers, there is a high level of awareness about the existing comprehensive information and referral providers and many of the positive comments were about the value of such a service. 211 adds value as the simple and easy to remember phone number to call for such a service that meets certain standards.
3.1 Accessing Human Service Information
Human service organizations in Simcoe County identified finding community information in six ways. Through information and referral providers, by calling specialized services, through their professional network of colleagues and contacts, through comprehensive and specialized databases, using print resources including directories, and using the Internet.
Information and Referral (I&R) Providers
Many service providers including members of the Families Table of the Simcoe County Coalition, and members of the Alliance for Homelessness providers, identified referring to all five information and referral providers by calling them or using their directories or databases.[17] In many cases, people did not know the name of the organization and some people expressed feeling that the organization names keep changing. Even when service providers and individuals know services exist, they often forget the names of organizations. One person cited having a number written beside their desk that they call to get assistance, they did not know what the organization was, although it was always helpful. It was Information Barrie. 211 was identified as a branding opportunity to simplify naming.
Service providers felt that the I&R providers are used more by providers of services on behalf of individuals and families and used less by clients directly. There is limited recognition of community information by individuals, many people do not know that I&R providers or specialized services such as Health Connection exist.
Specialized Services
Access to specialized agencies was often to Province-wide and sometimes Federal information, such as the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) which is a national resource which can be called toll free. Other such services are the legal translation service at the Ministry of the Attorney General and the provincial hot line for Job Connect. Service providers also use or refer to the Royal Victoria Hospital Mental Health Crisis line, Health Connection, and Telecare.
Individual residents if they are linked to the system of social services, go to the people and organizations that they know. Examples are Breaking Down Barriers a service for people with disabilities in Collingwood. Individuals also call the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), the YMCA, their clergy, the police, their MP or MPP, in fact almost all service providers describe being called by people who did not know where else to call.
People call or go in person either for themselves or to help their friends.
Professional Network
Service providers described their networks as very important. Front line and other agency staff exchange information at meetings, rely on word-of-mouth and call sometimes four or five colleagues before reaching someone in person. Providers also find out information at professional development opportunities.
Databases
The County of Simcoe, Royal Victoria Hospital Mental Health Crisis Line, Base Borden and Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) lease data from Community Connection, and build onto it. Some people described the I&R databases as not being ‘all inclusive’ resulting in people maintaining their own supplementary databases. Others draw on specialized databases such as for the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy and Toronto Community Living.
Print Resources and Directories
People reported using the print directories from the I&R providers, the Locator and commercially produced directories, the yellow and blue pages in the phone book and small customized directories that people have put together.
Internet
A number of people use the Information Barrie’s web site. Others use the provincial web sites of their respective or related organizations.
1 Conclusion
There are a variety of channels for information and referral, and service providers are generally knowledgeable about them, but still spend a lot of time finding the right service. This is time consuming to do the research, but also to keep up to date, which was perceived to be a waste of energy and duplication. Individuals, have considerably less knowledge about where to get information or services.
3.2 Information and Referral Providers in Simcoe County
There are five Information and Providers in Simcoe County Community Connection in Collingwood, Community Link North Simcoe in Midland, Information Barrie, Information Orillia and South Simcoe Community Information Centre CONTACT. They are the members of the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County (IPC). More information on each of the I&R providers is located in Appendix 3.
During the community based consultation, there was a relatively high level of awareness of the information and referral providers. Information Barrie and Information Orillia were most often named correctly.
Table 3.1 Information Providers Coalition (IPC) Organization Features
| |Community Connection,|Community Link, North|Information Barrie |Information Orillia |South Simcoe CIC |
| |Collingwood |Simcoe, Midland | | |CONTACT, Alliston |
|Telephone number[18] |705 445 0641 |705 528 6999 |705 728 1010 Library number, which |705 326 7743 |705 435 4900 |
| | | |is an automated system | | |
|Walk-in clients |9,717 |100 |4,870 |2,400 |12,820[19] |
| |2001-02 |2000-01 |2000 |2001 |2001 |
|Hours of phone service |M-F 9-4.30 |M-Th. 9-4, |M-Th 10- 9 |M-F 9-4 |M-F 8.30-4.30 |
| | |F. 9-3 |F-S 10-5 | | |
|Number of staff who answer |5 staff, 2 of whom |4 staff |15 staff |2 staff |11 (all staff) |
|calls |are CIRS | |All are Librarians i.e. Masters | | |
| | | |Degree in Library Science or | | |
| | | |Library Technicians i.e. Community | | |
| | | |College Diploma in Library | | |
| | | |Techniques | | |
|Do volunteers answer I&R |No |Yes |No |Yes |No |
|calls | | | | | |
|Email inquiries |Yes |Yes 400/annum |Yes |Yes |Yes |
|Database available on line |Yes |No |Yes |No |No |
|Number of human services |2,347 |777 |1,945 |735 |1,037 |
|records maintained | | | | | |
|Number of business records |2,983 | | |771 | |
|maintained | | | | | |
|Registered charity |Yes |No |Yes (Barrie Public Library) |Yes |Yes |
3.2.1 Information Providers Coalition (IPC) Area and Population Served
Simcoe County’s population in the 2001 census is 377, 000, up 14.3 percent from 1996.[20] The Simcoe County population is projected by the province to be 600,000 by 2021.[21] This growth rate would suggest an average of over 12,000 newcomers to Simcoe County each year. The people would be expected to be users of 211 as they ‘plug in’ to community services.
The five I&R providers that constitute the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County provide services that cover the whole county with some overlap. There are also some services provided to the north end of York Region in the Newmarket area and in the north-east part of Grey County.
Table 3.2 Information Providers Coalition Area and Population Served
|I&R Provider |Area served |Population of area served |Notes |
|Community Connection |South Georgian Bay: Clearview Township |48,370 |25% of calls are from beyond this |
|Collingwood |(13,796), Towns of Wasaga Beach (12, 419), | |area |
| |Collingwood (16,039) & The Blue Mountains, | | |
| |(6,116) | | |
|Community Link, North |North Simcoe: Midland (16,214), Penetanguishene|59,346 |Calls also come from agencies |
|Simcoe, Midland |(8,316), Christian Island (515). Townships of | |throughout Southern Ontario working |
| |Tay (9,162), Tiny (9,035) & Springwater | |with clients in this geographic area.|
| |(16,104). | | |
|Information Barrie |Barrie and area |148,480 |Barrie population is up 25% from 1996|
|Information Orillia |Orillia (29,121), Mnjikaning (597), Townships |67,783 | |
| |of Severn (11,135), Oro-Medonte (18,315) & | | |
| |Ramara (8,615) | | |
|South Simcoe CIC |New Tecumseth (26,141), Townships of Adjala |103,925 | |
|Contact, Alliston |Tosorontio (10,082) & Bradford West Gwillimbury| | |
| |(22,228), Essa (16,808), Base Borden, Innisfil | | |
| |(28,666) | | |
| | |Total: 427,904 | |
3.2.2 IPC Call Volume and the Nature of Calls
The volume of calls currently received by each of the five I&R providers and the nature of the calls are recorded in Appendix 5.
Typical calls classified as government services are from individuals under 30 years old in need of financial assistance, with many referrals going to Ontario Works, students calling for Social Insurance Number (SIN) applications and Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), requests for birth certificate forms, seniors calling for Pension forms, and other government forms such as CPP and Trillium drug plans. Others are for general inquiries on specific government services of a Ministry of the Ontario or Federal Government. (See table 3.3)
A high percentage of the legal calls are from individuals, families and elderly people relying on employment insurance who have inquiries related to landlord and tenant issues, most referrals are made to the community legal clinic. Community service calls are dominated by elderly people, and families of elderly people, in need of local support services such as transportation or home support. Recreation and tourism calls are from local people and families visiting the area, seeking event information and things to do in area. A common health call is people seeking a family physician who is accepting patients. In South Simcoe these often have to be referred to Newmarket.
Table 3.3 The nature of the three most frequent calls expressed as a percentage of total calls.
| |Community Connection |Community Link, North Simcoe,|Information Barrie, |Information Orillia, |South Simcoe CIC |
| |Collingwood |Midland |Barrie |Orillia |CONTACT, Alliston |
|1 |Government Services |Community Services |Recreation and tourism|Consumer and commercial |Employment |
| |(13.4%) |(36%) |(18%) |(26%) |(74.9%) |
|2 |Legal |Housing |Community Services |Health |Community Services |
| |(13.4%) |(18%) |(11.5%) |(19%) |(7%) |
|3 |Consumer and |Volunteerism |Government Services |Community Services |Government Services |
| |commercial |(11%) |(10.8%) |(15%) |(5.3%) |
| |(10.9%) | | | | |
3.2.3 IPC Directories
Each of the I&R providers has historically printed one or more directories, some of which are also available on CD and through the Internet. All five I&R providers contribute to the Simcoe County Children’s Services Directory which is published by Community Connection. 10,000 Child Care pamphlets are published annually, for five areas of the County and distributed for free. Both the Children’s Services Directory and the Child Care pamphlets are part of a Community Connection contract with the County of Simcoe, on behalf of the Information Providers Coalition.
Table 3.4 Information Providers Coalition Directories
|Title |Focus |# |Format |Published by number |Geographic area |Price |
| | |of entries |and last date |printed | | |
|Directory of Clubs and |Inventory of service clubs, sports clubs, |350 |Website, CD and|Community Connection |Collingwood area |$10 |
|Organizations |seniors groups, business clubs, | |print | | | |
| |associations, leisure clubs, and halls and| | |20 copies | | |
| |meeting facilities | | | | | |
|Title |Focus |# |Format |Published by |Geographic area |Price |
| | |of entries |and last date | | | |
|Simcoe County |Social and human services available for |1,688 |Website, CD and|Community Connection in |County-wide |$50 |
|Children’s Services |families with children up to age 12 | |print |partnership with the | | |
|Directory | | |2002 |Information Providers | | |
| | | | |Coalition of Simcoe County| | |
| | | | |30 copies | | |
|North Simcoe 2002 |Community Health and Social Services |1,005 |Print |Community Link North |North Simcoe |$35 |
|Directory |Government Services, Culture and | |2002 |Simcoe | | |
| |Recreation & Media Information Services | | | | | |
| | | | |75 copies | | |
|Barrie Community |Health & Social services, nonprofit & |1,000 |Print |Information Barrie |Barrie |$25 |
|Directory[22] |charitable organizations, child care, | |2001 |200 copies | | |
| |recreational organizations and clubs, | | | | | |
| |government services, faith organizations, | | | | | |
| |some private health services | | | | | |
|Community and Social |Community and Social Services |700 |Print |Information Orillia |Orillia and Oro |$35 |
|Services Directory | | |2000 planned | |Medonte | |
| | | |for 2002 |100 copies |Ramara, Severn & | |
| | | | | |Mnjikaning | |
|Seniors Guide |Seniors clubs, Emergency numbers, | |Print- one page|Information Orillia |Orillia and Oro |free |
| |government services | |double sided |2-3000 copies |Medonte | |
| | | |card | |Ramara, Severn & | |
| | | |2000 | |Mnjikaning | |
|Title |Focus |# |Format |Published by |Geographic area |Price |
| | |of entries |and last date | | | |
|The Health and Social |Health and Social Services |600 |Print |CONTACT |South Simcoe |$22 incl. |
|Services Directory | | | | | |GST |
| | | | |100 copies | | |
3.2.4 IPC Web Site access
Both Information Barrie and Community Connection make their databases available to the public at no charge through the Internet. Both include name address, phone email and web site contact information. Information Barrie records also include hours of operation, a description of service and contact names. Community Connection requires a subscription service to access this additional information, which is available through the e–commerce ability of their web site. The Community Connection database provides Geographic Information System (GIS) ability in both the no charge and subscription searches on the web site. This innovation arises from Community Connection’s partnership developed with the Simcoe Community Access Network (SCAN).
One service provider said that Membership of Community Connection to access the databases is too expensive. The cost is $100/annum. Having to pay to use data is a deterrent, but where funding is not assured, as it is at Information Barrie, revenue must be generated.
Community Connection is developing the web site connectingsimcoe.ca on behalf of the Coalition. The web site will provide access to the county database and the Children’s Services Database, which Community Connection will maintain. The web site, planned to launch in August 2002, will feature e-commerce and GIS ability.
5 IPC Standards and Governance
Information Barrie is part of the information services department of the Barrie Public Library, which is governed by the Library Board. The other four I&R providers are governed by volunteer Boards of Directors.
IPC staff appear to be supporting the collaborative concept, but the position of the respective Boards of Directors is not known in all cases. Ownership, accountability and territorial issues will need to be addressed. The I&R providers demonstrate different interest and capacity to develop a vision and plan. The impact of increased coordination between the five I&R providers would allow for different use of human resources. There could be different areas of expertise developed, such as directory production, volunteer coordination, French language services, resources could be allocated differently in an area such as data collection which could be managed differently, possibly reducing the cost.
Although this feasibility study did not conduct an organizational capacity study of the five I&R providers, one or more comprehensive interviews and site visits were conducted with each centre, Web sites were reviewed, follow up questions were discussed. The overview of each of the organizations in Appendix 3 was reviewed by each I&R provider before being included in this report. The following table attempts to capture the culture of each of the I&R providers. They are unequal players with different interests and capacities. Without Community Connection leadership and preparation for 211, local interest would be far less developed.
Table 3.5 Information and Providers Coalition I&R Culture
|I&R Provider |Adaptation and Innovation |Stability |Leadership and Decision Making |
|Community Connection |Seeks new opportunities. |Well known in community. |Involved and supportive Board of |
|Collingwood |Approaches challenges recognizing the |Business model with focus on bringing |Directors |
| |risk of not being part of the solution. |value to client and high client |Stable staff including staff leadership, |
| | |satisfaction. |with ongoing training and succession |
| | |High utilization of technology contracts |planning. |
| | |to generate revenue. | |
|Community Link, North |In development phase. Has clear vision. |Early phase of growth. |Involved and supportive Board of |
|Simcoe, Midland | |Known in community |Directors. |
| | | |Stable staff leadership |
| | | |Growing staff capacity |
|Information Barrie |Builds on core business of library |Long history in community. |Supportive Library Board and CEO. |
| | |Stable funding and credibility in |Trained and stable staff. |
| | |community | |
|Information Orillia |Plans for diversification. |Long history in community. |Board of Directors will need to support |
| | |Sustained funding an ongoing challenge. |new directions. |
| | | |New staff leadership. |
|South Simcoe CIC CONTACT, |Current changes result in innovation not |Well known in community. |Staff transition in 2002. |
|Alliston |being a priority at present. |Major employment project, thrift store |Board of Directors will need to support |
| | |and common roof contribute to stability. |new directions. |
Members of the Information Providers Coalition demonstrate a variety of organizational cultures. Community Connection tends to be an early adopter, entrepreneurial, seizes opportunities and looks for synergies. Community Link North Simcoe is a younger organization and focussed on building local community capacity and relationships. Information Barrie operates inside the library structure, which although less agile, affords a solid foundation of resources, CEO support, library science, all inside an established credible community organization. Information Orillia has new leadership moving the organization forward toward more diversity of services and increased financial soundness. At South Simcoe Community Information Centre, the Common Roof and Employment Resource Centre appear to be forward looking initiatives that are bringing value to local residents and service providers.
Among the members of the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County there appears to be a general sense that the leadership that Community Connection is providing is good for the Coalition. At the same time the aggressive pursuit of goals and a larger vision is sometimes leaving other members behind who might not know, understand or share the goals. When this occurs, low levels of trust and a feeling of being steamrolled into decisions prevails.
Communication could be improved by information being shared differently ahead of meetings, members responding to information, members providing feedback on drafts, members stepping into leadership roles from time to time as appropriate, creating opportunities for focused contribution of different members, taking the time required to assist members to understand the mutual benefits and ensuring members are included in decisions that affect their organizations. There would also be increased awareness of broader I&R issues if coalition members participated in I&R initiatives beyond their local areas.
I&R participation from Alliston, Collingwood, Midland and Orillia in the joint I & R training session facilitated by trainers from Community Information Toronto on July 19th was a good illustration of the benefits of coordination. Meetings of the I&R providers planned in mid August and September are designed to help strengthen communication and improve future collaboration.
Although communication among members of the Information Providers Coalition needs to continue to improve, there has been a remarkable amount of work achieved and the residents and service providers of Simcoe County are benefiting from increased collaboration, including sharing of data, information, opportunities and resources, coordination of training and discussion of a County-wide database. Leadership is time consuming and therefore expensive. While the capacity of each of the members varies, leadership is critical to positioning the I&R providers for a role in the new potential 211 community resource. Members of the Board of Directors of Community Connection pointed out that significant effort and resources are invested by Community Connection in the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County. At some point, recognition of the value of that leadership role may be necessary for it to continue.
The consultation pointed out that the governance model for the organization providing 211 is very important when seeking funding, and that five loosely knit organizations will be unattractive to funders. The suggestion to incorporate another Board of Directors for the IPC is an interesting, and complex solution. An alternative would be Memoranda of Understanding developed for mutual benefit. Currently each I&R tends to focus on its catchment area. Coordinating service would result in more work to learn about other municipalities, data collection, training, meeting standards, statistics and data collection.
Managing change and a growth period, thinking about and implementing higher standards and working towards accreditation, will require learning new ways to work together, require new roles and clarity of those roles. At the staff and Board level, there will be a new vision to define, risks to manage and timing and sequencing of decisions.
3.2.6 Specialized Information and Referral Services
There are a number of specialized information services many of whom have their own databases of related services. Some of these such as Simcoe County District Health Unit, Health Connection and Base Borden build their information on the database provided by Community Connection on behalf of the Information Providers Coalition. More information on Base Borden, Health Connection, Telecare, the Rape Crisis Line, the CCAC, and VCARS are in Appendix 4.
7 Conclusion
Each of the I&R providers plays a significant local role in their community witha variety of functions, including to walk-in clients as well as taking calls, data collection and directory production. Information and referral services to Simcoe County residents and organizations would be eroded if these organizations were to be lost. The easily remembered 211 phone number and the enhanced standards of I&R services that are associated with 211, would be further enhanced if the capacity and services of the five I&R providers could be strengthened.
Some avenues to consider are:
• deliver the 211 call response centre from one or more I&R providers that meets or exceeds 211 standards
• seek increased County-wide opportunities and contracts to provide phone related I&R services
• coordinate resources and look for efficiencies among the I&R providers e.g. data collection, data maintenance
• build centres of excellence, e.g. French language skills, aboriginal services, research, volunteer coordination, services for the deaf and people with hearing impairments, newcomer services
• develop a single user-friendly County-wide directory and/or customized directories on demand
3.3 Database Records and Data Maintenance
3.3.1 Comprehensive Database
Each of the I&R providers maintains records for their own databases. Guidelines for collection, inclusion and updating including who collects where, have been defined in the Data Sharing Agreements between each of the IPC members. Each of the I&R providers contributes their records to six county-wide contracts. These are with Simcoe County Children’s Services, Base Borden, Royal Victoria Hospital, the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), Telehealth, which is coordinated Province-wide and the Victim Support Line.
Service providers and individuals alike, recommended building on the knowledge of the five I&R providers, their staff skills, knowledge of their client base, their knowledge of the community and the existing trust factor. However, there is a perception that the I&R providers contain only very local information. “211 sets you in mind of a more comprehensive service.” A recurring theme from stakeholders was a concern that 211 will threaten or replace the local I&R organizations. Some stakeholders mentioned that they felt that a number of the I&R providers are in need of funding and hanging on desperately.
Stakeholders emphasized the importance of investing in the database to ensure that the data is complete, current and accurate and that 211 can be trusted to meet standards.
There was consensus that the database should be at least County-wide but very widespread support for being able to access Province-wide information and referral.
3.3.2 Updating data
Keeping the data up to date was a common concern. People need to trust the data is correct and current. Often without knowing when data was updated, there is a perception that databases are often out of date. One experience of being provided with outdated information seems to feed this perception. This common comment may also come from people understanding how quickly information does become outdated and not understanding I&R provider vigilance.
Each of the I&R providers maintains records for their own databases. Agencies are phoned, faxed or mailed or emailed requests for updated information at a minimum of once a year. Some information and referral providers update daily, scan newspapers, flyers and brochures for changes. Agencies receive requests to update information from each I&R provider that lists their information. Currently agencies are asked to update data by phone, fax, mail or email, this varies with the I&R provider. People asked: “Why are people updating in hard copy?” Many service providers want the opportunity for online feedback and updating. Community Connection was cited as making updating easy by sending emails or faxes to agencies and then following up by phone. Some agencies are inundated by forms to fill out, one agency said they would pay to fill out the form once and have that data distributed and maintained properly, e.g. CNIB has 50 locations cannot update all that information to every I&R service. Agencies described getting calls from each of Community Connection, Information Barrie and Information Orillia who collect the information differently 2-3 times a year. There is a concern that different wording and design of forms leads to different information and results in lack of consistency.
People described not knowing what database they were updating and sometimes the new information given did not seem to reach the database. Even if an agency wants to update information it does not seem to be directed to the right person. This results in data donor fatigue. Service providers described the value of having one source for information. People currently do not know who has what information and who to inform when information about their agency changes. Information gets out of date and is available inconsistently. One agency cited an example where they found a community agency had put up a web site using their agency’s old information, this then became misinformation about their programs.
Table 3.6 Information Providers Coalition - Updating Data
|I&R Provider |Updating data |
|Community Connection |Database maintenance methods are defined in the IPC Data Policy to meet InformOntario |
|Collingwood |standards. Record updates are emailed, faxed, mailed and then telephoned. For updates |
| |not achieving a response, once 14 months have passed, the publication codes are removed |
| |until the update is complete. |
| |Database staff receive 8 weekly newspapers which are scanned for changes and additions. |
| |A volunteer manually checks the white and yellow pages of annual phone books for new |
| |additions. |
|Community Link, North Simcoe, Midland |Records updated a minimum of once a year; record modifications as required. By phone, |
| |fax, mail or email. |
|Information Barrie |Mostly telephone updates, but also (upon request) use fax, mail and email. Every record|
| |is formally updated completely once a year, with modifications in between as required. |
|Information Orillia |Records scheduled for updating annually with modifications as required |
|South Simcoe CIC CONTACT, Alliston |Phone, fax, mail, Email updates/annual. Monthly CONTACT staff make calls to agencies to |
| |update records. |
3.3.3 Internet Access to the Database
The information and referral providers and others consulted, including the Medical Officer of Health, described the value of developing a single centrally funded human services database and web site. There is significant interest and widespread enthusiasm for this as a complement to the 211 phone number. Among its benefits would be providing privacy for the person who is embarrassed or uncertain about calling, which was described as an asset for youth.
It was pointed out that the web site should have an effective search engine. One person suggested that web access to services should be menu driven. Being able to print information from the database was described as important.
Some service providers do not have access to the Internet, and even where it exists, not everyone uses it. About 20 percent of people are estimated to not use the Internet, access to which is limited in parts of the County. In June 2001, SCAN signed a contract with SCBN Telecommunication, a joint venture corporation consisting of Barrie Hydro Energy Services Inc., Hydro One Telecom Inc., Innisfil Energy Services Ltd., Orillia power generation Corp. and Tay Utility Contracting Inc, to build the state-of-the-art fibre optic network. The network is available to the private sector and to any Internet Service Provider wishing to extend their services. This could include county human services kiosks with touch based computer screens in malls and other community locations
The SCAN project was described as a good example of people and organizations putting aside their personal silos and looking at a solution that would benefit everyone. Many organizations are collaborating for example Innisfil library is working with municipalities assisting them with their computer systems. SCAN allows video conferencing, complex procedures such as surgery to be conducted and allows municipalities to share information very quickly. Currently Barrie and Orillia are not part of the SCAN network.
Simcoe County’s Geographic Information System (GIS) adds considerable value to the database of human services allowing the Information and Referral Specialist helping a 211 caller, or an individual looking up information on the Internet, to get information about the location of a service. In Simcoe County every record in the database has precisely formatted address information so that XY coordinates can be attributed.
3.3 Conclusion
There was consensus that the database should be at least county-wide but very widespread support for being able to get Province-wide information. The database for Simcoe County should be designed and developed with this is mind. As work on the database proceeds considerations should include:
• developing a Simcoe County database that integrates with Province-wide databases to enable common searches
• coordinating and looking for efficiencies in data collection
• securing sustained funding, which might be fee for service to the County of Simcoe for example, to web enable the Simcoe County database
• ensuring that public education about the database includes information about standards of updating
• addressing data donor fatigue in the County and with other I&R providers outside Simcoe County explore provincial opportunities to streamline information collection to provide value to agencies
3.4 Potential Utility of 211 to Simcoe County
There was consensus that 211 would be an asset to Simcoe County. A few examples demonstrate stakeholder views.
o Service providers said that 211 is valuable for general information to help the public know where to turn. The impact of 211 would be positive if it resulted in more appropriate calls to agencies, this would help more people know where they should be.
o People who will most benefit are seniors who get lost in the shuffle, and get very confused about who they should call. People who are new in the area would benefit. People who have not been connected to the system before, do not know where to start.
o The Medical Officer of Health described 211 as a wonderful concept if it is feasible. Users would value the inherent simplicity as a gateway to services. An added value would be if it streamlines access to services. For people who know the system it is an intermediate step. For people who do not know where to look it is of exceptional value. It replaces the difficult phone numbers that people try to remember. Currently people are told to call the Hospital Information Line, Telehealth, Health Connection or an I&R centre. 211 adds to what exists and therefore requires additional resources.
o People need a service that crosses issues. 211 does this, and has accurate information and is easy to remember.
o Community Economic Development staff in two locations both involved in business retention, expansion and strategic planning in Simcoe County, indicated that the concept of 211 could have a significant impact, it would help everyone. People are very confused by what organizations do and which they should go to.
o 211 would add uniformity to the area. 211 would be easy to retain and pass on to others. It is a resource for agencies for more comprehensive assistance. This would be a time saver and reduce research time.
o There are a lot of people with disabilities and seniors in the area who would benefit from 211.
o There are a huge number of telephone numbers to call, people do not know which one is the right one. 211 would be the number to call.
o Members of the Alliance for Homelessness said 211 is a huge resource. It complements Telecare and will help with referrals. People currently rely on their own rolodex. Making a call requires nerve, a person may be close to the edge, something has happened in life. 211 as a first step is ok but the next steps may be very complex. Calling back is difficult if a person is homeless. Phone books are daunting especially the government listings. People cannot spell their name if literacy is an issue.
o Young mothers said 211 is a bonus, excellent, easy to remember, you would have a complete list if you cannot find things or if you do not know the name. We would use 211 to find out about immunization and blood donor clinics.
o YMCA gets lots of calls that they don’t know how to redirect, front desk staff will be able to have more information for the questions they are asked and be able to refer callers.
o 211 would assist County-wide staff who move to another location in the County, they take months to get abreast of community services and become familiar with resources.
o There is a lot of change, including moving offices for community agencies. 211 would be consistent. There is rapid turnover of service providers who need to be able to get information quickly, they would be assisted by 211.
o An amazing number of people call the City of Barrie for information, the City in turn refers them to the library. 211 would assist the City.
o Because it may be a crisis situation e.g. women requiring a shelter, and it is a unique situation, we feel we have to find the solution for ‘our client’ we believe we are the ‘be all and end all’. We call other service providers, and feel the need to stay up to date. 211 would enable service providers to focus on their core business.
o “211 can’t wait to see it”. Will magnify my service to client. I will put “call 211” on my answering machine when I am not available.
Both service providers and individuals cited people giving up on their search when a series of calls has not helped them reach the services they need.
The phone as a channel was described as vital for people with low levels of literacy, people who have a “reading issue”. People who are burned out, for example, single mums who need to talk to someone, need a personal touch on the phone.
3.4.1 Benefit and Impact for Individuals
Stakeholders agreed that “a universal number would be useful to everyone, people are very confused by what organizations provide which services.” A number of groups who have particular needs who would especially benefit from 211 were identified.
o Newcomers to the community or county and immigrants to the country
o Families that are trying to help family members
o People who newly need a social service and have no clue where to start looking
o People seeking employment
o ESL students
o Families with low levels of literacy
o People who speak other languages
o People looking for childcare
o People newly out of hospital
o Small businesses
o People with disabilities either as a result of an accident or a degenerative disease
o People with family members, including children, with disabilities or head injuries
o Visitors to Simcoe County
o People who are about to move into Simcoe County or making enquiries about a move to another location
o Someone with a need right away. Having someone to speak to is really important and helps even if they cannot reach other services until later (e.g. a weekend call)
o Young mothers and teen moms who have fewer resources
o Children who are often in the parenting role.
o Homeless people
o People in a crisis, as a result of alcohol or eating disorders, they are feeling desperation.
o People seeking health care or trying to find a family doctor
o People looking for bereavement groups
o People do not necessarily know what is urgent, it depends on their level of functioning. Often government ministries assume that people can self-direct, understand the system, problem solve and prioritize. 211 will be more sensitive to this.
o Women without parenting skills
o For youth when there is an urgency, for example, when their assistance has been suspended, they have been assaulted, there is a school failure, a wallet stolen, they are pregnant or have lost housing.
o People with addictions[23]
o People looking for legal aid
o People needing Social Assistance
o For tourists
Participants in the Alliance to End Homelessness indicated that for some people paying to make a 211 call from a pay phone is clearly a disadvantage. Many agencies provide a phone for people who do not have phone access. Others said it is valuable for 211 to be able to do advocacy for people who need more assistance.
More in depth information was sought from a number of groups who might be perceived to have specific requirements.
Aboriginal Service Providers and Individuals
Simcoe County is the home of many First Nations, non-status and Métis people. A focus group held in Midland with aboriginal service providers and individuals representing a number of aboriginal communities, provided insight into how a 211 service for Simcoe County could be useful to their communities.
Approximately three percent of Canadians are North American Indian, Métis or Inuit.[24] Ontario is the home of eighteen percent of Canada’s aboriginal population, who make up about 1.3 percent of the total Ontario population. National data indicates that about one sixth of the aboriginal population speak an aboriginal language at home. However, participants in the focus group reported that aboriginal people communicate almost everything in English, but that a 211 service for Simcoe County, would have to provide service or interpretation in Ojibway if aboriginal elders are to be served.
Familiarity with existing information and referral services varied. Some of the aboriginal representatives refer often to CONTACT in Alliston and Community Link North Simcoe in Midland and described being pleased with the service, “we are being very well served, they are doing a really good job”. Others in the group knew of Community Link North Simcoe, but did not realize it could provide information and referral. For others the services were unknown.
Aboriginal service providers also use print directories, including the Children’s Services Directory and Information Barrie and Community Link North Simcoe’s directories, the blue and yellow pages in the phone book, M.P. and M.P.P. offices and the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) for health information. There was significant concern that these services are only available on weekdays from 8.30-4.30 and the point was made that when a person is in a crisis for community services it is often not during business hours on weekdays.
Aboriginal representatives identified 211 as being helpful for a person with a child-care or housing crisis, a woman who has been locked out by her husband, people dealing with domestic violence, addictions and health questions, or the person who hears on a Friday that he has lost his job. These situations, it was felt, occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on a Saturday night. Although some services including aboriginal services to address these problems exist and are accessible 24/7, people in need cannot find out about them when they need them, because any service they would ask, such as the local service provider or politician, is closed. A 24/7 211 service was thought to be ideal.
One aboriginal service provider suggested that her job would be cut in half if she no longer had to make the tens of calls to find services for clients. At the same time there was consensus that service providers were fairly well informed about services and the real beneficiary from 211 is “the person down the street”, individuals and families who are looking for services. People described hearing a high degree of frustration from people who “run around all morning trying to find services and get fed up on automated systems”.
There was consensus that 211 would be convenient and accessible for the client and would enhance access to services. However, there was considerable concern about 211 providing a consolidated service that would result in the loss of the existing local services. Recognizing that building on the infrastructure and experience in Toronto would probably be cost effective, participants advocated a 211 solution for Simcoe County that combined building on Toronto’s infrastructure and having the phone answered locally when the inquiry would be best served by a local response. Recognizing that a provincial solution may be useful in the long run, aboriginal representatives suggested concentrating on Simcoe County to start and developing something larger in the future.
In the event of a caller to 211 identifying themselves as aboriginal and requesting aboriginal services if available, aboriginal stakeholders, pointed out that it would be useful for the database of services to include this information. The Ontario Aboriginal Services Directory could assist in providing this information. A County-wide directory with improved indexing for aboriginal services was also suggested. It was pointed out that Simcoe County is not very culturally diverse, stereotyping of aboriginal people was described as a continual problem. One kind of assistance required may be aboriginal people seeking a traditional spiritual healer which should be information included in the database. It was also made clear that in many cases an aboriginal consumer would prefer services from someone outside the aboriginal community for fear of breach of confidentiality.
Internet access to the database was thought to be very valuable, although it was estimated that less than half the aboriginal population have access to the Internet. It was pointed out that personal ownership of computers is limited and that high speed access to the Internet is not available in some locations. Being able to research services on their own was thought to be especially useful for young people and people who do not want to ask for help. Being able to print the information was important.
About the skills of the Information and Referral specialist answering the phone, the person has to be easily understood. A person who has received an eviction notice, for example, is tense to begin with and not positioned to be a patient listener. Aboriginal participants suggested that Information and Referral specialists should take the Native Way training program provided at Georgian College. The five day program is available for aboriginal and mainstream participants. Whoever provides the 211 service also has to be sensitized to there being aboriginal people in the area and know about the Mnjikaning and Beausoleil First Nations. Aboriginal representatives felt that 211 will be a valuable service and expressed an interest in having a representative participate in any ongoing committee on 211.
Blind and Vision Impaired Residents
A focus group with blind and vision impaired individuals provided insight into how 211 could better serve people with vision impairments. Stakeholders estimated that there are 2,200 people who are legally blind in Simcoe County. Some members of the group had walked into Information Barrie and found it very helpful. However in general participants felt that service providers know about Information Barrie but many individuals do not, and they call the Canadian Council for the Blind because they know the agency.
Examples of stakeholders requests for I&R included finding out about special events, such as a walk to fundraise for diabetes, a change in the garbage pick up day which might be known to most people through a small item in the local paper, finding out if roads that are usually walked, are under construction, places to get pet care (four of the participants had guide dogs), for people who have just moved into town who are trying to find out, for example, what the local hydro utility is called. Participants pointed out that for vision impaired individuals and for senior citizens over 65 who know the name of the organization they are looking for, 411 is a free service if they are registered with Bell Canada.
Participants described blind and vision impaired individuals, 80 percent of whom are unemployed, using the phone a lot, often having a cell phone and typically not using pay phones because they do not know where they are. A number of the participants use Jaws and Windowise on the Internet and suggested the access to the database via the web would be very useful. They estimated that about 40 percent of vision impaired people use the Internet, seniors over 70 years old being the least likely to use it. Participants suggested they would try to help themselves using the Internet first and then call 211 if not successful. Frustration was expressed with vanity numbers, such as 1-800-rogers, which require a caller to spell out a word on the phone keypad, and also with automated systems which are very fast and hard to follow for people who are vision impaired.
24/7 service was seen as very useful for the person dealing with an addiction when they decide to take the first step.
Childcare Providers
A focus group help with child care providers for children 0-13 indicated that they are asked often by parents, and sometimes by children, for community information and referral and 211 would be of assistance. Families using childcare services have the whole gamut of needs including children with special needs, family therapists, psychologists, housing, transportation, welfare, subsidies, camps and recreation. A frequent request is information about getting a doctor and clinic numbers and hours of service. A group described as particularly vulnerable are teen and young parents who prefer to be anonymous, “they do not want to run to mum” for information.
In addition to their own resources, for example at the YMCA, childcare providers describe referring to Information Barrie, Information Orillia and the Ontario Early Years Centres for both phone and walk-in services. “It would be helpful to have 211, child care providers are case conference workers half the time.”
Childcare providers were strong supporters of the existing I&R providers and were concerned that funding directed at 211 would erode support to them or threaten their existence. The realization that resources are limited, that people are already “paying for Information Barrie and Information Orillia”, and that people did not want to see resources taken from existing services, resulted in the suggestion to “tap into the momentum” of Toronto’s 211 service. There were mixed feelings about the location of the 211 call response centre, as long as the database was inclusive and service standards were high, it was thought that it could be outside the County, many felt that it is frustrating if people being called do not know the address and a centralized number of a pizza delivery service was cited as an example.
Frustration with automated systems was widespread “an hour later you go back to the main menu” this causes people to hang up and give up. “A lot of parents do not have the resources to stay at the research for 15 calls to get the answer.” Such people come in personally to get help and the call to 211 could be made with the childcare provider and the parent together. For community services every call is unique. People may want to know about several services, “This is different from calling to get your bank balance.”
Childcare providers were advocates for extended hours, identifying many people who operate with irregular hours, and suggested the minimum should be 7 a.m.- 11 p.m. daily, i.e. 112 hours a week.
Childcare providers suggested that agencies could partner in promotion with posters, in agency brochures and handouts, which could also be distributed at the grocery store. Other channels for informing young families would be schools, parent boards of schools, Ontario Early Years Centres, in tourist materials, at walk-in clinics, with municipal tax bills, with work place, and child tax credit cheques, although it was pointed out that many of these are deposited directly into accounts.
Childcare providers suggested that important messaging for 211 is that the service is free and anonymous and should include the kind of service information that is available. Often young children are in the role of parent and may want to access 211. It was suggested that 211 should only be promoted to children 10 and older and that under that age, 911 should be the number children are encouraged to call.
Multi year funding is critical for 211, a combination of municipal, provincial, federal, corporate, casinos and 649 Lottario were suggested. In Simcoe County tourism and recreation resources should be part of the mix because this is a big tourist area.
Employment Services
In youth employment for example, there are many eligibility criteria that determine which employment assistance organization to be referred to. There are age restrictions, rules for Canadians and landed immigrants, others have specific jurisdictions, such as Federal, Provincial and Municipal guidelines. 211 would refer callers to the correct agency. Employment agencies will have an incentive to provide accurate and detailed information so that they get appropriate referrals.
French Language Residents
Midland-Penetanguishene is home to Ontario’s most established francophone families. Ontario has the largest French-speaking population outside Quebec. Francophones own over 8,000 Ontario businesses, companies and corporations[25]. The French presence in Simcoe County dates back 350 years, to the establishment of the Mission of Sainte-Marie-Among-the-Hurons in 1649. Of Ontario’s population, about 5 percent are francophone. Penetanguishene, and the Townships of Tiny and Essa are three of the 23 designated French areas in the province. French language stakeholders estimated that about 5 percent of the people in parts of Simcoe County are francophone.
Representatives of the French language community, who met in Midland, described Community Link North Simcoe as being friendly and keeping them informed. Members of the group were enthusiastic about 211. They described the biggest impact of 211 as diminishing the level of frustration of people. However, they expressed concern about a 211 service being amalgamated with surrounding municipalities, because it would lower the overall percentage of the population that is francophone. If this were to happen, they fear that the need to have French language I&R specialists would be deemed to be less important.
211 is was felt would assist francophones find French language services if they do not know they exist, it would also assist French language services who depend for their survival on getting referrals from people who need their services. Group members described the French language minority having access to limited French language services. The tracking of the nature of calls received by 211 will help to identify new areas of service need and how to respond to them as well as reveal gaps and trends. This includes the needs of the changing Barrie francophone population which includes francophones from Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, including Morocco, Tunisia and Haiti. The needs of visible minority francophones for French language services may be more evident than the ‘invisible’ long term Franco Ontarians. Francophones dispersed in different parts of the county are not likely to want to drive to Penetanguishene, for example to access services in French, even if it is their language of preference.
Representatives of the French language community advocated that the 211 service be provided in Simcoe County where people would know the local situation including the cultural situation. They also indicated that confidence and satisfaction would be higher if people knew that local people had been hired. French language I&R specialists, it was proposed should be Francophone Ontarians.
Word-of-mouth, information sessions at La Cle d’la Bai cultural centre, at French language schools, seniors clubs, kitchen meetings, focus groups and other community development work, newsletters French language radio and newspapers, real estate agents and information packets for people new to the area, were described as useful ways to promote 211 to the French language community. La table de Consultations is a regular meeting of francophone agencies.
Stakeholders recommended that a case for corporate support is “a healthy population makes a healthy workforce.” They proposed spreading costs throughout the County, including Chambers of Commerce, Federal support from Heritage Canada, HRDC and Industry Canada.
Immigrants
Stakeholders provided the following information. The value of 211 to immigrants was tempered by the concern that people with a language difficulty, tend to be intimidated by the telephone and more often than not, prefer to speak personally with someone. For the 211 service to be effective, it must be available in other languages. Clients using immigrant services in South Simcoe come from a variety of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds including Spanish, Russian, Punjabi, Hindi, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, Cambodian, Arabic, Laotian and Polish.
The principle needs of newcomer clients include ESL classes, housing and employment. Typical information and referral questions from immigrants include: where to apply for social insurance number or Health Card, where to obtain employment assistance or the nearest HRDC office, the location of ESL classes, how to apply for social assistance
or obtain accreditation services – assessment of foreign academic credentials, where to find housing including non-profit housing and how to apply for CPP, OAS or foreign pensions.
Although newcomers cited rural friendliness, they also pointed out that people who are new to Canada or the County often lack local relationships and the network of family members and friends who can identify local community services. Arriving from another country, all kinds of things may be unknown including how to get a driving licence or insure a car. Sometimes the amount of information is overwhelming and the newcomer does not need all of it at that time.
The way people speak on the phone is very important. Service providers need to be able to speak slowly for people who do not speak English.
One newcomer speaking about her grandparents from eastern Europe, said that they are not used to getting services immediately, they would be willing to be called back in a week or two to enable them to speak with someone in their first language. People who come to Canada from countries that lack social services have different expectations. People would need to know some local language before even knowing about 211.
One person from Germany thought that there is no national emergency number in Germany so the concept of abbreviated numbers to call would be a new concept.
By 2016 the proportion of visible minorities in Canada’s population is expected to reach 20 percent.[26] Stakeholders consulted expressed the need for a 211 I&R service that is culturally competent. This is the term used by the District Health Council to describe: “the ability to serve and support individuals and families in out community from all cultural backgrounds. To be culturally competent, an organization needs to have both the ability and interest to develop and continuously enhance its understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and similarities between and among groups.”[27]
Members of Faith Communities
Ministers from Christian congregations who were interviewed provided insight into how 211 would assist members of their congregations. One said “211 is an excellent idea, anything to streamline government services and make them more user-friendly. 211 would be a real blessing for our community” People are intimidated by the blue pages and the “whole road of government where they get flipped from one place to another.” Another said 211 could be really helpful if it is widely promoted; that it is hard to know how many people are falling through the cracks, and that he suspected that they go without help because they do not know what is available. When a person is making a difficult decision they may miss options that they do not know about.
Ministers suggested that everyone would benefit, including teenagers, the person in divorce recovery or whose life is falling apart, people with financial, emotional, psychological, and emergency accommodation needs, people trying to find a live in homemaker, questions about parenting skills, care of a spouse or abuse of a child. 211 phone access is important for children 10-13 years old. For the elderly, sometimes the need is home care or transportation. For students the need is often summer employment, but employment is an issue for all ages. For people who have not been down that path before it is very difficult. Churches are also approached by transients going from town to town who need money, accommodation and a meal. They are referred to local food banks, soup kitchens and the Salvation Army. A number of the services people need are in Toronto. It was suggested that services in some parts of Simcoe County are 10 years behind Toronto, and there are few options for people needing a break from dependent older parents for example.
Congregations come to their clergy for counsel about where they could go for services that would be sympathetic to their faith. Some congregations are more likely to want to stay within the church for their services if they can, others are comfortable with secular services. Some of the Ministers were concerned about the lack of services with a Christian emphasis. Some believers are suspicious of secular government services. Churches feel they are treated as a fringe group by people who organize the information and are often missed when community resources are identified.
Congregations are sometimes well connected and know what is available and if they do not know they ask their doctor or lawyer. 211 would help an extended family member who is trying to assist a single mother who is abused, for example.
The person on the other end of the phone needs to listen with earnest care and know where to access services. The information and referral specialist needs to be well qualified and make sure that every person knows they matter, that they are not trying to help in a hurry and that every question is legitimate. 211 would ease people into the system.
Clergy often rely on who they know and would like to know more about who is out there providing services related to depression for example. One minister uses Community Connection’s Gold Book which he described as great. Another uses a three page list of services from Barrie to Owen Sound but it is limited. Often they refer to hospitals, other clergy or contacts with special skills in the service network.
Suggestion that a 211 handout should have a neat creative touch that would communicate what 211 is intended to accomplish. The design could be in solid black with the numbers and lettering in white to stand out from junk mail. An insert, in size half of letter size could be inserted in church bulletins. If 211 was advertised it would be used, it could be on the back cover of the phone book, on the sides of buses there needs to be a repeated visual reminder. Posters and in newspapers at universities colleges and high schools. Also Welcome Wagon, 211 would assist people moving to a new area. In a small town, if someone had a question and they got it answered the success story would be conveyed by word-of-mouth. 211 could also be mentioned in the Mayor’s letter when taxes come out, announced at seniors groups, in the local paper
The only time people have to do research is after work between 5- 8 p.m. For crisis intervention should be 24/7 an abused wife ‘kicked out in the middle of the night’, where does she go, people have no frame of reference.
Clergy suggested that the broader 211 can be the better, to be able to answer any question. The database should include psychologists, doctors and other medical support.
People with a Hearing Impairment or Who are Deaf
Providers of services for people with a hearing impairment or who are deaf offered the following comments. Many people who are deaf prefer to describe their situation as a cultural variance rather than a disability.
The Canadian Hearing Society has 563 clients in Simcoe County. Of these approximately 125-140 people are profoundly deaf people who lost their hearing before age 2.5 years. To use the 711 Bell Relay Service or a TTY, requires higher levels of literacy. Messages sent on a TTY line often need to be deciphered because ideas, spelling and organization may be very muddled. Some people are now choosing to use fax that allows for handwriting and does not require typing. People with acquired hearing loss have speech, so their hearing loss may not be evident to the I&R specialist. There may be a high level of frustration among hearing impaired users because every task is more complicated.
A protocol suggested was for a call from a profoundly deaf person to be transferred to a service for the deaf which is likely to know the consumer. This however refutes the assertion that a 211 call would be confidential. In response to this concern, service providers for the deaf point out that although not anonymous, confidentiality is assured.
For people who sign using American Sign Language, being able to access walk-in services will remain critical.
A response from a 211 information and referral specialist for a person for has a hearing impairment or who is deaf should be plain language, ‘cut straight to the issue’ and provide information in the easiest way. In general, people have a problem with being concise. Automation would not work for a person with a hearing impairment who might want to ask the I&R specialist to speak louder. Amplified outgoing voice equipment for the I&R specialist would be helpful. If the I&R specialist has an accent it makes it harder for a person with hearing loss to understand. Dealing with people who are deaf is a very specialized skill. Training of I&R specialists should include hearing related issues. A separate dedicated number for the TTY is best, however, hearing people have been known in some agencies to use this number to bypass the queue. However, one in four people are thought to have hearing loss of some kind. As the population ages this number will increase. Often associated with hearing impairments are low levels of literacy. Sixty five percent of people with hearing loss, who graduated from school, actually having equivalent to grade three or four education.
People with Disabilities
Participants at Breaking Down Barriers said the community in general will benefit because it is hard to find things in the phone book, especially for people with visual impairments, it is frustrating to have to call someone in one’s family to help. 211 would have more information than the phone book. There are also literacy issues across the spectrum. After-hours callers can find out about shelters or clinics.
People with Mental Illness and People Seeking Mental Health Support
The Simcoe County Mental Health Crisis Line which is provided by the Mental Health and Addiction department at the Royal Victoria Hospital provides information to callers and also provides an assessment of caller requirements. There is large population of mental health consumers who use the crisis line which receives about 7000 calls a year. 240 of these people would be described as crisis clients. About 40 percent of people call both the Crisis line and Telecare. Mental health consumers are considered to be helped by clear systems and a coordinated plan. In Simcoe County mental health providers know each other. Programs are often designed to be consistent. For many people this is one of their tools in the management of their health. However, often when a case management plan, is firm a consumer may call elsewhere to seek another message. Most callers are connected to case management programs. This unique systems coordination provides continuity, consistency and sharing of information about the client with his or her permission. Among mental health consumers are a large number of people who spend their day on the phone calling a variety of services.
211 is more useful for members of the public who are not in the system. Some people feel anxious about calling a crisis line. 211 should be obligated to identify gaps. Information centres are the best kept secret. If people know they exist that is good. A web based database would be helpful to case managers and families of consumers. People expressed a concern that 211 will be associated with 911 and seen as an emergency number.
The Mental Health Restructuring Task Force is developing recommendations to coordinate mental health services. One objective is to prevent the system becoming complicated for mental health consumers.
The Simcoe County Mental Health Crisis Line worked in conjunction with Community Connection in the design and development of the database and now contracts with Community Connection on behalf of the Information Providers Coalition for regular updates.
People who are Homeless
Participants in the Alliance to End Homelessness point out that there are different kinds and degrees of homelessness, the homeless person is not only ‘the vagrant on the street’. People with mental health issues often have multiple issues: employment, no address, low levels of literacy, addiction, health care, no money and budget issues, they require counselling, access to services is an issue and referrals are often multi-agency. Solutions are often sought by problem solving with other agencies.
People who are Unemployed
A large proportion of Simcoe County jobs are in the retail and hospitality industries which are entry level minimum wage jobs. Many people who have difficulty finding employment face severe employment barriers. They face many disadvantages. They may be socially immature, have a lack of social skills, may be homeless and living with friends, have relational issues, and are often uneducated. These people need a guiding hand, they lack skills to deal with information and need someone who cares for them and supports their employment search. Often the appropriate 211 referral will be to an employment service where the person will get face-to-face assistance.
Police
There are at least four police services in Simcoe County: Midland, South Simcoe and Barrie and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Native communities also have their own police forces. This role is shared in Mnjikaning with the OPP.
OPP staff including the Police Chief supported 211 and described the service as enhancing what already exists in Simcoe County. The OPP make lots of referrals to the VCARS, shelters, the Children’s Aid Society. The OPP also try to provide help to hitchhikers who have run out of money. Each of the local police detachments has a card with frequently called services and their phone numbers printed on it.
The OPP provides a 911 service on a contract basis. Like other 911 services a high percentage of calls are non-emergency calls. The Communication Centre is currently in a period of restructuring. The OPP raises money for all kinds of things related to policing. The OPP indicated that they would be able to show public support for 211 but not be able to do anything physically. The Ministry of Family, Community and Children’s Services was suggested as an appropriate funding body because 211 would enable efficiencies at community agencies. OPP staff emphasized that public education about 211 should focus on what 211 is for and not confuse it with 911 especially with school age children. Vehicles could be post it notes and brochures. The OPP would be happy to review promotional material when it is developed.
Chief of Police for Barrie described 211 as sounding “too good to be true”. The Chief with police colleagues, described people as often calling the police as a last resort. People call about other than police matters and the “sooner police can get people to the right community services, the more time saving this is”. 211 was seen to provide more uniformity of how people are referred. The value of 211 would be the person who is asking “what do I do about this problem?” If the database covered Province-wide data that would be the most useful. The Provincial government was described as spending a lot of time advertising their services, now a “new product”, 211 brings services together for the community. A sign such as ‘you are entering a 211 community’ as one enters a town was seen as useful promotion.
The Acting Chief of Police, OPP, at Mnjikaning First Nation suggested that 211 would not likely be used by the large transient population of people to Casino Rama, but more by the 650 residents of Mnjikaning First Nation. Casino Rama has interpreters on staff to assist the 60-70 percent of their visitors who have a first language other than English, with the most commonly spoken languages being Cantonese and Mandarin.
The Small Business Community
A number of people described the value of 211 to small corporations and businesses. As an easy to use number, a small business trying to find out which government department looks after what areas and how they are reached, wanting to assist a staff person in crisis and not knowing how to help, to reach a government body, wanting to donate or volunteer. Many small trades and businesses do not use computers and the Internet. 211 will assist employers to support their employees in a variety of ways including Employee Assistance Programs.
Training
The Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities support Training Boards that are required to maintain an inventory of programs and services that lead to employment. The information includes costs of programs and eligibility requirements. Quarterly the Training Board sends emails to 60 or 70 agencies to update the data in the inventory. The Simcoe County Training Board pointed out that all Training Boards are different however when people call for community information, staff at the Training Board “call all over to help them, 211 would be fabulous”.
Young Mothers
Young mothers in Orillia described using the yellow pages, the government phone number, Information Orillia, Catulpa Tamarack, Early Years Centres, their family doctor, Parks and Recreation brochures and word-of-mouth to get information. They described “stumbling over information”, and wondering if the information was complete. “I’m new to the area it is hard to find anything. Welcome Wagon is there, but they are very slow”. Young mothers indicated that many of them do not have access to the Internet.
Youth
Among youth a recent survey found that two out of 56 youth have Internet access at home. Youth can use Internet at the library but the library is not typically a place for youth to hang out. High levels of computer literacy among youth. 80% of 15-19 years olds describe themselves as having regular access to the web at school, Employment Resource Centre or library. Youth have high level of faith in information. Youth are early adopters.
Youth need private access to the information. Often youth with disabilities have limited private time to access computers due to parental presence. It is highly public to be on the Internet in the library. Confidentiality is important for youth e.g. who are dealing with being gay. Simcoe County has 2000 teen parents under 22 years old, only 10% are being served.
Youth may have no understanding of the system of services. Both the parent or youth need one stop to ease the frustration. Youth don’t identify themselves by age. Young people want to speak to someone. Youth service providers point out that Mental Health Crisis line may carry a stigma which 211 does not. 211 offers confidentiality which is very important.
3.4.2 Potential Impact on Agencies
The areas of impact on agencies are organized using the Steering Committee vision for 211.
Access
• Service providers working with vulnerable people emphasized the importance of 211 being accessible.
• It was expected that 211 would result in more appropriate calls and it would be useful to understand how 211 will drive demand for human services.
• More information is wonderful so long as it does not develop dependency.
• Need to be able to call collect from a pay phone and from institution such as a jail.
• The impact of 211 would be positive if it resulted in more appropriate calls, this would help more people know where they should be.
Equity
• Local services are unevenly provided but 211 would help people find out what is out there, even if it is not in their own community.
• 211 will get the word out about agencies and refer people to the providers
• Experienced people will be delivering the information compared with the for example, the clerk’s office which does its best, but is not experienced in mediated assessment.
• There will be consistency of data with the same level of detail, less distortion of information and this will result in increased confidence in the information.
• Simcoe County is a model for other parts of the province in the efforts to collaborate, reduce duplication and increase efficiencies in the area of information and referral. Emerging trends and issues cited by the District Health Council are for “less fragmentation” and “system vision”.[28]
Quality
• Now mostly the information is correct, but occasionally people get the wrong information. e.g. being referred to Elizabeth Fry in Barrie when there is a local office. People remember this. 211 will enhance the standards.
Results
• Not only would 211 perhaps save MP office staff by addressing one in four calls, the estimate by one MP, but 211 would also result in more consistency of information.
• There was widespread support for collecting data for social reporting on trend information, including identification of gaps in services. Typically I&R providers also use follow up surveys. There was also value of the data for funders. 211 staff have to be well prepared and educated to be able to meet with service providers to address social reporting which could be very important to improve program planning. There are long term relationships between 211 provider and agencies.
• People will welcome extra assistance for people who ask questions outside their core business. People spend a lot of time on calls that are ‘not theirs’. Staff could spend more time on their core work.
Social Reporting
Statistics will be valuable for evaluation and planning purposes, for example the number of calls related to child abuse, the number of calls from teen moms, the exchange they called from, tracking of issues raised in calls. Staff point out that if demographic data is to be collected from callers, the comfort of the caller should not be compromised. Design of how questions are asked should be client based and how data is collected has to be unobtrusive and must not add a sense of crisis. Data about the caller, if required should be requested at the end of the call when rapport has been established not at the beginning. Also questions about e.g. how they found out about 211 should be asked at the end of conversation, it affects trust. Youth get nervous about questions about age.
Concerns about the Impact on Agencies
There were three areas of concern, not previously mentioned.
The Canadian Mental Health Association and the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) indicated that they are funded to provide I&R and have I&R staff positions. The impact of 211 on this is unknown. The CCAC also expressed concern about compatibility with the taxonomy used by the CCAC. Community Connection is currently under contract to ensure that data is compatible with the CCAC taxonomy and new technology.
Some people were concerned that in a local setting there would be duplication of existing common roof services, where staff already know about other services. It was pointed out that 211 connects people to services and does not replace services.
211 could increase inappropriate calls to agencies, if the 211 information is not clear or information on eligibility, for example is not provided.
3.4 Conclusion
211 offers a unique opportunity to strengthen and coordinate the human service infrastructure. Government partners, particularly those encumbered by silos, often need to be helped at the political level to be innovative and build cross-Ministry initiatives. Therefore they need to be informed about the public utility and the individual benefits of enhanced I&R services. Planning the implementation of 211 could enhance other aspects of the social service infrastructure. Some of these initiatives have been in development for some time in Simcoe County.
1) A single number to call, 211, as a first stop for information and referral on community, social, health and government services.
2) A Simcoe County database that can be leased and have additional fields and other customized data added.
3) Internet access to the Simcoe County database that is comprehensive and up to date and provides detailed and accurate information about services.
4) Information and statistics from tracking the nature of calls to assist in identifying demand for services, gaps and trends.
3.5 Boundary and Location Considerations
The mandate of this feasibility study is to explore providing a 211 service for residents and service providers in Simcoe County which consists of the cities of Barrie and Orillia, the towns of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Collingwood, Innisfil, Midland, New Tecumseth, Penetanguishene and Wasaga Beach and the townships of Adjala-Tosorontio, Clearview, Essa, Oro-Medonte, Ramara, Severn, Springwater, Tay and Tiny and Canadian Forces Base Borden.
The decision on where the call response centre that will answer 211 calls will be located will balance addressing local requirements and cost. Decisions about Simcoe County’s 211 call response centre will also need to address how Simcoe County’s 211 service fits into the Ontario and Canadian roll out of 211 and therefore should also consider the requirements of individuals and service providers outside Simcoe County.
This section focuses on the geographic area that a 211 service for Simcoe County will include, and the location of the 211 call response centre, i.e. where the I&R specialists who answer 211 calls are located.
3.5.1 Boundary of a Simcoe County 211 Service
From a telecommunications perspective the geographic boundary of a 211 service is the boundary that includes all the telephone exchanges that have been translated so that when 211 is dialed the caller reaches the same 211 response service. This section explores the rationale for determination of the area of the 211 service. Anticipating that Simcoe County will collaborate with other areas, the preferable strategy will be starting small and building to include other areas rather than starting too large and having to cut back. At the same time, planning for expansion and designing the service accordingly will be important.
Simcoe County is reported to be the largest County in Ontario. It takes two hours to travel north to south in the County and at least that to travel west to east. The predominantly rural population Simcoe County is distributed in cities, towns and villages with distinct and varied histories, features and resources. Simcoe County was described as having the best community network in Canada as a result of the installation, by the end of July 2002, of 750 kilometres of fibre optic cable to 250 public sector sites including schools, hospitals, the District Health Council, libraries, County and municipal offices. The cable provides access speeds from 100 MBPS to 1000 MBPS allowing very large files to be exchanged.
The total population of Simcoe County is 377,040.[29] From the experience of providing 211 services in the United States, this population is very small to sustain a 24/7 211 service unless it collaborated with other locations. This collaboration could include serving a larger than Simcoe County geographic area and achieving an economy of scale by serving a larger population, or sharing the 211 I&R service with another location. There are also technological solutions that could enable 211 to be provided efficiently for smaller populations.
In the United States 211 services are rolling out on a state-wide basis, as a result of both the telecommunications regulatory structure and the state governance structure. In states with larger populations 211 services are often begun in some cities and are gradually extended to other parts of the state. By way of example the following table indicates some of the 211 planning in relation to state population in the United States.[30]
Table 3.7 Sample of US State 211 Call Centres by Population
|U.S. State |Number of Call Response Centres Planned |Total Population (2000) |
| |(estimates in some cases) | |
|Delaware |1 |783,600 |
|Connecticut |1 |3,405,565 |
|Florida |8 |15,982,378 |
|Georgia |6+ |8,186,453 |
|Ohio |6-8 |11,353,140 |
|New Hampshire |1 |1,235,786 |
|New York |10-12 |18,976,457 |
|Maine |3-5 |1,274,923 |
|Maryland |3-6 |5,296,486 |
|Michigan |10-15 |9,938,444 |
|Texas |25 |20,851,820 |
|Vermont |1 |608,827 |
The states selected in the table demonstrate that there is no pattern of number of 211 call centres to population except that populations of less than one million are served by only one centre. Although the US, because of the experience now in 14 states with 211, provides an important reference, it is also clear that consumer expectations and behaviour, the nature of social services and opportunities for accessing funding are among the differences between the US and Canadian context for 211.
When asked about the boundary of a 211 service, the majority of people identified the County as being a logical minimum building block for a 211 service because so many community services are organized County-wide.
Some people said that Simcoe County is an artificial boundary and that families cross borders. The town of Collingwood is 20 minutes away from the boundary with Grey County, which is often linked with Bruce County for Grey-Bruce services. People in North Simcoe often have ties to Parry Sound in Muskoka. People in South Simcoe often have ties to northern York Region. Stakeholders also pointed out that local services cross borders and even the Province of Ontario government services boundaries are not consistent from one Ministry to another. Some examples of cross boundary services and collaboration are:
• Early Years Centres were distributed according to the 103 Federal/Provincial Ridings/Electoral Districts.
• The Separate School Board serves Simcoe County and Muskoka, and the Public School Board serves Simcoe County.
• The District Health Council and French Language Services in the health sector are organized to serve York Region and Simcoe County.
• Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services has 9 regions: Toronto, Central East, Central West, Hamilton/Niagara, South West, South East, Eastern, North Eastern and Northern. Simcoe County is in the Central East area, with City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Peterborough and Northumberland Counties and, York, Durham Regions.
• Referrals to Women’s Shelters include Owen Sound in Bruce County
• MOHLTC boundaries differ by branch
• Most of Simcoe County is in the 705 telephone area code, the southern area, Bradford and Tottenham are in the 905 area code and areas in the South West part of the County are in the 519 area code.
• Community Connection provides the Victim Support Line to all of the 705 area which includes parts of northern Ontario, during core business hours, after which calls are forwarded to Community Information Toronto, where they are answered for the entire province after-hours.
• People in Muskoka come to Simcoe County for hospitals and shopping, people from Simcoe County go to Toronto and York Region for specialist services and entertainment.
• There are 26 United Ways in Province of Ontario, two of which are in Simcoe County. United Way distribution varies by region, for example, there is no United Way in Muskoka District and there is one United Way for Grey and Bruce counties combined.
• The Federal Government districts in Ontario are Northern, South West Ontario which includes Simcoe County, the Niagara Belt, Eastern region and Central Ontario which is the Greater Toronto Area.
• Crime Stoppers is a joint Simcoe County OPP partnership with Muskoka District and Dufferin County.
Exchange Boundaries and Area Codes
Seven counties and regions share Simcoe County boundaries. In all cases they overlap telephone exchanges with Simcoe County. This would mean that when any resident in the exchange dials 211 they will be directed to the same 211 call response centre whether it is in their political municipality or not. A draft protocol to begin to address best practices in this area is in development. (See Appendix 6)
Simcoe County is a semi-rural community and is thought to have more in common with the City of Kawartha Lakes, Muskoka District and Dufferin County than with Durham, Peel and York Regions.
Table 3.8 Neighbouring municipalities that share a border with Simcoe County
|County/Region/District |Land Area in square |Population (2001) |
| |Km | |
|City of Kawartha Lakes |3,059 |69,179 |
|(previously Victoria County) | | |
|Dufferin County |1,486 |51,031 |
|Durham Region |2,523 |506,911 |
|Grey County |4,508 |89,073 |
|Muskoka District |3,890 |53,106 |
|Peel Region |1,242 |988,948 |
|Simcoe County |4,840 |377,040 |
|York Region |1,761 |729,254 |
Because it will be extremely uncommon for exchanges (or NXX areas) to be divided between 211 areas, consideration needs to be given to areas where exchanges cross one or more geo-political areas. In the south west part of Simcoe County, the Adjala-Hockley area share an exchange with Dufferin and the town of Orangeville to the west and Caledon, in northern Peel Region. This area falls in to the 519 area code. Orangeville’s population of 25,000 people is 48 percent of the total population of Dufferin County. For this reason planning should begin quickly to determine with Dufferin political leaders, residents and service providers whether a combined Simcoe and Dufferin County 211 service is an appropriate solution, or whether Dufferin anticipates a better fit with the 211 solution that Peel Region uses. If Dufferin residents determine that Peel Region is a better fit, then residents of that part of Adjala-Tosorontio, would be outside the Simcoe County 211 service. The population of the whole of Adjala-Tosorontio is 10,082. The affected part of the municipality is in the 519 area code and includes Hockley, Connor and Achill.
In the south of Simcoe County, parts of Adjala-Tosorontio, New Tecumseh and Bradford West Gwillimbury municipalities, including the towns of Loretto, Tottenham, Beeton, Schomberg and Bradford are in the 905 area code. These already have 10 digit dialing, to 905 numbers. The appeal of the abbreviated dialing code 211 is increased when the additional complexity of 10 digit dialing is introduced.
Regarding the database a human services database could be provincial, national or international in scope. The database supporting a 211 service will need to either include information from outside the County or information and referral specialists will need to be access other databases. The searching capacity must facilitate easy searching of what will ultimately be either a collection of compatible databases or a single provincial database.
Given the U.S. experience, a possible Ontario wide solution for 211 is unlikely to propose twenty or more 211 call response centres each serving an average of 450,000 people. Having said that, as is demonstrated in the following section, the role of an effective I&R system, which is quite evolved in Simcoe County, can provide demonstrable utility in supporting effective human service delivery.
In the current human services climate, the interest of forward looking service providers is for improved coordination, and working to overcome territorial and ‘turf’ issues to find the most effective solutions for end users. Among information and referral providers, Simcoe County is recognized in Ontario for having done particularly well in this area. Credit is given to Community Connection in the I&R sector and the District Health Council for encouraging this.
A request for funding for a study called “211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002” was submitted by InformOntario, United Ways of Ontario, Community Information Toronto, and United Way of Greater Toronto, and approved for funding by the Ontario Trillium Foundation in April 2002. With a budget of $157,860 for one year, the project will develop a strategic vision for how 211 services could be rolled out across Ontario in the most efficient, effective, and sustainable fashion.
In particular, this project will:
1. Research and benchmark 211 service delivery standards
2. Investigate options for delivery models in Ontario
3. Determine the interest and assist with the capacity assessment of prospective 211 providers
4. Document and disseminate 211 experience in Toronto as a model for accelerated implementation. [31]
The interim and final results of this study are expected to be helpful as Simcoe County prepares to implement 211 and inform thinking in this area, but assuming there may be a maximum of three to ten 211 call response centres in the province, if Simcoe County wants to be the location of one of them, the following scenarios should be kept in mind as Simcoe County planning proceeds.
There was a scenario considered but excluded. This was Simcoe County and York Region – with a population of 1,106, 254. This is the District Health Council region, but was considered by the Simcoe County 211 Steering Committee to not be a good fit as priorities of the two municipalities are different and many York residents and service providers are oriented south to Toronto rather than north to Simcoe County.
Any of the scenarios in table 3.9 could be a phased solution with locations added in the medium and longer term as local resources and interest in 211 are mobilized. None of these scenarios precludes a Province-wide telecommunications solution that might have all 211 calls routed to one location and then redirected, based on source of call, nature of call, availability of lines etc. This would be a possible Province-wide telecommunications solution if Voice Over Information Processing was the chosen technology. (See section 4.5)
The end user or caller is the principal beneficiary of a 211 service and the number of people served needs to be balanced with possible efficiencies resulting from economies of scale.
Table 3.9 Scenarios for Simcoe County 211 Expansion
| |Scenario |Rationale and Issues |
|A |Simcoe County only |- Population: 377,000 |
| | |- The County projected population to be 490,000 in 2016, based on 1996 Census figures, and 600,000 by |
| | |2021. |
| | |- Simcoe County and other counties and regions with strong existing I&R infrastructures could enhance |
| | |utility by building on them |
|B |Simcoe and Dufferin Counties |- Population: 428,071 |
| | |- This scenario is driven by the sharing of a telephone exchange between residents in S.W. Simcoe County|
| | |who are in the 519 area code, with nearly half the population of Dufferin County who live in |
| | |Orangeville. |
| | |- Dufferin and Simcoe County share semi rural conditions |
| | |- In the same way that northern Peel Region residents use Orangeville services, Simcoe County residents |
| | |in south Adjala-Tosorontio may go 13 kilometres west of the County border to Orangeville in Dufferin |
| | |County. |
|C |Rural South Central Ontario |- Population: 634,142 |
| |- Simcoe County, Muskoka, |- Probably for any caller from these areas, Simcoe County would be perceived to be both central and |
| |Dufferin, Grey, Bruce |local. |
| | |- Currently there are not perceived to be any I&R providers outside Simcoe County positioned to deliver |
| | |211. |
| | |- The service area includes 905, 519 and 705 area codes. |
|D |Rural Central Ontario |- Population: 921,759 |
| |- Simcoe County, Muskoka, |-If, as many people consulted for this study attest, there are significant rural and urban differences, |
| |Dufferin, Grey, Bruce, the City of|a 211 service focused on semi-rural residents might provide unique value. |
| |Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton, |- Tourism and ‘cottage country’ are common themes of the region. |
| |Northumberland, Peterborough |- This scenario would include collaboration with Fourinfo the I&R coalition for the City of Kawartha |
| |Counties |Lakes, Haliburton, Northumberland and Peterborough Counties[32] |
| | |- This is a large land area |
|E |Georgian Bay |- Population: 855,820 (approx.) |
| |- Simcoe, Grey and Bruce Counties,|- These geo-political areas share Georgian Bay |
| |Muskoka, Algoma Manitoulin Island,|- This builds on Simcoe County’s understanding of access to services in rural areas. |
| |Parry Sound and Sudbury Districts |- Exploration of 211 in any area north of Georgian Bay is not known. |
| |and Sault Sainte Marie. |- This is a large land area with varied distance to services |
| | |- 519, 705 and 905 area codes |
| |Scenario |Rationale and Issues |
|F |Central East Area |- Population: 1,900,822 |
| |Simcoe County, City of Kawartha |- Aligns with MCFCS Central East Area |
| |Lakes, Haliburton, Peterborough |- There is currently perceived to be no I&R provider positioned to provide 211 for either York or Durham|
| |and Northumberland Counties and, |Region residents |
| |York, Durham Regions. |- Includes collaboration with Fourinfo the I&R coalition for the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, |
| | |Northumberland and Peterborough Counties |
|G |705 area code (Would this exclude |- Population: TBD |
| |the parts of 905 and 519 that are |- Includes Sudbury and Sault Sainte Marie. |
| |in Simcoe County?) |- This is the area covered by the Province-wide Victim Support Line, which Community Connection answers |
| | |in core hours. |
| | |- Includes a large part of northern Ontario where availability of and access to services as well as |
| | |conditions and capacity to collect and maintain data are different. |
| | |- Area codes, like exchange boundaries do not align with political and municipality boundaries. |
2 Location of the 211 Call Response Centre
This section addresses whether a 211 call response centre should be located in Simcoe County or whether it could be located outside Simcoe County. Other than Toronto, there are no other 211 services operating in Canada. At the time of the preparation of this report, there are no existing I&R providers closer to implementing a new 211 service in Ontario than Simcoe County, so consideration has not been given to a hypothetical service provider outside Simcoe County other than Toronto.
When one considers feasibility, telecommunications technology allows for all kinds of permutations for how telephone calls are answered including a single number provincially, for example, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Training Hotline 1-800-387-5656, or nationally, the Government of Canada, information on programs and services number 1-800-OCANADA or international numbers for example technical support numbers. When a caller uses any of these numbers they do not know where they are calling. For some people this was described as a drawback for a 211 call, they felt that callers would want to know that they were receiving a service locally. This was challenged by a number of people who indicated that if the standard and quality of service satisfied the caller, people would not mind where the service provider was located. To meet both these requirements, the 211service:
( needs to be high and consistent quality
( needs to satisfy Simcoe County callers
( needs to provide access to at least Simcoe County community information
( could be answered with a customized answer, e.g. “Simcoe County 211”.
All of these requirements could be provided both in Simcoe County and in Toronto. Any call response centre can choose to identify their incoming lines, for call tracking and data gathering purposes as well as providing customized answers. Calls to the Victim Support Line, for example, that come into Community Connection on a different line and number from other information calls, may be answered “Victim Support Line”. The I&R specialist recognizes which line the call is on by the name or number appearing in call display.
For many people location of the 211 call response centre does not matter as long as the attitude of the person answering the phone is appropriate, and standards are in place, including current and comprehensive data. However for people who had an opinion, there were two distinct points of view.
Build on What Exists Outside Simcoe County[33]
Although the responses lacked the passion and emotion of the many people who wanted to see the service delivered by Simcoe County providers, many people proposed building onto a 211 service that exists already. It was assumed that this would be cost effective because it would realize efficiencies and provide access to a bigger pool of information. A number of people also described the value of accessing information and referral about Toronto. A few people expressed concern about long distance implications. If all telephone exchanges in Simcoe County were routed to Community Information Toronto, it would be to a toll free number so that calls are at no charge to the caller.
One identified advantage of Toronto was that in smaller communities, there is less chance the call will be anonymous. There is a lot of word-of-mouth in small towns. There is more safety in services out of area because everyone knows everyone else in town.
Build on What Exists Inside Simcoe County
Many participants feel that the 211 call response centre should be in Simcoe County. Communities stick together, “one is just another number if the service is not local”. There was also a concern that a call from a location with a relatively small population would get lost if it was part of a large urban service. Some people appeared to equate Toronto with government and had the impression that if the service was provided in Toronto it would be provided by government and this concerned some people: “people will have to queue for two hours” and “some government agencies are clear in the tone of voice that you are bothering them.” People said “decision makers are all in Toronto and they think they know what is best for people here!”
Many call centres that exist out of the area were criticised. One example was Ontario Works , but most were private sector services including telephone and hotel companies that have centralized their services, for example, Houston for a Holiday Inn booking. A number of people said that from an end user perspective these services cannot provide local added value, because the person is reading from a database. People expect informal as well as formal information. They want to hear that a person knows the area. Young mothers said that the service needs to have a homey and friendly feeling. There was also a sense that callers would trust a call centre in an area that people related to. A service in Simcoe County is more likely to know parking lots and accessibility for strollers, they would know the distance between things and the amount of time it takes to get there. Training would have to be overwhelming for a person outside the area, to know vast parts of the province.
The reasons people gave to substantiate a 211 call response centre being in Simcoe County fell into three areas, (i) the Importance of Local Knowledge, (ii) The Importance of Building Local Capacity and (iii) Strengthening Community by Keeping Jobs and Resources Local.
(i) The Importance of Local Knowledge
Participants identified the unique nature of rural life as requiring special understanding. For 211 to work, service providers who are referring their clients to 211 have to trust the 211 provider will be able to do at least what their own staff can do. Consumers will need to feel comfort with the individual provider and have faith that the information is relevant. People have to have intimate knowledge of the area. Rural people it was pointed out, particularly expect and look for a personal touch and a warm and friendly approach.
Examples of the kind of local knowledge and understanding about Simcoe County and the local conditions, that a 211 service provider would need to have included:
o Local people know the local problems.
Rural Transportation and Distance
o Lack of public transportation. If a person outside the town does not have access to a car they cannot get to a service in Creemore.
o The cost and lack of bus services exacerbates this access for people without cars. A question might be what is the closest community in which you could access a service.
o Lack of local services
o Long distances to travel. People need a car to travel between towns. People would not travel between Alliston and Orillia for services, for example.
o When they have access to a car, youth with a G1 licence, have to take back roads to get to services.
o Rural youth are more dependent on parents, so if the issue the youth is dealing with, is upsetting for parents, it is even harder to address. The youth may draw on other parents, sometimes there is a parent who helps lots of youth. Rural families are often extended, there is a supported dependency, no privacy, “my mother’s uncle” is the service provider.
o Because of distances the weather is more of a factor in winter when a person might not even be able to get to Barrie.
o There is no transit system between towns for people with mobility and visual limitations.
o Some services for example audiologists provide out service, i.e. travel to clients, there is also a home visit program provided by the Canadian Hearing Society. Typically services that go to the client are very resource heavy.
o Barrie is the ‘big city’ of the county.
Regional Differences
o Must be familiar with region and be conversant with local media, to be aware of local news such as a plant closing and widespread layoffs.
o In South Simcoe there are new families with young parents with no supports and only one car compared with neighbours with 5 generations of support.
o Year round schooling may be acceptable in Barrie where people have a computers and urban lifestyles. For agricultural families year round schooling would be impossible.
o The history of Simcoe County amplifies differences in some areas. In Orillia, for example many old businesses with deep roots in the community tend to focus on the local Orillia community.
o As much as half of Barrie’s fast growing adult population are commuting to Toronto for work.
o In Penetanguishene, Canada’s French language community dates back to the first European settlement.
o In southern Simcoe County, increasing numbers of immigrants are bringing their cultural diversity and multiple languages.
o There are not many linguistic issues yet, but Simcoe County is starting to have ethnically defined pockets. There are English, French and Portuguese speaking residents and increasing numbers of people with these languages from Africa and other languages from Eastern Europe.
o In small rural communities there continue to be networks of self-help including faith communities, with families rooted in the community for generations.
o It was observed that inside a very small area, Midhurst, for example, there is a huge range of family situations from professional people with expensive homes to farm families.
o There is also the Canadian Forces Base Borden.
o The 211 service provider needs to be familiar with rural route (R.R.) addresses, for example. RR1 Cookstown is actually in Guildford. The caller may not be able to describe clearly where they are. For example they may be in Innisfil and describe themselves as living in Barrie. There are generic postal codes in some areas.
o There is a far greater self-reliance of people in rural areas. One cannot tell a person in Alliston to go to Barrie, they have to make do with what they have.
o A large portion of Simcoe County is urbanized. The attitudes of the smaller urban communities differs from larger areas. There has to be local relevance and deal with what is available in their areas. There is a limited choice of service.
Lack of Services
o Some people are without phones others have unreliable phone systems, or party lines.
o People live in islands
o The program shortage was linked to the very quick transition for Barrie from rural to urban in 20-30 years, the large growth and services are not keeping up.
o Despite Simcoe County being described as resource rich a number of people described the large geographic area and the absence of services in some areas. This includes the lack of health services including clinics and doctors accepting patients, resulting in their being lots of people looking for a doctor.
o A lack of crisis resources and transitional housing
o A lack of supports as well as some programs
o There are also local concerns that the service needs to know about for example, Simcoe County there is a higher than average rate of teen pregnancy and single mothers.
(ii) The Importance of Building Local Capacity
Providing the 211I&R service in Simcoe County was anticipated to build existing capacity, strengthening local relationships, and improve accountability of the service.
(a) Build on Existing Capacity
Although the nature, history and sustainability from a funding perspective of the existing five comprehensive information and referral providers is uneven, it is still a relatively strong information and referral structure. When comparing the capacity of Simcoe County to deliver a 211 I&R service using local resources, with other communities, the County is well positioned.
The standards that I&R services are required to meet to be approved to deliver 211 including the accreditation process, will strengthen any of the I&R providers involved in 211.
(b) Strengthening Local Relationships
People consulted said that 211 should be provided by an agency that is connected to community in some way, builds relationships and is able to give feedback locally. 211 could a unifying force sharing information and services, putting faces to names and reviewing collectively how 211 works to serve end users and human service providers. When people get together for coordination, they develop mutual respect for each other and they overcome Ministry silos. Balkwill and Associates use the term social capital, which refers to “the creation of networks, goodwill, trust, shared values, norms and generalized reciprocity which arise from interactions between people.” Social capital is indicated by: feelings of trust and safety, sharing of positive values, connecting and participating within and outside the organization and acting voluntarily.[34]
One of the shared outcomes of implementing 211 was expected to be improved social reporting. People identified the audiences that would value the statistics and information about the nature of calls. They include Board members, funding agencies, political and service providing agencies, the information will effectively be a public report. One concern expressed was about misuse of statistics because there will be a referral bias, the data will measure those people who call the system and not those who do not. Whether callers repeat or new callers is the kind of questions that would be asked in follow up interviews. it is the same people calling. In collecting information, Health Connection asks for the first three letters of the caller’s postal code.
(c) Accountability
Community Economic Development staff suggested that the 211 call response centre needs to be local because local people will be more accountable to the community they serve. Participants felt that a service will be more responsive if local.
Although 211 focuses on the phone channel for information and referral, the impact of 211 standards will improve services for the other channels of access to I&R. Some participants were emphatic that the emphasis on 211 should not result in neglect of people who walk-in for services.
(iii) Strengthening Community by Keeping Jobs and Resources Local
Community Economic Development staff said that people want to keep services, jobs and money in the County. Economic Impact Studies were described as demonstrating that when people go to local business for services such as getting the car fixed or the house painted or for shopping, that it strengthens the economic well being of the community.
Asset mapping is currently being used to assess communities. If the 211 service provider is in Simcoe County it could build on existing assets and add to them, a cluster could form that would be an asset to communities. 211 was also thought to attract people to an area. A case for the 211 I&R service to be in Simcoe County included creating jobs for people. Hiring I&R specialists from around the county for the 211 service was suggested.
3 Conclusion
There is widespread support for a 211 I&R service to be provided by one or more local Simcoe County I&R providers. In the short term, the boundary of the 211 service will likely be Simcoe County or Simcoe and Dufferin Counties. The latter scenario to address the needs of Simcoe County residents who live in that part of south west Simcoe County in the 519 area code. The growing work being done to bring 211 to more of the Province will inform decisions about the expansion of a Simcoe County 211 service to include other municipalities. However, as planning for the 211 I&R service in Simcoe County moves forward, making decisions and communicating plans to optimize coordination and best use of limited resources, should be guiding principles. A number of possible scenarios for expansion have been identified.
Although people tend to think that their needs are unique, this is only partially true, and many Simcoe County information and referral calls could be answered elsewhere by qualified staff with access to the database. Cost will be a consideration in the final decision. Economies of scale may be best realized by answering the majority of calls, during core hours or moderately extended core hours in Simcoe County and forwarding calls to an existing 211 service after-hours.
Stakeholders were persuasive that human services in Simcoe County could be enhanced if local service providers were integral to providing the 211 I&R service. A 211 service focused on bringing access, equity, quality and results to individuals and service providers in Simcoe County, and one that is nimble and flexible to adapt to changing community requirements, was thought to enhance and strengthen the Simcoe County human services system. The risks of not providing the 211 I&R service at least partially in Simcoe County, include erosion of the I&R system which is an asset.
There was widespread response that the 211 call response centre could be anywhere, Toronto, Northern Ontario or elsewhere if the comprehensive database existed and standards were maintained. However, most people wanted a local flavour and preferred to keep expertise, jobs and spending local if it could be afforded. Unless there is a driver at the provincial level to implement 211 it may be expected that particularly in the early years of 211 implementation in the Province, that it will be local communities, such as Simcoe County, believing that 211 will help local people and agencies access community services, that will drive 211 roll out forward in communities.
3.6 Conceptual Model of Service
The Simcoe County web site sums up the diversity of the County: “Simcoe County is composed of sixteen communities, all offering unique experiences for visitors and residents alike. A half-hour drive from Toronto delivers you to the County's southern border and a 474,242 hectare (1,830 square mile) area of two cities, seven towns and nine townships, rolling farmland and ski hills, historic sites and the energy of more than 330,000 (now 377,000) people. Three main sectors fuel growth - industry, agriculture and tourism.”[35] The conceptual model of 211 service has to address this diversity.
The application to the CRTC requesting 211 was focused on improving end user access to community services. The appropriate model of a 211 service for Simcoe County is one that maximizes the benefit for end users balanced with cost. Many people described the five existing I&R providers as community assets that should not be lost. During the community consultation stakeholders identified their requirements for a 211 I&R service:
( Build on the capacity of the existing I&R providers
( The service must be nimble and meet changing staffing requirements
( Provide excellent service, proper information and ongoing training to staff.
( Use GIS mapping to help with location information.
( Maintain an effective underlying database to support the people answering the phone. It has to be up to date, accurate, locally relevant and complete.
( Continue to provide excellent service to people who walk-in for I&R services.
( Reduce duplication.
( Include a Simcoe County database that is on a web site.
( Professional training is needed for staff to search wisely.
( Must be able to make direct link calls in the event for example of a suicide call or if a person is confused or distraught.
Many people consulted raised the importance of quality control. Their comments included:
o If people are frustrated by the service it will not be used.
o It is critical to have high quality at the outset and sustain this.
o Social service calls are often more complex than for example for health ‘vital signs’. The 211 staff has to listen, not ‘kick into the standard response for an abused woman’ for example.
o Housing information has to be up to date and accurate.
o Training is very important.
o Information and data must be current and include late-breaking news such as strikes and road or plant closures
o The service needs to track changes and trends.
o Include information on eligibility e.g. fee subsidy.
o The database must be wider than Simcoe County. Some services are not in Simcoe County, e.g. eating disorders are likely to be Toronto, or speech and language services are in York Region.
There were many stakeholders who referred to the value of access to Province-wide data.
Often an innovation such as 211 affords a community an opportunity to explore whether there are better ways to do things. Interviews with each of the I&R providers demonstrated interest in improving their systems, staff training, sustainability and other aspects of their service. Whether or not an I&R provider becomes a part of the Simcoe County 211 I&R service, expectations of I&R services are growing as standards and accreditation become more common and technology affords opportunities for more extensive databases. Approximately twenty percent of the total I&R contacts at the five I&R providers are walk-in clients.[36] I&R providers describe the most vulnerable people as walking in and being directed by service providers to visit the I&R provider for extra assistance. This population includes people with no fixed address, no phone, low levels of literacy and mental illness. Distances between towns in Simcoe County eliminate the possibility of clients accessing walk-in services from another location if their local I&R provider was to cease to provide walk-in service.
In addition to the value of local presence for walk-in clients. Each of the I&R organizations provides a range of services to human service organizations, businesses and the public.
A 211 I&R service, that would meet the needs of stakeholders would:
a) maintain local relevance and walk-in services
b) involve a phased approach
c) reduce duplication
d) emphasize centres of specialization and expertise
e) be coordinated within Simcoe County
f) coordinated, connected and complementary to surrounding area, provincial and national 211 I&R services.
A 211 I&R service needs to be adequately and properly resourced with sustainable funding. A number of service providers emphasized making a plan that uses everyone’s limited energy well. As in many community services the major expense item for I&R providers is staffing. This study did not assess time use of staff who typically work in busy positions and have multiple responsibilities. However there appeared to be duplication in the production of directories and other functions such as the collection of data, which might be able to be redesigned for more efficiency.
Recognized by service providers and the other members of the Information Providers Coalition, Community Connection in Collingwood has over a number of years, developed a leadership role in I&R in Simcoe County. Community Connection demonstrates, both among the Board of Directors and staff, interest, confidence and readiness to engage in the activities that are required to meet 211 standards. Community Link North Simcoe in Midland, Information Orillia, Information Barrie and South Simcoe Community Information Centre in Alliston, all express interest in being part of the 211 solution in some way. Members of the Boards Directors and staff at each of these organizations will need to consider their long term plans. It is entirely possible that delivering part of the County-wide delivery of I&R services, which does not require meeting 211 standards, may be a best fit. One approach would be specialization. Some possible areas for example include French language services (North Simcoe Community Link and Base Borden), aboriginal services (Information Barrie and North Simcoe Community Link), research (Information Barrie), volunteer coordination (North Simcoe Community Link), immigrant services (South Simcoe Community Information Centre), directory design (Community Connection and Information Orillia). A further advantage of collaboration that was proposed was building on the existing infrastructure because it would help the existing I&R providers to work together.
The Executive Director at Base Borden’s Family Resource Centre expressed interest in being part of 211. Unlike the geographic focus of client service of the five comprehensive I&R providers, the mandate of the Family Resource Centre is to serve the soldiers and staff, and their families at the Federal defence facility.
A phased approach of the conceptual model below is anticipated with Community Connection likely to be the first I&R provider ready to meet 211 standards, launching 211 followed by other I&R providers, if interested, joining as they become 211 ready. The staged approach must be designed to be able to grow efficiently. The conceptual model includes some examples of functions that could be led by one or more of the I&R providers on behalf of the others.
Such functions include:
• Directory and customized mini-directory production
• Maintenance of the web site
• Answer overflow calls or calls at peak times. Patterns in call volume change, but can generally be planned for.
• Specializations that require special expertise or resources such as volunteer coordination, French language I&R, I&R services to Aboriginals, newcomer languages, and services for people with hearing impairments.
A different approach to collecting and maintaining data could enable some staff to have more time to do other things.
Proposed Conceptual Model: Hub with Satellites that enter system as ready. Any component receiving 211 calls must meet 211 standards.
|Community Link North Simcoe, Midland | | | |Information Barrie |
|Any or all of for example: | | | |Any or all of for example: |
|- 211 calls | | | |- 211 calls |
|- Local data collection | | | |- Local data collection |
|- County-wide volunteer coordination | | | |- County-wide research and resource |
|- French language I&R services | | | |functions |
|- Aboriginal I&R services | | | |- Multi cultural language I&R services |
|- Other areas of specialization | | | |- Aboriginal I&R services |
| | | | |- Research |
| | | | |- Other areas of specialization |
| | | | | |
| | |Simcoe County | | |
| | |211 HUB | | |
| | | | | |
| | |Community Connection | | |
| | |Collingwood | | |
| | |- 211 calls | | |
| | |- Local, regional, provincial and federal data | | |
| | |collection | | |
| | |- Comprehensive County-wide database | | |
| | |- County-wide contracts | | |
| | |- Database management | | |
| | | | | |
|Information Orillia | | | |South Simcoe Community Information |
|Any or all of for example: | | | |Centre, Alliston |
|- 211 calls | | | |Any or all of for example: |
|- Local data collection | | | |- 211 calls |
|- Other areas of specialization | | | |- Local data collection |
| | | | |- County-wide research and resource |
| | | | |functions |
| | | | |- Multi cultural language I&R services |
| | | | |- Other areas of specialization |
| | |E.g.: Base Borden Family Resource Centre | | |
| | |e.g. French language I&R services | | |
The minimum requirements of a 211 I&R service are outlined in section 2.8. These have been further clarified by InformCanada to enable an organization to demonstrate they are being met. See Appendix 8. Any I&R provider answering 211 calls must meet these standards. Organizations to which calls are referred from 211, such as community services, or a local I&R provider not part of 211, do not have to meet 211 standards, although the standards will enhance quality and consistency of service to callers as well as walk-in clients.
Some stakeholders suggested that the hub of a 211 service should be located in Barrie, because the province is centralizing some services in Barrie, for example courts and shelters, and many services outside Barrie are satellites of Barrie services. At the same time many people said this is not necessary. One person said that “in Barrie, everyone thinks everyone goes to Barrie, but they don’t”. One person said it would be nice for the centre of 211 to be somewhere other than Barrie, because almost all of Simcoe County is rural. One person suggested that Collingwood is a four-season resort and Community Connection is a progressive information and referral organization that can be a model for others. Technology allows businesses that provide telephone based services to be located anywhere.
Hours of service 70 hours or 24/7
After-hours and extended hours of service were seen as very important, but whether the 211 I&R service needs to be 24/7 was questioned. Some people who preferred 24/7 said they would rather give up 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. daily than jeopardize the whole service.[37]
Comments included:
o 24/7 is very important for people with immediate needs who cannot wait.
o Evenings and weekends are very important for people who cannot call from work and are not free in the evenings until the children are in bed.
o 24/7 service is very attractive for shift workers, fire fighters police,
o 24/7 is important for emergency child care, even for ‘night owls’ and the busy mom who does not have any time during the day with kids all around and would appreciate being able to do her research into services after-hours.
The OPP too agree that people in crisis do not call within business hours and suggest that providing the 211 service 24/7 be balanced with cost.
Live answer is critical
Automated systems were described as almost always supporting the service provider rather than the consumer. Almost everyone thought that live answer was critical. “When I call, I need a person to help me navigate.”
A number of reasons were identified.
o One reason is that people do not know what to ask.
o People are mobile and move around and do not know what services exist so cannot use an automated menu.
o People will use 211 when needing a service for the first time.
o People have lots of stages in their I&R requirements.
o Automated systems poor for people with hearing loss.
o Aging population with vision loss for whom looking up phone book is more difficult.
o People need interpretation of the information and language of acronyms.
o Important for people who do not speak English and need interpretation.
o Automated systems are very slow and often circular, people get taken along the wrong trail.
o Some people need to be guided, including some people not able to speak English.
o Punching in a social insurance number is beyond many people, and this locks them out of the system or hangs up on them if there are delays. Some agencies actually coach their clients on how to get through the voice mail at government services.
o Automated systems are impersonal and time consuming
o Live answer means person speaks to individual issue, not general information for everyone.
o With youth there is a small a window of opportunity to provide assistance, when they reach out one has to take the opportunity.
o Youth will likely use the Internet first and work up to speaking to a person.
3.6 Conclusion
The proposed model of a 211 I&R service in Simcoe County builds on existing community I&R assets.
During the development of the application to the CRTC and the following public process the unique contribution of the community sector to 211 was identified. It includes the following.
a) The information and referral sector has been collecting, maintaining and disseminating community information for over 50 years. Organizations are operated by volunteer board members reflective of the community which, in turn, reflects community values. Volunteers also often provide critical assistance to the professional staff who answer the phones and manage the database.
b) United Way Canada – Centraide Canada and their community partners work closely with the corporate sector to engage their support in community initiatives, and have been invaluable in securing pro bono support such as advertising that would not traditionally be available to a for-profit, government or quasi-judicial body.
c) The community sector crosses all political parties and persuasions.
d) All levels of government information are provided. Often people do not know who provides which services and this is particularly problematic if a specific level of government answers the line – the impression is that they will only provide information about their level of government or at least second tier information about the other levels - also, many organizations do not wish to share their data with government or others if they know there is a community-based information and referral service which is already collecting that data - people are adverse to duplication.
e) Community organizations have access to, and credibility with, all kinds of community and non profit organizations, as well as different levels of government.
f) 211 planning committees have built cross sectoral partnerships including education, health, emergency services, employment and other community help lines that forms a basis for community ownership.
The conceptual model for a 211 I&R service in Simcoe County builds on these attributes and is characterized by a phased approach, increased coordination within and outside the county, reduced duplication, centres of specialization and expertise at the same time that local relevance and walk-in services are maintained.
3.7 Marketing, Promotion and Public Education
3.7.1 The communication messages.
Some stakeholders suggested that the biggest challenge was for people to understand the purpose of 211. People suggested that the marketing message should be easy to assimilate, so that people will understand the concept immediately. 211 will also have to be heavily marketed. It was suggested that marketing has to make it clear that 211 is a referral not a direct link. There was a concern about managing expectations that 211 is for community and not commercial services. Thought was given to how to educate about what 211 is not. People were concerned about differentiating between 911 and 211.
3.7.2 Channels for communication
Stakeholders suggested many channels to promote 211 and educate the public.
The recommendation from the Rape Crisis line was compelling:
o Target the most marginalized people, that is people who do not speak the official languages, people with hearing impairments, people with mental and physical disabilities, the elderly, people living in poverty, people who do not have phones. These people get targeted for abuse and often have no supports whatsoever. If these people are reached with information about 211, the others will find their way.
Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at Casino Rama described the biggest challenge for 211 is letting people know it exists. First Nations people particularly get missed.
A variety of channels for public education and promotion were identified.
Media
o Blind and vision impaired individuals suggested using the CNIB newsletter which is available on tape; media, community radio and TV. Participants pointed out that if a phone number is printed on the TV screen it must also be read out, and they criticized Telehealth for not doing this. CNIB Simcoe County-Muskoka could help to get the number and information about 211 out.
o Radio which helps people who cannot read
o Aboriginal representative suggested there would need to be mass promotion, it should be “in your face”, with stickers, fridge magnets and signs on city buses, on garbage bins, in laundromats, on highway signs and billboards. All local service providers could promote 211 and have 211 pamphlets. 211 could also be on agency web sites. The five I&R providers were described as having large outreach potential for letting people know. Any images of people in 211 promotion were encouraged to include aboriginal people.
o TV ads
o Print ads in the newspaper.
o Young mothers said: Community newspapers, like Health Connection does on TV; bill boards with community information; service providers to give out information; fridge magnets, posters in doctors offices, hospitals in the post natal, area. Welcome Wagon. Learn from 911 promotion. TV guide. Special events festivals Mariposa, Scottish; Government departments.
o Phone books, including the yellow pages, the classified section of the newspaper, information cards
o In local papers e.g. Georgian Staffing in the gossip column
Mail
o Promote with pension cheques, in municipal water bills,
o Flyers in the mail box or mailings to households.
o Bell and Barrie Hydro inserts, although there was a comment about Enbridge gas bills that there is already so much in the envelope the 211 information would get lost.
Services and Community Organizations
o Service providers who could encourage people to inform others by word-of-mouth.
o The public affairs department at Base Borden would probably be open to ensuring that everyone at the Base was informed.
o Hospitals would be good location.
o Libraries were identified as wanting to be involved in 211 and could host information sessions. Libraries provide Internet access for the public and could provide training to people looking up the 211 web site at library terminals. An Internet search affords anonymity. There could be a link from the libraries front page on the web site.
o In information packages for immigrants
o Fax distribution to agencies, Ontario Works and businesses
o Newsletters e.g. Employment Resource Centre newsletters
o Agencies as part of orientation to new clients or in new client information packages
o An outreach project with a van
o A service provider indicated that to reach new immigrant clients in Simcoe County massive outreach will have to be done. Many people would not look at inserts in their telephone bills, also some newcomer clients may not have telephones. Outreach to different social service providers, businesses and other frequented community areas is vital. Also, it would be beneficial to have any flyers/brochures and/or advertisements in various languages.
o Pamphlets for services to distribute, to people who work with children, through service organizations, something that attaches to the phone or fridge, not something that would be filed, Doctors’ offices, emergency services, sometimes in paper. Word-of-mouth.
o Posters in businesses, stores and Laundromats
o People with Disabilities: Newsletter of organizations like Breaking Down Barriers. Tell Doctors, the health unit, Red Cross, Health and Welfare. Church newsletters, Sunday service programs would reach the elderly. 211 could help with tourism. Promote 211 in a jingle, have a jingle contest, use radio, must be accessible to all kinds of disability visual, invisible, mobility, hearing and must be able to access with TTY.
o Newsletters to users, schools to the youngest child, in brochure ‘Welcome to Barrie’, in Barrie Advance, the free tabloid 3 times a week. In Community Parks and Recreation booklet that comes out 3 times a year to reach home owners. For people without addresses shelters, there are 4 in Barrie, women, youth, Elizabeth Fry and a street centre for the homeless.
Word-of-Mouth
o Alliance for Homelessness: members point out that print material doesn’t take illiteracy into account. Homeless people rely on each other. The information has to be transferable by word-of-mouth, simple.
Reaching Youth
A number of vehicles to especially reach youth were identified:
o Use teacher advocates in schools to reach youth and other people who serve clients.
o For youth: Radio, Christian radio. There is higher church attendance in tighter knit communities where it may be the social centre in rural communities; schools; T.V: CKVR (Toronto/Simcoe County), Much Music, Rogers TV: Colourful youth specific posters for pizza places and other youth hang outs; summer students with a painted van; special events e.g. summer events and at ski hills.
o Among youth the word will get out by word-of-mouth if people see it as safe to call. What is happening in Toronto affects us. Youth will know what is happening in Toronto, people come up to parties.
However it was pointed out that people do not listen to promotion campaigns, there is an information overload, people perk up only when they have a need.
3.7 Conclusion
Both the communication message and the channels of communication are important if public education about 211 is to reach those who most need it. There are multiple channels that can be provided at lower cost if the written or print material is provided to agencies, government departments and faith communities, for inclusion in their regular communication. High visibility simple promotion that includes word-of-mouth by service providers was thought to reach those people who would be least easily reached.
3.8 Guideline with 911
As part of CRTC requirements for 211 “adequate protocols to address emergency service calls which should be handled by 911 and/or emergency services” need to be in place. The guideline for handling a 911 call that has been inappropriately made to 211, that was developed in consultation with Toronto Police Services Communications, was discussed at the 911 Management Board for Simcoe County, and agreed to provide the basis for the local guideline. A caller who has inappropriately dialed 211 instead of 911, should be instructed to hang up and redial "911". This will ensure that the emergency call is received on the 911 network with the correct address and emergency information.
Simcoe County's 911 Central Emergency Reporting Bureau (CERB) service is contracted to the OPP and receives about 700-1000 calls every day. The cost of the CERB portion of the 911 service is approximately $129,000 a year (excluding the Cities Barrie and Orillia, and Ramara Township). This was described as 58 cents per capita/annum.
1 Conclusion
Public education and promotion of 211 should emphasise that 911 is the number to call in a life threatening or emergency situation.[38] However, in the event of a 911 type call being made to 211, a guideline should be in place. The wording of such a guideline has been developed in consultation with Simcoe County's 911 Central Emergency Reporting Bureau.
Other protocols may also be useful with the Mental Health Crisis Line, the Rape Crisis Line, Telecare Brampton and Telecare Orillia.
3.9 Calling 211 to Volunteer
211 is the number to call to get information and referral help on community, social, health and government services. 211 may also be a useful number to call to give help in time or resources. The community consultation asked about the usefulness of using 211 as the number to call to volunteer. Because there are many places that need volunteers, anything to make it easier to volunteer was seen as a good idea by most people.
Although stakeholders generally thought that dialing 211 to volunteer would be a good idea, it was seen as a possible second phase. And if introduced would require a lot of preparatory work to set up a County-wide system and messaging about 211 to volunteer which should take into account comments from a couple of people who said calling 211 to volunteer would be confusing, “it dilutes the role of 211 for I&R” and “211 is a “need” whereas volunteering is to “give”.
Comments included:
o 211 is an easy way for a person to volunteer, but there would need to be a system in place in the municipality.
o 211 could help with the serious attempt to increase the number of volunteers in Simcoe County.
o Local organizations are requesting assistance in volunteer management and training. 211 would help to attract volunteers.
There are three volunteer centres in Simcoe County: North Simcoe Community Link, Volunteer Barrie and Volunteer Resources Inc (Orillia), Base Borden also has its own volunteer program. Preliminary work to explore the need for volunteer services is being undertaken in Collingwood. To date there is no coordinated County-wide volunteer strategy or service. However Community Link and Volunteer Barrie have co-hosted some Leadership Development Program events.
Community Link North Simcoe expressed interest in assisting with strengthening this County-wide role. Volunteer Barrie also expressed interest in contributing to a coordinated volunteer response. Leadership at Volunteer Resources Inc (Orillia), described that organization as doing a lot of fundraising including bingos and focusing on financial sustainability. Each of the three volunteer centres is described as quite different.
Volunteer services often assist the community service program which began in September 2001, which requires high school students to contribute 40 hours of volunteer time during the school year. At Georgian College students including those in the law and society and hotel and restaurant management programs are required to do volunteer work.
Increasingly volunteer registration is able to be done online, which links well with the initiative to develop the Simcoe County database online.
If callers are simply referred to volunteer centres where they exist, then this would be the usual role of 211 and it would not be promoted as the number to call to volunteer.
Sustainability of volunteer centres is an issue and work needs to be done in preparation, however 211 to volunteer could be a potential role for 211 in the future.
Volunteer centres describe the occasion when a person offers their time to volunteer as a critical time to be able to respond with interest. The role of the person who receives the call of a person who has decided to volunteer has a ‘prime moment’ to respond. Volunteer centres do not want to turn volunteers away, they want to make it as easy to volunteer as possible. Volunteer coordinators point out that one cannot simply ask a person where they want to volunteer. Often people do not know the opportunities that exist, also a volunteer for a special event for example may also be willing to take on other activities. Connecting the new volunteer to a service that can begin a matching process would be critical. This requires a different expertise from information and referral.
Critical for the success of 211 as the number to call to volunteer, in the same way as it is for 211 as the number to call for I&R, is for the response to be caller centred. One suggested system could be to ask the potential volunteer a few pre determined questions including where they live and a number and time they can be reached at, and inform them that they will be called back within one business day, for example. The information would then be channeled to the appropriate place in the volunteer network for follow up.
The process of handling a potential volunteer’s call to a 211 service would need to be coordinated. There would need protocol or system to address the challenges. If 211 was promoted as a Simcoe County service and 211 was promoted as the number to call to volunteer there would need to be a way to handle all calls to volunteer within the County.
The components that need to be in place include:
• A coordinated County-wide approach in addition to the existing centres meeting their local mandates.
• Adequate funding to resource the County-wide coordination.
• A 211 response to the caller to make it clear that they called the right place to be linked to volunteer recruitment and placement experts.
• A procedure such as: “What area do you live in? What is your number and good times to call? A volunteer coordinator will call you within, for example, one business day to conduct a phone interview.”
• The system needs to make an appropriate response at all times. If a potential volunteer calls on a Friday night, the I&R specialist would take the required information.
• A process that recognizes that people often do not know how they want to volunteer when they call.
• A response at intake to the potential for the volunteer in other situations. For example younger volunteers who volunteer at Waterfest may show potential for other volunteer situations.
• Tools to assist the process could include the volunteer application form being available on the web site.
• Ability to address high school and colleges requirements to donate volunteer time.
• Coordination of resource requirements.
211 could also be promoted when there are special appeals for donated goods such as sleeping bags. Callers could get pick up and delivery information by calling 211.
If the system included directly linking the caller during business hours to a volunteer contact in the area they are calling from, there would need to be an assured phone line available. There is considerable work done to develop a County-wide solution. This might also include a registry of County-wide organizations requiring volunteers. The professional experience of volunteer centres must inform how this aspect of a 211 service is developed.
1 Conclusion
The need for volunteers and the value of an easy to remember number to call to offer to volunteer, received widespread support. There needs to be an effective County-wide system for volunteer recruitment and placement before 211 could be promoted for this purpose. Given the lack of coordination to date and the limitations of support for volunteer coordination, 211 as the number to call to volunteer is recommended in a second or subsequent phase. Without promoting 211 for this use, 211 I&R service providers in Simcoe County should be prepared to respond to anyone calling to volunteer as they would to call requiring other referrals.
3.10 Potential Funding Partners for 211
Stakeholders emphasized that funding needs to be continuous and sustained. A number of people expressed concern that there needs to be more than seed money for 211. Unstable or diminishing funding for 211 would result in standards slipping which in turn could result in use decreasing. Funding for sustained promotion and public education was also seen as important.
So the funding mechanism has to be sustainable. Once launched, 211 has to be funded into the foreseeable future.
As a public good, 211 was described as needing ‘hard’ money that is sustainable such as government funding and not relying on ‘soft’ money from fundraising for example. It was suggested that 211 should be government funded but not provided by government. Transfer payment agencies could maintain the kind of neutrality that would be required to deliver 211.
Multi-Sectoral Funding
Most individuals and groups recommended multi sectoral funding. As multiple Ministries and levels of government are expected to benefit from enhanced access to services, funding from Federal, Provincial, County and City government was described as appropriate. The following responses from focus groups illustrate the variety of funding sources that people felt could be appropriate for 211.
o 211 will improve all communities. Federal Government has a priority of giving people access to the Internet and information, HRDC, Industry Canada, Communication Canada, Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program, Minority Language Heritage Canada in English and French. Alcan Optical a technology firm in Midland, Casino Rama and the OPP. One level of government will leverage another level of government. Approach the Province, Simcoe County, and Cities of Barrie and Orillia to share cost. Also Rotary Clubs and Community Foundations to contribute.
o 211 could be very beneficial to people with disabilities so Federal support for people with disabilities and Ministries supporting people with addiction, mental health issues and learning disabilities could be sought.
o A Province-wide database would be useful and should be resourced by federal and provincial government. For example women who have been abused may be referred to a variety of services outside Simcoe County.
Federal funding, including Indian and Northern Affairs, was suggested. The Province of Ontario was seen as an appropriate funder because 211 would reduce costs for a number of Ministries. The County of Simcoe, United Way, the Ontario Trillium Foundation were also suggested. Both Casino Rama and Georgian Downs ‘Rasino’ (horse racing and slot machines), and local corporations were identified, although it was recognized that funding must be long term.
Municipality of the County of Simcoe and the Cities
Because all residents of the County and the cities of Orillia and Barrie would benefit from 211, a significant role for the County in terms of funding was proposed. Several people suggested that this could be based on a per capita basis by City, town and township population. It was pointed out that the Municipality does not like to “play favourites”, so the value of 211 to everyone may be a good fit. It was suggested that funding for the 211 I&R service could also be part of the County levy.
A comparison was made with neighbouring York Region to the south:
o York Region has been a leader in this area, human services have been embedded in the official plan. The Municipality has a role with regard to access to human service information, it is appropriate for the Municipality to provide core dollars. In the County human services is the largest area of deliverables. 211 would be a good fit. In York Region, Municipal support is more and more likely.
Provincial
The Provincial government was identified frequently because 211 was seen as complementing so many provincial programs.
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, particularly the Rural Affairs program, which includes an economic development focus.
• Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
• Ministry of Citizenship and Minister responsible for Seniors
• Ministry of Francophone Affairs
• Minister of Environment and Energy
• Ministry of Attorney General and the Native Affairs Secretariat – legal, courts, police, victim services, shelters.
• Minister of Tourism and Recreation – the County is such a key area for Ontario tourism. I&R service should be funded by tourism and recreation providers
• Management Board Secretariat was identified as a key player because of its interest in effective service provision. Hon. David Tsubouchi was identified as a potential champion.
• Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services because of the value to families and people working in children’s services
• Ministry of Education – impact of 211 on youth, teachers and parents
• Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities
Many ideas come together in 211. Some of these have been thought about for some time. For example, the vision for “a single centrally funded database of County-wide information on Human Services that is responsive to the needs and unique characteristics of Simcoe County and available to families and service providers through ….a central access and referral source” was developed for an MCSS project in March 1999.[39]
Each of the M.P.P.s with ridings in Simcoe County was approached as part of the community consultation. Staff in Hon. Jim Wilson’s office invited the 211 Steering Committee or Task Group to identify the costs of implementing 211 when the feasibility study is completed, to determine whether jointly the M.P.P.s are able to advise on resourcing 211 for Simcoe County as the first semi-rural roll out of 211 in Canada.
Federal
Many people, anticipating that 211 would roll out to benefit all Canadians, suggested that the Federal government should assist in supporting the initiative. “It would be wonderful to have Federal support – 211 Canadian wide would be ideal.”
Each of the M.P.s whose ridings are in Simcoe County was approached as part of the community consultation. Paul Bonwick, M.P. (Simcoe—Grey) suggested that an effective way to inform Federal Members of Parliament would be to hold an open house to which all MPs from all 301 ridings are invited. The objective of the open house would be to describe the 211 business case. The open house could be at Centre Block at a time when the house is sitting and just after a vote has been called, so that MPs would be on hand to attend.
Gerry Hawes, Special Assistant to Secretary of State for Amateur Sport, Hon. Paul de Villers, expressed interest in supporting the 211 initiative by joining the appropriate committee.
A number of Federal Ministries were identified:
- Health Canada - because social and health issues affect everyone, and a 211 I&R service would complement the human services infrastructure
- Human Resource Development Canada
- Communication Canada
- Industry Canada, Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program
- Minority Language Heritage Canada in English and French
- Indian and Northern Affairs –to serve the Simcoe County Aboriginal population
United Way
In partnership with the Information and referral movement, United Way has provided leadership in bringing 211 to Canada and contributes in many communities, including Simcoe County, to bringing organizations together to plan for 211 in their communities.
Service providers wanted to be sure that 211 funding would not erode existing direct service program dollars from United Way. There was concern about taking away dollars and losing services or capacity within the services that 211 would refer to.
One unified fundraising effort of all United Ways for 211, nationally or provincially, was suggested.
There was widespread support for the United Way’s role. However, some people are confused about the role and motivation of the United Way. There is some misinformation about the mission, fundraising and funding role of United Way, including not knowing that United Way is a non-profit organization.
United Way of South Georgian Bay
Members of the Board of Directors and leadership of United Way of South Georgian Bay are supportive of 211. The Executive Director suggested that funding currently allocated to Community Connection would be rolled over to 211 if it was to be implemented in Simcoe County and the funding would be enhanced if possible without eroding funding to other agencies.
The Executive Director reflected that 211 is a different kind of service from a United Way perspective, because it enhances the human service infrastructure, helping people better access and link to direct services. 211 builds on the opportunities and assets that already exist. 211 also reduces the duplication of multiple agencies feeling they must collect and maintain information.
The Executive Director described one role of United Way being to build the capacity of organizations. 211 is expected to enable organizations to better do what they were organized to do, this includes people on a front desk not dealing with as many inappropriate calls.
o From a customer service perspective, some agencies feel that they must go to the end of the earth to help their client even if their questions are outside the scope of the agency. One should be skeptical about a point of view that they can provide all the answers without referring to others. People have to realize that referring to 211 is good customer service and it helps callers to help themselves this time and with more confidence in the future. The anonymity of 211 respects the fact that when many people seeking services may at first feel uncomfortable or uncertain.
United Way of Greater Simcoe County
The United Way of Greater Simcoe County (UWGSC) keenly supports bringing 211 to Simcoe County individuals, families and organizations. The Executive Director pointed out that their neutral agenda positions the United Way to be an advocate of 211. The United Way facilitates community involvement, helping to build a community’s capacity to help itself, and bridges the voluntary and private sectors, these roles complement the 211 service. 211 will help the public make the association of United Way with enhanced access to community services.
The Executive Director indicated that the United Way covers the whole County, many community agencies that receive funding and support for example, Huronia Hearing Impaired, St John’s Ambulance and the Canadian Mental Health Association, provide services County-wide.
One of the UWGSC’s expectations of 211 is the building of better horizontal ties between agencies, by providing a means to strengthen cooperation. Many agencies have felt a need to gather data for I&R, but they have no mechanism to do this. 211 will enable the I&R providers to focus on their core business of information and referral, and other agencies to focus on their core services. From an evaluation perspective, it would be useful if agencies could benchmark their work now and measure the impact of 211. The 211 service will be more useful, points out the Executive Director, if the service can remain nimble and be able to respond quickly to changing community needs.
Corporate and Casinos
Honda with 4000 full time staff is the largest employer in Simcoe County followed by Casino Rama with 3000 employees.[40] When asked, Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at Casino Rama pointed out that 211 would be used by staff at home and not by their customers partly because there is restricted access to the Casino phones which do not provide access to 411 and 911, customers are advised instead to ask staff for help. Also, of Casino Rama’s 13,000-23,000 people who come each day, eighty percent are from Toronto. They tend to come in by bus to the Casino and then leave Simcoe County without doing anything else in the community.
With regard to funding to support 211, the Director at Casino Rama described receiving 4,000 requests for funds each year, they give a maximum of $20,000 to a request and do not make multi year commitments. Casino Rama would like to be at the public launch of 211 for moral support and to be seen as good neighbours.
Other corporations that were identified as possible supporters of 211 with the case “To encourage the health of employees” were Bell Canada, Rogers, the banks, Tim Horton’s, LCBO, and the Responsible Gambling Council of Ontario. The technology sector was suggested as a partner from the telecommunications business side. For corporate support one group suggested going to “a corporation with a good name, with a sound environmental stand and good reputation”.
About seeking corporate sponsors one person said that if “211 is to work well, it has to be at least as good as the programs that are currently being provided. We would not expect to rely on corporate donations to provide those.”
Organizations
It was agreed that organizations cannot be required to pay to be on the database, because the database needs to be comprehensive and complete. There were several ideas for fee for service including:
• a fee paid to the 211 provider to be identified on an organization’s answering machine after-hours or when busy
• a fee paid to the 211 provider to be the sole collector of information for directory purposes
• there are also current revenue generation practices of fax distributions and label production
2 Conclusion
The utility of improved access to human services and reduced frustration for everyone, including Simcoe County’s most vulnerable people, suggests that significant funding partners for 211 would be different levels of government. This would fit well with the need for sustained funding.
Community Connection has established relationships and in some cases strong partnership with projects such as Ontario Early Years and the Community Care Access Centre. If partnerships such as these demonstrate value not only to the local services, but to their Province-wide counterparts, a case for sustained Province-wide support for 211 is viable. A paradigm shift toward integrative services in provincial services was described as being “led by pockets of people including some good politicians. 211 is a perfect integrative mechanism”. The challenge is to gain the ear of the right politicians and leaders in government integrative policy to explore funding partnerships.
The pressure to achieve revenue generating opportunities exists for all the I&R providers. There is a goal to establish and maintain a Simcoe County database that is accessible through the Internet. If it is demonstrated that a 211 I&R service facilitates the effective delivery of services for all levels of government, sustainable funding could partially replace the need to generate revenue through contracts. At the same time the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County will be better positioned to offer and customize contracts related to databases and human services call centre services. Government departments and organizations purchasing contracts as well as funding partners will value the improved standards, accreditation of the I&R provider and certification of staff.
4. Business Plan
1 Vision
A vision of the impact of 211, focusing on access, equity, quality and results, was developed by the United Way 211 Steering Committee in January 2002.
Access
Everyone - individuals, families and agencies, especially those who need services, will have a way in, a first stop into a wealth of comprehensive information from which they will receive a coordinated response. People will be able to link into a county-wide network of services as opposed to going to one organization at a time.
Equity
An expansion and coordination of existing services will result in an equalization of information available to all residents and agencies in the county. This will help people overcome parochial thinking and recognize the benefits of interconnectivity.
Quality
Qualified and experienced people will provide a mediated assessment and deliver the information rather than a well-meaning person whose experience is not in the I&R field. Data standards will ensure a high level of consistency and integrity of information. This quality will result in increased confidence and therefore use of the information.
Results
Social reporting on the nature of calls received, will enable agencies and service providers to better assess the demands for services and service gaps. This will assist planning bodies and politicians and their staff, in service and resource planning. Organizations will benefit from social reporting information and will understand the value of keeping the I&R provider(s) informed.
4.2 Utility of a 211 I&R Service
The utility of a 211 I&R service is demonstrated in the impact on:
• Individual consumers – the person who has a problem does not know where to turn, calls 211 and is guided to a path to solve the problem. For example, one person accessing literacy skills and being able to get a job, the un-housed person who accesses housing, or the teen parent who acquires parenting skills. Simcoe County residents become aware of the services that exist. This will assist residents to help themselves find solutions to their problems and reduce individual stress and frustration of not knowing what is available, or being overwhelmed by information. A 211 I&R service is a complement to community based health promotion.[41]
• Human service providers – in a community organization, County, City, Town, Township, Provincial or Federal government office, in order to help a client, a human service provider may require community, social, health or government services information which is beyond the scope of his or her knowledge. The human service provider, instead of calling their network of colleagues, draws on the comprehensive 211 I&R system to get the answers they need quickly using the 211 phone number or the 211 Simcoe County database. In this way resources are used more effectively than ever before. This also enables existing human service organizations to focus their time on providing core services as a result of being able to draw on 211 and refer calls to 211. This will reduce agency staff stress and frustration of not knowing what is available, or being overwhelmed by information. In addition, a centralized, comprehensive, accurate, relevant database will reduce duplication in the collection and maintenance of data.
• The human services system – will facilitate information sharing between human service providers. Data will be collected to assist with social planning and identify trends by tracking demand for services and referrals. Follow up with callers will determine if they followed through and evaluate their satisfaction with the 211 service and levels of success in reaching and receiving services. A 211 I&R service will enhance human services, and strengthen the links in the ‘system’ of human services.
• Support to emergency and crisis services – extended hours of service and ultimately 24/7 hours of 211 I&R service will support specialized crisis service providers and crisis lines including the police, mental health providers, Telecare and services that support survivors of rape and victims of crime.
• Information and referral service delivery - the standards required of an I&R provider to deliver a 211 I&R service include certified information and referral specialists, qualified database managers, comprehensive database, extended hours of service, call tracking, public education and accredited organizations with effective administrative and business systems. A 211 I&R service with a call centre and database is a significant community asset.
• Services and businesses – the employees and clients of all corporations, businesses and service agencies (including tourism and recreation providers, visitor services, the offices of M.P.s, M.P.P.s and Councillors, small businesses and supporters of community economic development), will have a standard community resource for all Simcoe County which will reduce frustration and unnecessary delay in having access to services.
| | | | |Specialized service or program | |Competencies | | |
|Individual has a | |211 | |e.g. literacy class, parenting | |developed | |Well being |
|problem | |I&R service | |skills, health, housing and | | | |Employment |
| | | | |language services | | | |Health |
| | | | | | |Balance restored | |Productivity |
4.3 Call Volume and Staffing
Call volume drives staffing requirements and therefore a major part of the cost of an I&R service. United States 211 experience shows, as one would expect, that increase in call volume is directly related to promotion and public education. Call volume also increases in times of economic downturn.
In the summer of 2002, when this feasibility study was conducted, the first Canadian 211 service, had just been publicly launched.[42] In the month of data available since the public launch, call volume has doubled compared with the year previously. A number of these calls are people inquiring about 211, as occurred when 911 was introduced in parts of Canada. Monitoring call volume to the first Canadian 211 I&R service will be important to help more accurately project potential call volume in Simcoe County.
Increase in call volume is impacted by:
• Population served
• Promotion and public education about 211
• Hours of I&R service
• The state of the economy
• Levels of existing awareness of I&R services.
The launch of the memorable 211 number would be expected to alert many people to the existence of an I&R service. According to an Ernst and Young study conducted in 1991, Collingwood’s information and referral centre, (now called Community Connection), was the best known of the 11 centres studied around the Province, with an 80 percent awareness level. Orillia’s I&R centre (Information Orillia) was the second most known, with a 72 percent awareness level.[43]
As demonstrated in table 4.1, the smaller population base, the semi-rural environment, the apparent high volume of calls relative to population now, and the expansion of hours of I&R service, make it very difficult to accurately project call volume increases following the launch of 211 in Simcoe County.
Typically service providers who are familiar with the human services system will be regular users of an I&R service. In rural areas some kinds of calls may be unique, such as road repairs on major travel routes. In Simcoe County calls from visitors and associated with tourism are expected to be unusually high.
Table 4.1 Comparison of Call Volume
| | |Call volume |Calls prior to 211 |Call volume in |% increase | |
| | |prior to 211 |as a % of |first year after | | |
|Location |Population |launch |population |211 launch | |Notes |
|Connecticut |3,300,000 |150,000 |4.5% |204,000 |40% |Phased high profile promotion |
|Toronto |2,400,000 |125,000 |5.2% |Projected 200,000 |60% |Phased high profile promotion combined with |
| | | | | | |change from 14 hours a day (98 hours/week) |
| | | | | | |to 24/7 |
|Simcoe County | 377,000 |75,000 |20% | | |Phased high profile promotion combined with |
| | | | | | |change from 40 hours a week to 70 or more |
| | | | | | |hours a week, or 24/7. |
The projection of 211 call volume for the whole of Simcoe County has been based on existing annual call volume (2001) to the five I&R providers, each of which has a different history and level of local awareness, and each serves different populations. The total number of calls received by the existing five comprehensive Simcoe County I&R providers in 2001 was 75,000 I&R calls. To project what will happen to caller habits is conjecture, but a scenario is needed to project 211 staffing and other associated costs.
Table 4.2 Estimates Projecting 211 Call Volume in Simcoe County
|Year |Projected Annual Call |Projected % increase in |New calls |
| |Volume[44] |calls each year | |
|2001 calls to existing five comprehensive Simcoe|75,000 | | |
|County I&R providers | | | |
|Simcoe County 211 year 1 |120,000 – 150,000 |60-100% |45,000- 75,000 |
|Simcoe County 211 year 2 |155,000 – 195,000 |30% |80,000 – 120,000 |
|Simcoe County 211 year 3 |185,000 – 235,000 |20% |110,000-160,000 |
Assumptions:
a) That 100 percent of people who currently call for I&R are fully satisfied with their relationship with the existing I&R provider and continue to call them after the introduction of 211, and
b) People who do not know where to call, dial 211. This is projected to result in 45,000-75,000 additional calls in year one of 211. (Table 4.2)
The four Simcoe County I&R providers that were able to provide estimates of call length, indicated current average call length to be:
a) 3-4 minutes,
b) 4 minutes,
c) 5 minutes and
d) 95 percent of calls are 3 minutes or less.
This compares with average call length at Community Information Toronto which is just over three minutes. Calls range in complexity from “Who is my M.P?” and “How do I contact him or her?” to complex calls in which the caller has a problem for which they cannot articulate a specific question. The latter inquiry particularly requires the expertise of the information and referral specialist to interview the caller, assess his or her needs and make an appropriate referral. Some I&R services in the U.S. report an average call length of 10 minutes, which includes time taken to document each call. For specialized services where counselling, clinical assessment, and intake may form part of the conversation, calls are generally much longer. 211 may change the nature and length of calls. This is being monitored by the 211 Director at Community Information Toronto and will be of interest to the Simcoe County 211 Task Group as planning continues.
A full time information and referral specialist answers 211 calls, follows up calls, including advocating on behalf of callers when required, prepares reports, and participates in frequent training to stay abreast of new issues. In a fully operational service, an information and referral specialist may answer approximately 9,000 calls a year. Staff requirements in the cost estimates are described as full-time equivalent (FTE), although to respond to peaks and troughs in flow of calls, many information and referral specialist positions are part-time.[45] See table 4.3.
In addition to the staff required for the 211 I&R call centre service, information and referral resource specialists collect data and maintain databases. To meet 211 standards Certified Resource Specialists (CRS) are required for database management. Community Connection anticipates that their database manager will achieve CRS certification in the fall of 2002.
Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, a gap analysis and associated collection of data, was completed by Community Connection in 2000. Currently the five I&R providers maintain 6,841 human service records.
The Simcoe County database in addition to containing Simcoe County records contains all Federal offices and all Provincial offices serving Simcoe County. Annual collection and maintenance of records is estimated to require 1 – 2 hours per record per year. On this basis, 6,841 records would require 4.7 – 9.3 FTE. Currently the total number of staff dedicated to data collection and maintenance is fewer than this. If the five I&R providers decide to move forward in a more collaborative fashion, an assessment of time required in this area needs to be better understood. For the purpose of costing 211, a full time database manager, who would be qualified as a Certified Resource Specialist, has been identified as required.
In Simcoe County, because 211 builds on existing capacity, it is assumed that I&R organizations have access to the range of skills including senior leadership, accounting, technical assistance, fundraising and other managerial and administrative capacity. In the cost estimate, a half time coordinator position and a full time training and outreach position have been included. The nature, number and salaries of staff required to enhance the existing service to become a 211 service are outlined in table 4.3.
Other I&R Contracts
Already the five I&R providers deliver a variety of services. For example, North Simcoe Community Link provides volunteer services, South Simcoe Community Information Centre provides an HRDC supported Employment Resource Centre, Community Connection provides the Victim Support Line for the Ministry of the Attorney General, Information Barrie provides research information through its capacity as a library and Information Orillia provides small business office support. These multi functions are expected to continue and have the potential to grow if a 211 I&R service is introduced in Simcoe County. 211 calls are on distinct lines from calls to the I&R providers for the other functions they provide. This enables the call to be recognized as a 211 call and answered appropriately.
A training budget for both 211 I&R service and data collection and maintenance staff, is required to attain and maintain the required certification. This includes the designations of Certified Information and Referral Specialist (CIRS) and Certified Resource Specialist (CRS) and other ongoing training requirements.
Table 4.3 Staff Projections and Salary and Benefit Estimates.
|Call Volume Estimate |New calls per annum |Number of new staff |Staff position |
| | | |requirements[46] |
|Leadership and accountability is clear |( |( |( |
|A role for all I&R providers |( |( |( |
|The variety of expertise, the organizational culture and the level of readiness of|( |( |( |
|each of the I&R providers is respected | | | |
|A County-wide 211 Task Group will contribute to vision for and evaluation of the |( |( |( |
|211 I&R service | | | |
|Provides a network of I&R capacity for daily operations and in the event of a |( |( |( |
|disaster or emergency, such as a tornado or fire | | | |
|Allows for division of work related to data collection, volunteer coordination, |( |( |( |
|directory production and customized on-demand mini directories. | | | |
|Allows for division of work related to 211 call answering | |( |( |
|Builds on demonstrated leadership to date |( |( | |
|Each I&R provider can take the time it requires to identify its priorities and |( |( | |
|become 211 ready within existing or new organizational goals | | | |
|A new organization does not need to be formed and incorporated |( |( | |
|Memoranda of Understanding will articulate respective responsibilities |( |( | |
|Physical distance between I&R providers will not create challenges to building a |( |( | |
|cohesive new organization | | | |
|Recognizes that no other I&R provider is positioned to amalgamate with Community |( |( | |
|Connection at this time | | | |
|Accountability to the community and funders will be through a single point of |( |( | |
|contact | | | |
|Enables shared responsibility for answering 211 calls at anticipated peak and | |( |( |
|heavy use times | | | |
|Provides opportunities for management of overflow 211 calls at unexpected peak | |( |( |
|times | | | |
|I&R providers can plan to answer 211 calls less or more based on other priorities,| |( |( |
|training, staff meetings, vacation schedules etc in collaboration with other 211 | | | |
|ready providers | | | |
|Provides back up 211 I&R capacity in the event of an I&R provider facing technical| |( |( |
|problems | | | |
All three delivery models are based on the assumption that trust between and among the I&R providers will continue to grow. The success of all models, but especially of delivery models 2 and 3, will be dependent of participating I&R providers investing in raising standards. Monitoring of data maintenance and increased evaluation will be essential to success. Because defensive or insular thinking will jeopardize service effectiveness, collaboration will need to have clearly articulated expectations. If the five I&R providers continue to strengthen how they collaborate and coordinate their work, the community will benefit from the enhanced social capital.[47]
The Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County (IPC) over the next couple of years will require a formal structure including a business agreement. IPC meetings in August and September 2002, will further this process. As collaborative work unfolds, the respective strengths of the I&R providers needs to be recognized.
The brand ‘211’ should be associated with meeting 211 standards and not used as a naming device until those standards have been met.
The I&R providers who would answer 211 calls are illustrated in the crosshatched areas in table 4.5. Other than Community Connection, the I&R providers are selected as examples only.
Table 4.5 Answering of 211 calls by Delivery Model
Delivery Model 1 Delivery Model 2 Delivery Model 3
|I&R Provider |Yr 1 |Yr 2 |Yr 3 | |Yr 1 |Yr 2 |
|Call centre more than core |Simcoe County |Simcoe County |Simcoe County |Simcoe County |Simcoe County |Other 211 Service |
|hours, e.g. 8-6 week days (50 |Provider(s) |Provider(s) |Provider(s) |Provider(s) |Provider(s) | |
|hours/week) | | | | | | |
|Extended hours (to cover 70 |Simcoe County |Simcoe County |Other 211 Service |Simcoe County |Other 211 Service |Other 211 Service |
|hours/week) |Provider(s) |Provider(s) | |Provider(s) | | |
| | | | | | | |
|More than extended hours e.g. |Simcoe County |Other 211 Service |Other 211 Service |Simcoe County | | |
|7 a.m.- 11 p.m. 7 days/week |Provider(s) | | |Provider(s) | | |
|(112 hours/week) | | | | | | |
|24/7 (168 hours/week) |Simcoe County |Other 211 Service |Other 211 Service | | | |
| |Provider(s) | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
The value of 24/, around-the-clock services are being increasingly recognized as beneficial to users. Despite providing extended hours of service, prior to the launch of 211, Community Information Toronto (CIT) determined that approximately 75 percent of calls were received during core business hours 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays. Because of the promotion of 211 and increased awareness of the 24/7 extended hours of I&R service there may be an increase in calls after business hours. In the months prior to the public launch of 211, when CIT was operating 24/7, CIT described receiving significantly fewer calls between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m., however, during these hours, calls tended to be longer and more complex in nature. An anecdotal comment since the public launch of 211, suggests that more typical calls are being received at those times attesting to the value of extended hours to residents. This was identified as a value by Simcoe County residents in section 3.6.
As the only existing 211 service in Canada, Community Information Toronto (CIT) was asked whether it would be willing to provide 211 I&R call centre services for Simcoe County after-hours and, if so at what cost.
The Executive Director of Community Information Toronto has indicated that CIT would be happy to discuss Simcoe County's requirements for after-hours 211 service. However, CIT would like to have a minimum of 3 months of experience with 211 before discussing the price of providing the service. CIT pointed out that the findings of the study "211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002" will also be helpful in determining efficiencies, including possibly identifying innovative telecommunications solutions. This study is expected to begin in the fall of 2002.
Over and above the minimum standards for 211, other requirements for a 211 service for individuals and service providers in Simcoe County include:
• Building the capacity of I&R providers including the development of an enhanced Simcoe County I&R system with potential for specialization and centres of excellence
• Opportunity for local branding of ‘211’ including public education materials and strategy
• Promotion that recognizes and gives credit to local players for bringing 211 to the community
• Delivery model that allows for diversified funding base e.g. public sector, corporate, United Way, human service contracts, etc
• Tapping into Simcoe County information technology enhancement and possibly SCAN
• Opportunity for community capacity building including having 211 I&R service call centre providers participate in local human service networks
• Coordinating with provincial and national roll out of 211 I&R services
• Positioning Simcoe County to provide 211 I&R service for selected surrounding counties and districts
4.5 Telecommunications Technology and Implications
In Decision 2001-475, the CRTC has directed that the cost of translating telecommunications switches and routing calls be paid for by the telecommunications service providers, such as Bell, TELUS, Rogers/AT&T. Other than this, the cost of providing a 211 I&R service, including long distance calls, falls to the provider of the service and their funding partners.
Call centre technology varies from simple to complex. Community Connection and South Simcoe Community Information Centre have in place multi-line roll over systems. The estimated cost of Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) type functionality is $25,000 - $100,000, for the system that holds calls and distributes them according to a variety of programming options. The design of the technology and telecommunications system for a Simcoe County 211 I&R service needs to be determined.
Best practices for equity of access to 211 for people who are deaf and hearing impaired have been developed with members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. These practices, including a TTY machine are required in all 211 I&R services.
The requirements for telecommunications technology include:
a) Sufficient phone lines to answer call volume
b) The adaptability of the system to adjust to new entrants to the 211 I&R service from among the I&R providers, as they become ready
c) System requirements such as Automatic Call Distribution, queue routing and the ability to identify incoming calls and direct them automatically to different places, or according to a variety of program or expertise options
d) The ability to direct link to a service
e) The ability to recognize the call as a 211 call
f) Tracking and reporting capacity
g) Keeping start up and operating costs, including long distance charges, to a minimum.
h) The ability to call forward after-hours
i) Options for automated components. Although there is widespread support for a 211 caller to receive a live answer, some applications of an automated system may provide enhanced customer service and be explored in the medium term, such as pre-recorded tapes for frequently asked questions (for example, about employment insurance), or an information message for callers kept waiting more than 60 seconds. Callers could also be offered as the first option to ‘press 1 for English, 2 for French’, for example.
j) Intelligence to (a) be able to look up the exchange from which the 211 call originated and route it to the closest 211 I&R provider and (b) the ability to create overflow groups so that other 211 I&R providers can participate at peak times, or as required for other reasons.
There appear to be two principle telecommunications technology options.
(1) Centrex System, Barrie Number and Hops
Assuming that the first 211 I&R service in Simcoe County is provided in Collingwood and that this location remains the hub if and when other I&R providers are ready to provide 211 I&R service, long distance charges will be an issue. This is the case for any of the I&R providers except Barrie because Barrie is a local call from most of the County while Collingwood, Alliston, Orillia and Midland have much more limited local calling areas. To address this, a Barrie phone number would be used, so that all 211 calls terminating in Collingwood will be through a Barrie number to Collingwood.
Using a Centrex system, telephone lines would cost about $35 a month and DSL high speed Internet connectivity, which is required for all computer work station connections, costs about $40-45 a month.
A 211 service must not incur long distance charges for the caller if the person is calling within the 211 service area. A 1-800 number will be used for long distance calls, which apply in some parts of South Simcoe and could apply for all calls forwarded to Toronto.
With regard to long distance charges associated with forwarding calls to Toronto, this could be managed through the use of a Barrie number at the 211 I&R service hub and by setting up a number of call forward hops for after-hours calls, for example Collingwood – Barrie – Cookstown – Beeton – Toronto. That is, hops to areas that are always local calls. Beeton is in the Toronto local calling area. There is a one-time call forward link charge of about $200 for each of the call forward hops. At a cost of $800-$1000 for a forward link charge it would appear to be cost effective if the call volume after-hours is approximately 20 percent of total calls as identified in table 4.8.
Long distance 211 calls from southern Simcoe County, i.e., those calls that come from outside the Barrie local calling area, would be routed via a toll free number before terminating in the 211 number. The cost of the calls to the 1-800 phone number would be part of the operating cost of 211. A rate of 5-6 cents a minute could probably be negotiated. [49] Of the total Simcoe County population approximately 58,500 people or 15 percent live in the southern part of the County where long distance charges to Barrie apply. Assuming that people in this area call 211 proportionate to population, the long distance charges identified in table 4.7 could be anticipated.
Table 4.7 Projection of long distance charges to toll free number (15%) and to Toronto (20%)
|Year |Projected Annual|Projected 15% of|Cost of long |Projected 20% of|
| |Call Volume of |calls from South|distance calls |calls incur long|
| |new calls |Simcoe incur |assuming 15% of |distance charges|
| | |long distance |calls 16.5 | |
| | |charges |cents/call[50] |(Toronto) |
| | |est. 75,000 new |est. 120,000 new|est. 160,000 new|
| | |calls |calls |calls |
|Start Up Costs | | | | |
|ACD technology and telecommunications including consultant for set-up or Voice |$125,000 |$4,500 |$5,000 |$5,500 |
|Over Internet Protocol technology and telecommunications, plus service contract| | | | |
|$90,000 - $125,000. (see section 4.5) | | | | |
|Forward hops to manage long distance charges if warranted |$1,000 | | | |
|Workstations at $4,000 each | |$28,000 |$52,000 |$64,000 |
|Sub total start up operating costs |$126,000 |$32,500 |$57,000 |$69,500 |
|Operating Costs | | | | |
|211 I&R service staff salaries (see section 4.3) | |$444,667 |$686,023 |$919,965 |
|Staff training, Certification fees and memberships (see section 4.3) | |$16,000 |$26,000 |$34,000 |
|AIRS Accreditation fees and site visit | |$4,000 | | |
|Telecommunications including additional phone lines required, forward hops and | |$7,000 |$9,000 |$10,000 |
|TTY. (see section 4.5) | | | | |
|Long distance charges (see section 4.5) | |$4,331 |$6,930 |$9,240 |
|Interpretation and translation services (see note a below) | |$22,500 |$29,250 |$35,250 |
|Facility at $1,725 (100 sq ft) per person | |$19,000 |$26,000 |$36,000 |
|Promotion and public education including considerable contribution in kind (see| |$50,000 |$30,000 |$30,000 |
|note b below) | | | | |
|Professional fees and insurance @ 0.5% | |$3,000 |$4,065 |$5,373 |
|Sub total operating costs | |$599,998 |$813,203 |$1,074,455 |
|TOTAL |$126,000 |$627,998 |$865,203 |$1,138,455 |
Cost estimates for a 211 I&R service for Simcoe County residents and service providers are shown for 70 hours of service a week in table 4.8.
The price of purchasing after-hours 211 I&R service from Community Information Toronto, is not yet available. It is expected that there will be efficiencies resulting from economies of scale for after-hours services, but any difference in cost is unlikely to be the determining factor for whether Simcoe County will implement a 211 I&R service. Information to date, suggests that approximately 75 percent of calls are made during core business hours. After-hours service, in addition to evenings, overnight and weekends, may include at least eight public holidays a year.
The best way to deliver 211 I&R service will require ongoing collaboration to use resources effectively. The Innisfil library, for example offered to host the database on their server on the internal community network. The County of Simcoe or one of the other participants may also be able to offer significant bandwidth to 211 by utilizing the SCAN network. Community Connection is planning to collaborate with the County of Simcoe on an application to Connect Ontario for hardware, customized software and the web site. These kinds of collaborative efforts will drive efficiencies and cost saving.
Language Interpretation - Cost Estimate note (a)
Simcoe County is increasingly becoming home to newcomers to Canada, who often benefit from access to services in languages other than English and French. The estimated cost of interpretation in table 4.9 has been based on one percent of calls requiring purchase of interpretation services from a service such as CanTalk, at an average of four minutes per call at $3.75 /minute.[54] The number of languages spoken by information and referral specialists will have an impact on this number. For more information on how effective interpretation services might be provided, see Appendix 7.
Table 4.9 Estimates of Cost of Interpretation Services by Call Volume
|Year |Projected |Projected |Projected 1% of calls |Projected 1% of calls |Cost of calls at $3.75 per |Cost of calls at $3.75 per |
| |Annual Call |Annual Call |require language |require language |minute and average length |minute and average length |
| |Volume |Volume |interpretation |interpretation |of call 4 minutes, i.e., |of call 4 minutes, i.e., |
| |- low |- high |- low |- high |$15/call - low |$15/call - high |
|2 |155,000 |195,000 |1,550 |1950 |$23,250 |$29,250 |
|3 |185,000 |235,000 |1,850 |2350 |$27,750 |$35,250 |
Communication and Public Education - Cost Estimate note (b)
Communication and public education about 211 is assumed to build on existing agency public outreach work. This would include United Way fall campaign material, Municipality of Simcoe County outreach publications such as posters, community agency brochures and newsletters, and church and faith community bulletins. These distribution tools would represent a significant contribution in kind. Designs might be based on the work achieved by the United Way of Greater Toronto with the pro bono assistance of a marketing company.
4.7 Approach to Funding
In the Simcoe County community consultation, a very high value was placed on bringing a 211 I&R service not only to Simcoe County residents and service providers but to others in the province and the country. This vision demonstrates the efficacy of the Province of Ontario and the Federal Government as 211 funding partners. (See table 4.10) 211 will roll out incrementally in Canada with communities that have interest and capacity do so first. Like 911, the value of 211 will become evident, and as is happening in the United States it is expected that people in all provinces will have the benefit of 211 over the next few years. In each location this will be assisted if there are champions to make the case.
It is anticipated that as the Provincial and Federal government see the efficacy of improving access to human services that they will become funding partners over the next few years. In the meantime, to make the case to government and other funding partners, leadership and vision will have to come from the community by creating opportunities for joint funding, which might include foundations. Given the importance of sustained funding, having a funding plan for at least the first five years of operation, is advised.
Funding could be sought from Simcoe County and Cities based on the utility to all Simcoe County residents. Provincial and federal government funding could also be sought on a contract basis based on the utility of a 211 I&R service for specific Ministry programs. There are a number of ways that the cost of the service could be divided. One is based on population and attributed to each part of the County. Another is to look at the nature of calls and attribute them to various potential funders based on the impact on that particular sector, for example health, housing and recreation.
The United Way provides core funding to I&R providers. This is a significant foundation on which to build the enhanced 211 I&R service. United Way in Simcoe County is well positioned as a credible community builder to facilitate 211 planning and coordinated County-wide support.
Table 4.10 Summary of Potential Funding Partners
|Identified as potential funding |Rationale |
|partner | |
|Multi sectoral |Across County, City, Provincial and Federal government, corporate, foundation and community sectors. |
|Municipality of the County of Simcoe |A County-wide service, 211 benefits everyone in the County, all residents of the County and the cities of |
|and the Cities |Orillia and Barrie would benefit. |
| |211 makes better use of all existing services |
|Province of Ontario |Good for all parts of the province |
| |Makes better use of existing services |
| |211 supports the mandates of many ministries: |
| |Ministry of Community, Family and Children’s Services |
| |Ministry of Education, |
| |Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, |
| |Ministry of the Attorney General, |
| |Management Board Secretariat |
| |Trillium Foundation |
|Federal Government |Good for all parts of the country |
| |Makes better use of existing services |
| |211 supports the mandates of many ministries: |
| |Citizenship and Immigration Canada, |
| |Human Resources Development |
| |Industry Canada |
| |Indian and Northern Affairs |
| |Health Canada |
| |Communication Canada, |
| |Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program, |
| |Minority Language Heritage Canada in English and French |
|United Way |United Way’s neutral agenda positions it to be an advocate for 211 |
| |211 would enhance the human service infrastructure: |
| |- Helps people better access and link to direct services |
| |- Builds better horizontal ties between agencies and ways to strengthen cooperation |
| |- Bridges the voluntary and private sectors |
| |- Reduces duplication of multiple agencies feeling they must collect and maintain information |
| |- Enables agencies to focus on their core services |
| |- Builds on assets that already exist |
| |- Provides a vehicle to assist with development and evaluation |
|Corporate and Casinos |Benefits all clients, employees and employers of businesses located in Simcoe County |
|Organizations |Fees for services that assists organizations to do their core business |
6 Governance and Accountability
A 211 I&R service is a community resource of value to all sectors. Questions asked during the community consultation were: “How could the delivery of such a program be governed?” and “How should the providers of the service be accountable to the community?” These are difficult questions to answer at the hypothetical stage. At a recent meeting of the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County, the I&R providers raised the idea of incorporating their organizations into a joint enterprise. This was raised but not discussed. Asked about effective models of governance that are in place, the Simcoe County Coalition for Children Youth and Family Services and the Alliance to End Homelessness were cited as two examples.
If either Delivery Model 1 or 2 is adopted as the approach for implementation of a 211 I&R service in Simcoe County, then Community Connection’s Board would assume primary accountability and a Memorandum of Understanding or similar set of principles with the key governing organization and the I&R partners would be developed.
The United Way 211 Steering Committee recommends that the Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services would be the appropriate governing organization. The Coalition, which has community wide credibility, is well suited to provide oversight to 211. The Coalition includes existing and potential users of I&R contracts who are vested in the success of 211. Similar to other initiatives, the Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services may set up a 211 Task Group, that would be in place until at least a post-launch evaluation of the 211 I&R service in Simcoe County. Roles for the potential 211 Task Group of the Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services include:
i) To identify and develop funding partners, including partners for contributions in kind, and advise on and support fundraising strategies
ii) Ensure that optimal telecommunications technology is explored and selected
iii) Take on a leadership role to provide information to neighbouring regions and districts, and provincial and national 211 coordinating bodies about Simcoe County’s 211 intentions and invite collaboration.
iv) Communicate with telecommunications service providers, including informing wireline and wireless telecommunications providers in Simcoe County about the intended date for switch translation and the Barrie number to which 211 calls will be routed.
v) Support and provide guidance as required to the I&R providers
vi) Acquire Municipal County of Simcoe and Cities of Barrie and Orillia endorsement of the provider of the 211 service to meet CRTC requirements.
vii) Guide the development of communications, promotion and public education about 211, fitting with diverse County needs.
viii) Communicate with stakeholders, including people and organizations who were engaged during the community consultation.
ix) Monitor 211 developments in Toronto in other parts of Canada.
x) Monitor the implementation of the Province-wide Trillium funded study: 211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002.
xi) Develop community accountability and evaluation criteria for a 211 service
xii) Develop criteria for the collection and distribution of call tracking reports
xiii) Inform respective communities on 211 progress and developments locally and nationally
xiv) Plan the launch of 211
5. Recommendations
Recommendations
Based on the Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan for 211 in Simcoe County the United Way 211 Steering Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. Due to the widespread support for and demonstrated utility of a 211 I&R service, implement 211 in Simcoe County with the target date of 2004.
2. The Simcoe County Coalition for Child Youth and Families (SCCYFS ) be asked to assume the community lead for 211 in Simcoe County and create a 211 Task Group, or similar structure to move the project forward.
3. Strengthen the system of information and referral services in Simcoe County by increasing coordination among I&R providers, building centres of specialization and excellence and eliminating unnecessary duplication.
4. With Community Connection, Collingwood, as the lead I&R provider and any other I&R providers interested in delivering part of 211 I&R service, develop plans to meet 211 standards including the required levels of agency accreditation and staff certification.
5. Create a 211 Champions Funding Task Group to develop a funding plan for the first five years of 211 implementation with multi sectoral funding partners. Develop a sustainable funding plan.[55]
6. Endeavour to prevent potential future partners from creating their own solution in isolation. Do this by informing surrounding regions, districts, counties and 211 coordinating bodies provincially and nationally, of Simcoe County’s intention to implement 211. This will be done by building on and enhancing the capacity of one or more of the existing I&R providers.
7. Plan for the Simcoe County database to be accessible through the Internet.
8. Monitor Toronto’s experience and learning from their 211 implementation. In fall 2002 approach Community Information Toronto with a request for prices for after-hours services.
9. Monitor the findings of the “211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002”, and adjust Simcoe County plans as required. [56]
10. Encourage the development of a County-wide coordinated volunteer recruitment and training system. This would enable 211 to become the number to call to offer help as well as get help, in the medium or longer term.
6. Implementation Tasks
Leadership and Governance
• Confirm governing relationship with Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services (SCCYFS)
• Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services creates 211 Task Group, or similar structure with terms of reference
• Support and provide guidance as required to the I&R providers
• Decide on a delivery model with input of Information Providers Coalition
• Ensure appropriate telecommunications and technology solutions are explored
• Draft Memorandum of Understanding or similar set of principles that guides the Board of Directors and staff of the 211 I&R service and the Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services vis-a-vis roles and responsibilities for 211 planning, fundraising, communications, launch, implementation, accountability, evaluation etc.
• Monitor 211 developments in Toronto in other parts of Canada
• Acquire Municipality of Simcoe County and Cities of Barrie and Orillia endorsement of the provider of the 211 I&R service to meet CRTC requirements
• Monitor the implementation of the Province-wide Trillium funded study: 211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002
• Develop community accountability and evaluation criteria for a 211 service
• Develop criteria for the collection and distribution of call tracking reports
Capacity Building
• Develop plan for Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County to build capacity and efficiencies
• Develop a vision for an enhanced I&R system for Simcoe County the Boards of Directors of I&R providers identify their course of action, options and time frames
• Community Connection and other interested I&R providers, work on accreditation requirements to meet or exceed minimum standards to deliver a 211 service
• Volunteer agencies explore components required for a Simcoe County system of volunteer recruitment and training
Communication
• Develop a community communication plan to acknowledge the contribution of participants in the community consultation
• Provide information to neighbouring regions, districts and provincial and national 211 coordinating bodies about Simcoe County’s 211 intentions, and invite them to consider collaboration. This might be through Simcoe County Coalition for Child, Youth and Family Services members who would communicate with their counterparts in surrounding areas
• Communicate with telecommunications service providers, including informing wireline and wireless telecommunications providers in Simcoe County about the intended date for switch translation and the Barrie number to which 211 calls will be routed.
• Inform respective communities on 211 progress and developments locally and nationally
• Plan the launch of 211
• Develop sustained communications and public education plans fitting with diverse County needs
• Assess existing 211 public education and promotion materials and develop Simcoe County 211 public education and promotion plan, coordinated with provincial and national 211 public education
Funding Partners
• Follow up with Hon. Jim Wilson’s office and the request for information before house sits on Sept. 23rd, 2002
• Follow up with Gerry Dawes, Executive Assistant to Hon Paul de Villers, regarding advisory role
• Create 211 Champions Funding Task Group to develop a plan for resources for a minimum of 5 years as well as a sustained funding plan
• Explore partners for contributions in kind
• Identify funding partners in coordination with Province-wide and national United Way, Inform Ontario and InformCanada initiatives
Appendix 1 Steering Committee Terms of Reference
United Way 211 Steering Committee - Simcoe County
Context:
The telephone number 211 was approved for use for community information and referral by the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in August 2001.
United Way 211 Steering Committee - Simcoe County has retained a consultant to conduct a 211 feasibility study and implementation plan to examine providing a 211 service for Simcoe County individuals, families and agencies. The feasibility study will explore conceptual models, criteria, capacity and requirements for a 211 service for Simcoe County. This will lead to recommendations and the development of an implementation plan.
Role and objectives:
The role of members of the United Way 211 Steering Committee, which is a joint committee including Community Connection and area United Ways is to provide guidance, overall direction and influence to the feasibility study and the development of the implementation plan, in the May – August 2002 period, particularly:
• Advise on the framework of the feasibility study
• Endorse criteria for a 211 service
• Examine alternative models for delivery
• Assess community capacity and requirements
• Identify stakeholders for interviews and focus groups as part of the community consultation
• Arrange, participate in and/or host community based focus groups and meetings as required
• Identify constraints and key success factors for 211 implementation
• Develop recommendations arising from the feasibility study
• Advise on the development of the business case and implementation plan
• Take responsibility for moving forward on the recommendations
Committee Member Responsibilities:
• Review materials presented by consultant
• Provide information or access to relevant information
• Advocate and communicate with stakeholders
• Participate in community presentations
• Participate in 5 meetings of 3 hours in length, May – August 2002.
Members United Way 211 Steering Committee - Simcoe County:
Blair Almond, General Manager, Grant Internet Communications
Anne Ansell, Administrator, South Simcoe Community Information Centre
Betty Attridge, Executive Director, United Way of Bruce Grey
Alice Grottoli, Executive Director United Way of South Georgian Bay
Pamela Hillier Executive Director, Community Connection
David Jeffrey, Executive Director, United Way of Greater Simcoe County (Chair)
Robb MacDonald President, MiS Communications
Jim MacPherson Manager, Operating Solutions Bell Canada (Ontario)
Deb Woods, Board of Directors, InformCanada
David Yole, Youth Internet Project, YMCA Barrie
Appendix 2 Community Consultation
|Sector |Organizations and Participants |
|Aboriginal Providers of |Focus group: Carol Baker, Georgian Bay Metis Council and Georgian College; Lisa Beedie, BANAC summer student; Mary Lynne |
|Services |Charlesbois, Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre; Ruth Fournier, Ogemawahj Tribal Council; Peggy Monague, Beausoleil First |
| |Nation, Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes; Tricia and Vicky Monague, Christian Island Career Office/Resource Centre; Bill |
| |Reynolds, addiction program, Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre and Anne Marie Sandford, Georgian Bay Native Friendship |
| |Centre |
|Children |Children’s Table of SCCCY & FS Focus Group at Meeting |
| |Members: Kathy Simpson, Project Director (Contact), Simcoe County Community Action Program for Children (CAPC); Simcoe Muskoka |
| |Catholic District School Board; Barrie Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation; Corporation of the County of Simcoe – Ontario |
| |Works; Community Care Access Centre of Simcoe County (CCAC); Early Intervention Council of Simcoe County - Catulpa Tamarac Child|
| |& Family Services; Simcoe County District Health Unit, Family Health and Healthy Babies, Healthy Children; YMCA Orillia; Royal |
| |Victoria Hospital – Pediatric Rehab.; Children’s Aid Society of Simcoe County; Orillia Soldier’s Memorial Hospital, Cardio, |
| |Respiratory; New Path Youth & Family Services and Bradford Progress Child Care Centres |
| |Children’s Services Committee of Council, Simcoe Country Committee for Children and Families. Lora d'Ambrosio (contact), |
| |Executive Director, Bradford Progress Child Care Centres; Fran Baker, Simcare Childcare Services; Mandy Henderson; Pam Spurr, |
| |Wee Watch Orillia and Midland; Tracey Hansen and Lorraine Larocque; Carole Ann Harkness, Progress, Dale and Deb, YMCA, Midland |
|Community Economic |Shelley Houston, Simcoe County Futures Community Economic Development, Georgian Triangle Economic Development Corporation |
|Development | |
| |Valerie Ryan, Nottawasaga Community Economic Development Corporation |
|Consumers |Parents with young children - Moms, Pops and Tots, Early Years Centre, Orillia |
| |Bradford Immigrant and Community Services, Isabel Oliveira (South Simcoe) |
| |PILLARS Literacy Council, Simcoe County Network Association, Alliston Melanie Remonde (Contact) Gwen instructor, Maria and |
| |Esther |
| |CNIB, Simcoe Muskoka Office. Focus group with consumers Merilyn McGale, District Manager (Contact) |
| | |
| | |
| |. |
|Sector |Organizations and Participants |
|Consumers |Breaking Down Barriers, An Independent Living Centre, Peer Support Program Contact Devon Wilkins, Peer Resource Enrichment |
| |Program Coordinator and Tara (database) Shirley Fasken, Collingwood and Area Literacy Skills, Marie, Mary, Michael and Pat |
|Corporate |Sherry Lawson, Director of Corporate Affairs & Public Relations, Casino Rama |
|Crisis and Help Lines |Lorraine Smith, Coordinator Mental Health Implementation, Mental Health Restructuring Task Group and Christine Nichols, Mental |
| |Health Crisis Line, Royal Victoria Hospital. |
| |Telecare Barrie, Bill Smyth, Director |
| |Telecare Orillia Branch, Mary Maltby and Deanna Carbert |
| |Rape Crisis Line, Women’s Resource Centre, Margaret Alexander, Community Development Coordinator |
|Deaf and Hearing Impaired |Joanne Wagg, Seniors Council, Canadian Hearing Society, for Seniors and people who are hard of hearing |
|Services |Peggy Norton-Harris, Huronia Hearing Impaired, for people who are profoundly deaf |
|Employment services |Career Access Centre, Collingwood (Self-help Employment Centre), Janet Davie, President |
| |TRACKS Youth Employment and Resource Services Georgian bay Area (16-24 yrs) Roy Spiegelberg and Donna Pacheco |
|Faith community |Georgian Triangle Ministerial Association |
| |Rev. John Bustard, Cornerstone Pentecostal Fellowship; Rev. John Hamilton, Wasaga Christian Church; Rev. Jeff House, Brethren in|
| |Christ Church, Stayner |
|Families |Families Table of SCCCY & FS Focus Group at Meeting, Jan Janssen co-chair (Contact) County of Simcoe Children’s Services; Mary |
| |Ballantyne, Children’s Aid Society of Simcoe County; Angela Artelt-Evans, Early Years Centre; Kathy Simpson, Simcoe County |
| |Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) Chair Success by 6; Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness; Marie LaFleur, |
| |Barrie & District Association for People with Special Needs; Mimi Price, YMCA Barrie; Simcoe County Committee for Children and |
| |Families; Gladys Robin, My Sisters Place; Helen Hodson, Ontario Works |
| |Borden Family Resource Centre, Line Sorel and Cindy Malcolm |
|Federal government |HRDC, Karen Henderson Collingwood |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|Sector |Organizations and Participants |
|Francophone |La Clé d’la Baie- Peter Homiuk, Michelle, Raymond des Rochers, Girlaine Scherer and Jeff Willson, (interpretation) |
| | |
| |Ernest Vaillencourt, French Language services, York Simcoe, MOHLTC |
| | |
| |Jean Guy Vallière, Board Member, CALDECH |
|Health |Simcoe County District Health Unit, Dr George Pasut, Medical Officer of Health |
| |Janice Baker, Manager, Health Connection |
| |Community Care Access Centre of Simcoe County, Anne Bell, Executive Director |
|Homelessness |Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness. Focus Group at Steering Committee meeting. Mandy Hillyard, Coordinator. A coalition |
| |of approximately 70 community stakeholders committed to working collaboratively to eliminate homelessness. |
|Housing Services |Housing Resource Centre, Collingwood, Gail Michalenko |
|Libraries |Innisfil Library, Susan Downs Chief Librarian, Stroud Branch |
|Members of the Information|Community Connection, Collingwood, Pam Hillier, Executive Director, Board of Directors and staff. |
|Providers Coalition of |Community Link North Simcoe, Midland, Susan MacDonald, Executive Director, Board of Directors and staff. |
|Simcoe County |Information Orillia, Kathleen Trainor, Executive Director and Connie Myers. |
| |South Simcoe Community Information Centre Alliston. Nicole Bertrand and Vivian Poitras |
| |Information Barrie, Cathy Bodle, and Al Davis, CEO, Barrie Public Library |
|MPPS and their offices |Garfield Dunlop, MPP (Simcoe North), Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs |
| |Joe Tascona, MPP (Barrie--Simcoe--Bradford), Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Consumer and Business Services. |
| |Constituency Executive Assistant Melissa Mockler and Constituency Assistant Joy Parks, for Hon. Jim Wilson, (Simcoe-Grey) |
| |Minister of Northern Development and Mines |
|MPs and their offices |Paul Bonwick, MP (Simcoe-Grey) |
| |Aileen Carroll, MP (Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford) |
| |Gerry Hawes, Special Assistant to Hon. Paul DeVillers, (Simcoe North) Secretary of State for Amateur Sport and Deputy Leader of |
| |the Government in the House of Commons. |
|Municipality |Emergency Services and 911 County-wide, Desmond Lorente, GIS Manager |
|Police |Ontario Provincial Police Chief Dave Wall, Central Region Commander, Deputy Supt. Chris Wyatt and Inspector Graham Gleason, |
| |Orillia |
|Sector |Organizations and Participants |
| |Acting Chief of Police Mnjikaning, Mike Guilfoyle |
| | |
| |Barrie Police Service: Chief Wayne Frechette, Deputy Chief of Police Steve Rogers and Inspector Mark Neelin |
|Training |Simcoe County Training Board, Judy Noel |
|United Way |United Way of Greater Simcoe County, David Jeffery, Executive Director and focus group at agencies Meeting. Stuart MacMillan, ED|
| |Catholic Family Life Centre - Co-Chair |
| |United Way of South Georgian Bay, Alice Grottoli, Executive Director and focus group at Agencies Meeting: Pam Hillier, Community|
| |Connection, Abby, Eating Disorders; Alison, My Friends House; Roger Hannon, Georgian Literacy; Lynn, Red Cross: Linda Elizabeth |
| |Fry; Jason Brown, YMCA; Debbie, Big Brothers and Gail Michalenko, Housing Resource Centre |
|Victim Support |VCARS, Marsha Slack |
|Volunteer bureaux |Volunteer Barrie Centre for Community Involvement, Bill Smith |
| |Volunteer Resources Inc (Orillia), Vicki Small |
| |Community Link North Simcoe, Lisa |
|Youth |Youth Focus Group |
| |Joy Webster Young Adult Coordinator, UWGSC (Contact); Susan Laycock - Season’s Centre; Kelly Hooper and Stephanie Harrison, |
| |Business Enterprise Resource Network; Jacqueline Perres, LEAP; Tammy Haws – Assoc. for the Physically Disabled; Lisa Nunn, Youth|
| |Employment Counsellor, Focus, Job Connect, Alliston; Sarah Peake, Employment and Outreach Specialist, Job Connect, Georgian |
| |College, Barrie; Joanne Parks, New Path Youth and Family Counselling Service; David Yole – YMCA; Fiona Stewart, Recovery |
| |Resource Centre, Barrie |
Appendix 3 Comprehensive Information and Referral Providers
Community Connection
Overview
Community Connection, located in a store front in downtown Collingwood, was incorporated as the Collingwood & District Information Centre, an independent, non profit, charitable organization in 1979.[57] The organization’s beginnings were in 1969 in the Stayner Town Hall, as a crisis intervention program, staffed by community volunteers.
In September Community Connection will move into the Community Resource Centre,
with Housing Resource Centre, Community Legal Clinic, Farber & Partners (Bankruptcy)
Community Service Order Program, Probation and Community Services, Transition Action Centre, Elizabeth Fry, New Path Partner Abuse Counselling Program, Simcoe Outreach Services, Enterprise Technology Centre, Community Care Access Centre,
United Way and the Chamber of Commerce. The Community Resource Centre is a program of United Way, delivered by Community Connection.
Community Connection provides services to people in South Georgian Bay. In 2001-2 Community Connection received 39,840 calls. Community Connection reports that 75% their I&R calls are local coming from Collingwood, (52%), Wasaga Beach, (7%), Clearview Township, (8%), and The Blue Mountains (8%). The remaining 25% of their I&R calls coming from outside the Southern Georgian Bay area.
Mission
To offer free and confidential information and referral services to anyone.
Community Connection describes its Services:
“Bringing people and services together” - It's what we do!
Community Connection's inquiry services provide information on the full range of human services from all levels of Government, the non-profit sector, the private voluntary sector, by individuals in the community as well as from the business sector.
Individualized information is free, confidential and available to everyone. Services are provided by telephone, in person or more recently through email & the Internet.
Users include the general public, primarily people who have trouble accessing services because of language, age, culture, poverty, lack of education, illiteracy, fear of violence or unemployment.
Information counselling activities require specific skills. They are: information provision;
needs assessment; problem-solving; facilitating access; linking people to services; emotional support; educating people; listening; clarification of rights and options; follow-up; crisis intervention; coordination of services to meet client's needs; consultation with other service providers.
Human service providers such as social and constituency workers, health care professionals, business people, government officials and students are also major users.”
Budget and Funding Sources
Annual budget is $721,112 with 64 percent of this received from HRDC, municipal grants pay equity and the United Way. 17 percent of the budget comes from Information technology contracts and other services and 19 percent from fundraising.
Community Connection links when it can, to County-wide initiatives, with the agency contributing a significant amount of resources to various committees and task groups. Collaborating on a planned Connect Ontario application with the County of Simcoe for a large software development project is one example. The project would include online updating and creation of templates. Significant training will be required to transition from the existing system to the new collaborative system. One objective is to be able to streamline and enhance current data sharing procedures among IPC members. This project is tied into the Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and French language services.
Community Connection provides leadership in information and referral in Simcoe County because they appear to have a vision for the potential of a County-wide coordinated information and referral system. The organization is interested in, and describes the importance of innovation. Community Connection also understands the need to know their own ability including the required commensurate technical ability.
Technology
Community Connection has seven Infoline telephone lines that consecutively roll over, and four administration lines which connect to 18 telephone sets. As well there are two specialized telephone lines for Victim Support Line I&R. All lines have voice mail ability and link feature to connect callers to third party (Centrex). The agency recently upgraded to high speed Internet services. One staff person holds a B. Sc in computer science, and another a Master of Library and Information Science.
Community Connection was one of the first I&R providers in Ontario to web enable the database and include e-commerce and GIS for location finding.
Standards
I&R calls are answered by five paid staff two of whom are Certified Information and Referral Specialists (CIRS), with another scheduled for October 2002. The organization has achieved provincial accreditation with InformOntario since 1993.
Plans include working toward AIRS accreditation for the organization and one staff person is scheduled to take the Certified Resource Specialist (CRS) exam in the fall. A new telecommunications system, TDD equipment and the purchase of language line services are also planned.
Community Connection and 211
The goal of the organization is to build on and develop the existing service to meet 211 standards, and to be able to deliver 211 when all conditions have been met. Leadership at Community Connection understands that standards and funding will drive which organizations are involved in delivering 211. Community Connection’s Executive Director, participates in some initiatives, for example, the InformOntario standards committee, to help strengthen Community Connection. Attracting and retaining quality staffing is recognized as a critical component, and the organization works to provide incentives to accomplish this. Five project staff are currently being groomed over the next year to become call centre staff. Strong support from the board of directors’ for 211 is demonstrated in the focus on strategic planning, positioning the agency for 211 services.
Community Connection believes that each coalition member’s contribution is important. Community Connection also believes there could be more data and I&R contracts as the I&R profession becomes more well known through 211. There is a high level of walk-in services at each local centre. In Collingwood, a very high percentage of vulnerable people are advised by local agencies to visit Community Connection.
Community Connection believes that funding to 211 could be through the Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County and allocated to members of the coalition based on their role in 211 and criteria specified by the 211 Task Group and/or funders. The presentation and messaging related to this would be important to get right for funders to support the initiative.
One of the challenges of 211 anticipated by Community Connection is projecting call volume. The impact of preparing for AIRS accreditation is thought to be considerable for Community Connection. A Consultant has been retained to assist with this.[58] Although leadership at Community Connection anticipates that enhancing the phone channel to become 211 will change the focus of the organization, all channels of access will be retained including walk-in and the production of directories.
Staff at Community Connection identified that benefits of 211 include members of the public having heightened awareness that I&R provision exists. If the caller follows up with the referral, they will reach services and people will get the answers they need. This will help to make I&R more credible. 211 will also be easier to market.
Community Link North Simcoe
Overview
Community Link North Simcoe, which is now located in a multi service building minutes away from downtown Midland, began when agencies identified the need for a place to access services. In August of 1998 the centre was incorporated as "Community Information and Volunteer Exchange" and was named FYI North Simcoe. Just over a year ago the organization was renamed Community Link North Simcoe.
Since 1998, the organization has strengthened and expanded its Volunteer and Information Services and has undergone many changes. Community Link North Simcoe is both an I&R centre and the local Volunteer Centre, and is committed to community development, participating in local initiatives in housing, francophone services, fundraising network etc. The mission of Community Link North Simcoe is to foster community connections. Community Link North Simcoe strives to ensure that there is a mutual flow of information between organizations, through networking meetings and tools such as the Fundraising Event Calendar which is produced quarterly.
The organization receives all kinds of referrals including from the Chamber of Commerce, from government services referring a client and from case workers on behalf of a client. The work load of service providers is perceived to have increased as their territory increases.
Five percent of users at Community Link North Simcoe are walk-in, a number which has developed over the last year, and is expected to continue to grow. Email enquiries are received. A directory is produced. Plans in the future include having the database online.
Community Link offers service to organizations throughout the North Simcoe area and beyond. This area includes: Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny Township, Tay Township, Springwater, and Christian Island.
As a Volunteer Centre we offer services including Advocacy and Promotion, Education and Training, Partnerships with Volunteer-based organizations and Volunteer Recruitment and Referral. Community Link North Simcoe is a member of Volunteer Canada, Ontario Volunteer Centre Network (OVCN) and Huronia Association of Volunteer Administrators (HAVA).
Mission
The mission of Community Link North Simcoe is to foster community connections. We link people with information, link willing volunteers with opportunities, and promote volunteerism in North Simcoe.
Community Link North Simcoe describes its Services
“Your Information and Volunteer Connection. Community Link North Simcoe is your connection to your community. We provide information and referral for a wide variety of community services, and offer opportunities for significant contributions to our community through volunteer opportunities.
At Community Link we offer educational programs in support of volunteer based organizations, referral and recruitment of volunteers, and advocacy. Our information services provide a link between people and questions or problems, and the services designed to meet their needs.
Knowing what services are available in your community and being able to access them quickly and efficiently is important. It enables you to get involved, meet people, and discover all the activities and services designed for you.
Our information database is created and updated for use by individuals and families, agencies and organizations, case managers, social workers, and for use in County-wide
databases, and crisis lines.
We provide free, confidential information and referral to the general public. We provide the link between people and questions or problems and the services designed to meet their needs we are trained specialists who also provide needed research and follow-up to ensure clients are understood and helped
Please contact us to: purchase copies of the North Simcoe Community Directory, customize a database printout, order organization lists, order mailing labels, send broadcast faxes.”
Budget and Funding Sources
$71,000 plus two staff funded by HRDC. Sources of revenue include fundraising, fee-for service, service club support, Trillium Foundation and County of Simcoe.
Technology
Standard phone system.
Standards
Staff have taken a 50 hour training program with Telecare to provide caring listening. Three staff attended a joint I & R training session facilitated by trainers from Community Information Toronto in July along with I&R providers from Alliston, Collingwood, and Orillia.
Community Link North Simcoe and 211
Those who are informed may know that an information centre exists. 211 is a good idea especially for those who are vulnerable. 211 providers would become known as the information experts so it would help consumers and service providers. There is some awareness of Community Link North Simcoe, but the phone number has not been promoted. Promotion doesn’t reach everyone. Leadership believes the goal for 211 should be 24/7.
Suggestions from Community Link North Simcoe include a countywide database accessed both through the Internet and a directory.
Data drawn from 211 experience for planning purposes should include the nature of calls. This information would go back to government and service providers, to show trends and changes in demand as well as location and nature of need. Currently Community Link North Simcoe refer a few calls to a lot of providers.
Operational issues for 211 include cost, the quality of information, currency, completeness and accuracy of information, opportunities for revenue generation, including revenue for I&R providers that provide data. In collaborative ventures there needs to be an agreed upon case for costs and prices, to ensure organizations are properly compensated for data collection.
Because the IPC covers the whole county a model that would be better than a single centre would be a hub plus satellite(s). People know there are information and referral providers. Or there could be a single call response centre that would have ongoing training and multiple local data collectors. Where there is overlap, people would get dual service. There are two components of the service, the source of information and how the caller gets to it.
Information Barrie
Overview
Information Barrie is a service provided by and housed on the first floor of the Barrie Public Library. The library has 70,376 registered library users. Information Barrie and Barrie Public Library staff describe libraries as being in the knowledge facilitation and database business. Libraries have a range of roles in communities including adult education, literacy, children services and recreation. The ways they facilitate access to knowledge and direct people to resources, varies with the client. For this reason the Information and Referral work of Information Barrie is perceived to be a good fit for library.
In 1993-94 Information Barrie was receiving approximately 12,000 calls a year, with 14, 760 calls in 2000. In 2001 there were 25 percent fewer calls and calls are being recorded as being down by 33-34 percent in 2002. Previously 85 percent of people called and 15 percent came in person to the library. Now 66 percent of users call and 33 percent walk-in. There are a number of possible reasons for the changes. In the summer and fall of 2001 the library reorganized and there were a number of staff and facility changes. This resulted in less signage for Information Barrie and fewer places to congregate to review printed resources with staff nearby. At the same time Information Barrie’s discrete phone number was replaced by the library’s general number which has the library’s menu of choices at the front end in an automated multiple choice system. In addition, the pool of staff answering the phone grew to 20 people from four. This may have resulted in some unevenness of how calls were categorized. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these changes have significantly reduced Information Barrie’s visibility, including comments from members of the public that they thought Information Barrie had gone.
Concurrent with these changes was the launch of Information Barrie online enabling the database to be accessed at no charge using the Internet through the URL: . The Community Information Database and the Calendar of Community Events are now accessible to people to access from all the public terminals at the Barrie Library and from the Internet anywhere. Unfortunately without tracking web site use, it is only conjecture, but consumers may be helping themselves for many of their needs using the Internet. The front page of the web site also invites members of the public to email, come into or call during regular library hours if they need more help.
In Barrie, August is typically the month with the highest call volume. Information Barrie receives the largest number of calls on the topic of recreation and tourism, often about child and adult sports activities and day camps. Questions on community services and inquiries about government such as “Where do I go for a particular service at the City of Barrie?” and “Who is my MP or MPP?” and “How do I reach him or her?” are the next most frequently asked topics.
Mission
The Mission of the Barrie Public Library is to enrich the lives of the people in the Barrie community as an affordable centre for: individual, lifelong learning; accurate up-to-date information, including community information and popular and leisure materials.
Information Barrie Describes Its Services:
“Information Barrie - Your Community Information and Referral Service.
Need Information? Search our Community Information Database to access information on Child Care, Community Legal Services, Employment and Training, Financial Assistance, Government Services, Health Services, Housing, Seniors Housing and Home Support, Social Services, Sports and Recreation Activities, Support Groups, Volunteer Opportunities and other Barrie community resources.”
Information Barrie’s web site also offers “Looking for an Event? Search our events calendar. It contains information about recreational, entertainment and public service events within the community.”
The community events calendar on one day as an example, includes: Employment Resource Centre Workshop on Exploring Career Options, Library events, Aqua Fun, performers at Casino Rama, local theatre and opera productions, art exhibitions, a job fair, Aboriginal Youth Activities and blood donor clinics.
Budget and Funding Sources
The budget for Information Barrie comes from the overall library budget which frees Information Barrie from the fundraising and emphasis on productive enterprises practiced by other members of the Information Providers Coalition. Supported by the Municipal tax base, and because revenue generation is not an issue, Information Barrie has been able to make all its information available on the web at no charge to the user. Municipal leaders including the Mayor are aware of the importance of the library and Information Barrie as an important part of the quality of life in Barrie and are very supportive of sustaining it.
Technology
City of Barrie’s phone system
Standards
Information Barrie is interested in being accredited first through InformOntario. They bring the skill of knowing how to find information and how it gets hidden, they understand the importance of the source and currency and relevance of information and when a search for information has been completed.
Information Barrie and 211
Library staff believe that 211 would help to build community and suggest in addition to the phone number there should be a web site 211SimcoeCounty and 211 centres for walk-in information. The library supports the idea of one directory and one Internet based database of County-wide information.
Library staff indicate that while the Barrie Library does not have the capacity to lead the delivery of 211, it is very interested in being part of the 211 solution for Simcoe County. Roles could include data collection, librarianship bringing skill sets of a sound understanding of classification and standards which libraries have developed since the nineteenth century. The Barrie Library brings the combination of books and resources on, for example, cancer as well as the information to refer callers to the Cancer Society.
Library staff believe that city council will want to see Barrie residents benefit from 211
Information Barrie maintains the largest number of 1900 records. This requires one person working full time to maintain the data.
Information Orillia
Overview
Information Orillia, which is located downstairs in a downtown Orillia mall, was initiated by the Bureau of Social Services in 1969, in response to a need of the people of Orillia & District for one source to contact for information on available community services. The organization serves individuals and organizations in Orillia, Mnjikaning, Severn, Oro-Medonte and Ramara Townships.
Mission
Information Orillia believes that an informed community is a healthy community. By providing information and referral, through partnerships with businesses, government, community and social services, Information Orillia brings people and services together meeting their needs and fostering the community spirit.
Information Orillia Describes it Services:
“We are Your Community Information & Referral Service and your first point of entry to services in Orillia & District.
Information Orillia's inquiry services provide information on the full range of human services from all levels of Government, the non-profit sector, the private voluntary sector, by individuals in the community as well as from the business sector.
Users include the general public, primarily people who have trouble accessing services because of language, age, culture, poverty, lack of education, illiteracy, fear of violence or unemployment. We help people with their day to day problems.
We have over 2900 businesses, government agencies, social agencies, health organizations and tourist information listed on our database that we promote to the general public. Community & Social Services - All levels of Government, Service Clubs, Schools, Churches, Health Care, Support Groups, Child Care Services etc.: Clubs & Organizations Seniors Clubs, Business Clubs, Associations, Children’s Clubs, Sports Clubs, Hall & Meeting facilities etc; Business Retail, Health Care Professionals Home Based Business etc.; Tourism Hotels, Motels, B&B's, Attractions, Events, Shopping etc
Information and Referral is our main service. Inquiries are answered by phone, fax and e-mail from a database of over 2900 organizations, agencies and businesses.
We also offer the following services:
Housing Registry- Landlords can list their accommodations with us and clients can access a list of available rentals
Information Packages- We mail out information to those wishing to relocate to our area
Doctors Registry- We keep a list of doctors that are accepting new patients in the Orillia area
Income Tax Clinic - We offer an income tax clinic in March & April as a fundraiser
Government Application Forms - We can supply the public with applications for Housing, All CPP Forms, Birth Certificates, SIN, Child Tax Benefit etc.
Publications - We offer a Community and Social Services Directory, Seniors Guide,
Teen Guide
Resource Centre - We offer a resource centre of published material on community,
government, social and tourism agencies etc.
Form Filling - We will help the public fill out government forms and applications
Information Days - Coordinate community groups to profile their organizations to the public
Office Services - We offer photocopying, mass mail outs, Fax Broadcasting, and general office services.”
Budget and Funding Sources
The budget is $120,000 in 2002. Funding sources are donations including memberships from about 400 members, fundraising, Government grants and a few sales.
Technology
Standard phone system
Standards
The Board and staff are supportive of the move towards increased certification of staff and accreditation of the organization.
Information Orillia and 211
Leadership at Information Orillia have a strong interest in maintaining data collection in a decentralized way and continuing to do this. It is thought that general information could be provided well by 211, but it is estimated that one in four inquiries require local knowledge and will need to be referred locally. So 211 could refer to local centres for detailed information.
County-wide web based data would be valuable, however people with less education who often have lower incomes are often less resourceful and cannot find the numbers they need. Seniors and people who are visually impaired will continue to need mediated assistance. But the web site would not replace the need for directories for people who work in the field, for example go out to people’s homes, or people who are not computer literate.
Information Orillia would like to answer 211 calls, recognizing that this would require a computer upgrade and phone system, plus a server. Information Orillia expressed concern that if they are not answering phones they would lose the support of the community. On the other hand higher standards and accreditation could improve local support. Information Orillia would continue to provide service to walk-in clients and does not want to be focused on 211 at the expense of other initiatives. The importance of diversifying to offer different services to the community is already recognized as a needed direction.
There would need to be a quality assurance role and significant planning among the Information Providers Coalition to provide a coordinated 211 service. For 211 to work it would have to be accountable this would include accreditation of organizations and training for staff. In the event of a number of the I&R providers answering phones, training could include some cross training between centres for local exposure.
"CONTACT" South Simcoe Community Information Centre and Employment Resource Centre.
Overview
CONTACT serves the townships of Bradford-West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, Essa and Innisfil, and Base Borden. The primary user group includes people looking for employment, and people looking for health and social services. Information and Referral, The Clothes Line, a thrift store, staffed by 45 volunteers and a supported Employment Resource Centre funded through HRDC are three primary areas of focus of the organization.
In 1997 a "Common Roof" was initiated by "CONTACT" (South Simcoe Community Information Centre) and now houses:, Focus Community Development Corporation, Employment Resource Centre (HRDC), County of Simcoe Ontario Works, Catulpa Tamarac, County of Simcoe Children's Services, Simcoe Legal Services, Canadian Red Cross, Women’s Resources of Simcoe County, Simcoe Outreach Services, Ontario Ministry of Health, The New Tecumseth Housing Resource Centre.
Approximately 65 percent of information and referral services are provided by phone and the remainder to walk-in clients. 2002 is a period of staff leadership transition for CONTACT.
Mission
"...to work to create a community that is informed of available resources through the provision of information and referral, access to information technologies and partnerships with others."
CONTACT Describes its Services:
“Information and referral on a wide variety of human services, provided by the "Information Providers Coalition of Simcoe County" consisting of five Community Information Centres. Our primary purpose is to offer mediated information access to local residents
Government forms for Social Insurance Numbers, Birth Certificates, Pension Applications, etc., as well as resources including a large selection of pamphlets and reference material
Listening ear...one of the many services that we are known for is our empathetic approach in assisting individuals in sensitive situations, dealing with problems or crisis.
Referrals to appropriate services or agencies are dealt with in a confidential manner
Community Events flyers and newsletters are continually updated and compiled into our Community Events binder
Legal Service offers a free legal clinic through CONTACT providing legal appointments three Thursday’s of each month, 10am-3:30pm. For further information or to make an appointment, call 435-4900
Health & Social Services Directory is our annual publication containing over 600 records updated on a regular basis and is available for purchase
What’s Happening…is a free weekly column that appears in our local newspapers and also here on our web site. Compiled by our Centre, it announces coming events in and around our area.
Health Card Renewals through the Ontario Ministry of Health is offered on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of each month by pre-booking an appointment through their toll free number, call 435-4900 for further information.”
Budget and Funding Sources
The Annual budget figure is not known. South Simcoe Community Information Centre "CONTACT" is funded by: The Clothes Line, various fundraisers, monetary donations, The United Way of Greater Simcoe County and grants for programs.
Technology
Roll over lines
Standards
There are no CIRS staff at present and it was not known whether the organization has ever been accredited with InformOntario. The regulation of the inclusion policy is uneven.
CONTACT and 211
Staff acting in interim roles expressed support and enthusiasm for 211 and the interest that CONTACT would have in being one of the I&R providers answering 211 calls. The organization’s vision for their information and referral service is a commitment to standards which includes having CIRS qualified staff and being accredited with InformOntario and AIRS.
Local knowledge was thought to be very important in providing information and referral and there is a belief that many people feel comfortable calling a place and people they know. People also like being able to drop in and pick up materials and get face to face advice. There was a concern that if CONTACT is not answering 211 calls people would dial the easy to remember number and CONTACT would get fewer calls.
Staff expressed a belief that the number 211 raises expectations that the service would be 24/7. If CONTACT was to assume a role in answering 211 calls the number associated with specialized services such as the Employment Resource Centre would be promoted and reached through a new or existing 7 or 10 digit phone number.
It was recognized that any members of the Information Providers Coalition delivering 211 would need to be accountable and maintain database and services at agreed upon standards.
Appendix 4 Specialized Information Providers
Base Borden
The Family Resource Centre at Camp Borden provides services for the military and their families and non-military who work at the base. This is 5,000-16,000 people depending on the time of year, of whom about 75 percent live off the base. Staff at the Family Resource Centre indicate that 211 is a wonderful idea as long as individuals can access it and get to the services they need.
The Family Resource Centre works with Information Barrie, Information Orillia, South Simcoe Community Information Centre and Community Connection’s including leasing their data which includes quarterly updates. The information is used by staff when assisting clients. The centre uses the online Barrie database a lot. The Blue Book, the Directory of Community Services in Toronto produced by Community Information Toronto is also used. Working closely with families, the Borden Family Resource Centre also builds their own information base by drawing on what individuals who have done their own data search, have found.
For Base Borden access to French language services is very important because military people come from all over Canada to this Federal facility. People new to the Base, who may be used to relocating every three to five years, tend to be very resilient and resourceful as they are expected to adapt quickly to the new location. In anticipation of a move, using resource centres such as the Borden Family Resource Centre, families ‘plug in’ to services before they arrive. While their military spouse is deployed abroad, spouses may be left with children and parents to care for. Base Borden family community service needs typically include access to housing, medical insurance, spousal employment opportunities, physicians, schools, specialists for their families. Military people retire at 55, but the Borden Family Resource Centre is helping more seniors who are parents of military families.
Health Connection
The County of Simcoe Health Unit’s Health Connection receives approximately 1000 calls a month which, with the consent of the caller records of caller information are maintained to facilitate follow up. Helps with population health and for planning purposes. Calls are answered by a receptionist who refers when appropriate to a public health nurse. The majority of calls are about parenting and breast feeding. The nurse provides community information as well as referring to other appropriate resources, providing health teaching and education, and referring to a health programs. In the fall of 2000 there was a promotion campaign and media blitz that launched the web site, a pamphlet was distributed a logo and phone number promoted. (see )
Hours 8.30-6 M-F Health Connection does not have to be aware of the need for revenue generation to survive.
No impact expected at Health Connection where a call that is inappropriate is redirected at the reception desk. There would be no cost saving at the Health Unit because cannot do without the receptionist for all kinds of administrative work.
Telecare
Telecare volunteers met in a focus group and described the two Telecare services in Simcoe County, one in each of Orillia and Barrie. The organizations work closely together, forwarding calls to each other to cover off all hours, 24/7. The organizations would like to broaden services to north and south Simcoe. Telecare was described as the only non-specific 24/7 telephone answering service. The Telecare services are associated with Telecare Canada and the international Telecare movement and grew out of the churches which continue to provide a set of values for the service. Volunteers are not allowed to preach on the lines, however if the caller raises the church or prayer, the volunteer will respond. Volunteers described Telecare as a caller centred, non-judgmental, warm line for people who are lonely, need a friendly voice and someone to listen. Volunteers described not giving advice, instead they help a caller prioritize their often multiple issues, and break problems into manageable pieces. Volunteers on the phones assume that all callers can solve their own problems. The service is described as a distress line, the caller is managing their crisis and they do not need a professional at that time.
Telecare volunteers thought that 211 would be a significant asset and that once it is running it must continue and maintain high standards. Telecare volunteers estimate that about one third of their callers are provided with information about other services to call and this is the area that 211 would be of most assistance. Confidentiality and no caller identification were describes as important attributes of 211. Volunteers felt it would be better if the people answering the phone were in Simcoe County because it is hard for a caller to believe that, for example “someone in Halifax, cares about me”.
Participants suggested that the impact of 211 on Telecare will enable first time callers to be referred to 211 although repeat callers would not need 211. A database wider than Simcoe County would be useful. For example information on programs for abusers.
Telecare volunteers described having the Community Link North Simcoe and Information Orillia Directories, which look good, but are not user-friendly to have to look up #14 or #149, callers will not wait while they look up services, it needs to be instant. At one time the data was on the computer at Telecare Orillia, but it was not used and was not kept current. Telecare’s volunteers many of whom do not use computers have many years of experience. Telecare Orillia is linked up to the Internet, in the business office and primarily used by the staff person, and never accessed during a distress call.
As a ‘directory’ of services Telecare Orillia uses a rolodex which is cross referenced, Telecare Barrie is using a ‘grey book’ which is sorted alphabetically and updated annually. Both are a compilation of numbers referred to. Both organizations are very concerned about making sure that information is current, feeling that if the numbers are out of date the caller will not call again.
Telecare volunteers estimate that 75 percent of their callers are dealing with mental health issues, and half the calls are from repeat callers, many of whom “play all the lines”. Often callers want to speak to the same person when they call. Both services work closely with the Royal Victoria Hospital’s Mental Health Crisis Line. Volunteers point out that services such as Telecare, free up professionals to deal with crisis calls. Everyone refers callers to Telecare including Bell Canada and the OPP.
Telecare Orillia describes call volume as approximately 4,800 calls a year and the number of calls are decreasing. Telecare Barrie describes call volume as approximately 7,000 calls a year and the number of calls are increasing.[59] Volunteers report call volume to Telecare increasing when there is a tragedy such as a tornado, or the loss of life on September 11th, 2001, a community incident involving the police or a plant closure resulting in loss of jobs.
Rape Crisis Line
Rape Crisis Line receives 200 calls a month. When in need of information they go to print directories, Women’s Health network and Assaulted Women’s Network for information. 211 would be fairly useful having different points of access is good. Would like free call from pay phone. Women often come to the Women’s Resource Centre to use the phone. Women are able to call collect. They also have a 1-800 number. Homeless people won’t often have a quarter. It is not clear that 211 would help them do anything better, but it would be another referral number that they could hand out to people. Part of training on the crisis line is to be very familiar with resources.
French language services are important, but jargon around abuse does not translate well. When serving abused women always try to provide services in the woman’s first language even if their English is quite good, to maximize comfort. Deaf women who use a TTY are often high marginalized and economically disadvantaged. If a deaf person was connected to Huronia Hearing Impaired, disclosure may be an issue. Town centres are very small if a woman is trying to keep family violence private they often go out of the County for services.
Housing is one the multiple issues facing the most disadvantaged Simcoe County residents. Shelters have different criteria, for example related to length of stay. There is work being done to develop a centralized housing registry for Simcoe County. There is no after-hours number to call for people looking for shelter.
Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)
The services of the Community Care Access Centre Simcoe County are focused on long term care and include in-home health services for eligible residents of Simcoe County.
Information and Referral to other health and social services is also provided. Growth in funding to CCACs is described as not having kept pace with the demand for services, resulting in reevaluation of what services could be provided by the CCAC. The CCAC is working to boost and enhance their capacity to link people they are not able to serve to other services, which may include services that involve payment.
Province-wide, MOHLTC is building a parallel database of community health services for the use of CCACs. Community Connection and the Simcoe County CCAC are working together on a parallel database. Community health services are focused on long term care services such as meals on wheels, day away programs, transportation or a food preparation company that prepares conveniently packaged frozen food that will deliver to seniors, for example. The data used and the referrals made are to for profit services as well as services funded by MOHLTC. Community Care Access Centre Simcoe County leases data from Community Connection on behalf of the Information Providers Coalition. CCAC Intake and Referral Service is available weekdays from 8:30-8:30.
VCARS
Police officers who were consulted referred to the role of the Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Service (VCARS) which is a 24/7 Police referral service used by the Barrie Police Service, Barrie OPP, New Tecumseth OPP, South Simcoe Police Service, Midland Police Service, Midland/Penetanguishene OPP, Huronia West OPP and Collingwood OPP. Trained VCARS volunteer teams meet with the victim and provide emotional support, practical assistance and information and referral to victims immediately after a crisis such as theft, break and entry, homicide, fire, domestic violence, sudden death, has taken place. The Ministry of the Solicitor General provides funding to the 25-30 VCARS programs in Ontario. A VCARS Volunteer Coordinator described 211 as an “excellent idea” and indicated that 211 would be very helpful to VCARS staff who sometimes have to call several places to know where to refer a person, but especially to the individuals who does not know where to call. A 24/7 211 service was not seen as critical support to VCARS because police would deal with an emergency need such as a person requiring a shelter. Follow up calls to victims subsequent to the visit from a VCARS volunteer team is done during business hours.
Appendix 5 Call Volume
| |Community Connection, |Community Link, North Simcoe,|Information |Information |South Simcoe CIC |TOTAL |
| |Collingwood April 2001-March |Midland Oct. 2000- Sept. 2001|Barrie |Orillia, Jan.- Dec.|Contact, Alliston | |
|Categories of Calls[60] |2002 | |Jan.-Dec. 2001 |2001 |Jan.- Dec. 2001 | |
|Children’s services |1,553 |57 |425 | |256 |2,530 |
|Community services |2,717 |510 |1,277 |2,216 |2,315 |9,863 |
|Consumer and commercial |3,494 |0 |851 |3,742 |221 |9,472 |
|Counselling |776 |99 |142 | |107 |1,389 |
|Documents |1,941 |14 |71 | |514 |2,816 |
|Education |776 |28 |213 | |115 |1,241 |
|Emergency food, financial and |1,165 |18 |213 | |46 |1,442 |
|housing | | | | | | |
|Employment |776 |14 |851 |198 |0 |1,960 |
|Environment and agricultural |194 |0 |426 | |58 |846 |
|Financial |2,329 |14 |71 | |200 |3,016 |
|Government services |4,270 |28 |1,044 |1,598 |1,681 |9,162 |
|Health |582 |57 |780 |2,833 |966 |7,258 |
|Home support and services |194 |28 |426 | |31 |793 |
|Housing |3,494 |237 |851 |1,856 |112 |7,006 |
|Immigration and Citizenship |194 |0 |213 | |23 |514 |
|Legal |4,270 |14 |355 | |846 |5,683 |
|Recreation and tourism |2,329 |42 |1,986 |1,092 |239 |6,721 |
|Transportation |388 |28 |142 | |22 |803 |
|Volunteerism |388 |156 |355 | |32 |1,093 |
|Other and seniors, support | |99 |375 |1,101 | | |
|groups, meeting facilities, | | | | | | |
|newcomer information packages | | | | | | |
|Information & Referral Calls | | | | | |75,182 |
| |31,832 |1,444 |11,067 |14,636 |7,784 | |
Appendix 6 Exchange Boundary Best Practices
Draft
Background
In the August 2001 CRTC decision to assign 211 for community information and referral, the CRTC obligated the telecommunications service providers to provide all wireline and wireless subscribers as well as pay phone users in a 211 service area, with access to 211.
When a community, which could be e.g. a municipality, province or a region,
implements 211, everyone in that area will be able to access the service by dialing
211. This is achieved by the telecommunications service providers translating the switches in each exchange, i.e. each local switching office, within the area served by 211, so that when a person dials 211 it is translated into the seven or 10 digit number of the information and referral provider. Wireless providers also translate switches, but local calling areas, vary by wireless service provider.
If the 211 call is from a location that would normally require long distance dialing to
the information and referral provider, the 211 call is translated into a toll free number,
so that the call remains a free call to the caller (wireless users pay for time on a 211 call, depending on their cell package), and the cost of the long distance call is
paid for by the information and referral provider.
When considering the geographic area to be served by a 211 service there are a
number of considerations.
• The most important is to consider what geographic area serves the caller best. If a caller typically draws on services in a given area, then including that area in the 211 service is useful so that a caller does not have to make many calls to find out about relevant services.
• A second practical consideration is determining the mandated geographic service
area of the organizations that provide services to or will fund the operations of the 211 service.
• A third determinant when considering the geographic area to be served by a 211
service, is the location of the telephone exchange boundaries.
Managing Shared Exchanges
Because of the complexity and associated expense, it is extremely difficult for telecommunications companies to divide an exchange between two or more 211 services. The standard practice will be for 211 service areas to align with telephone exchange boundaries.
As communities are preparing for 211, the telecommunications companies are being asked to provide maps that identify the location of the exchange boundaries overlaid over geo-political maps for those areas.
Almost always municipal and regional boundaries, (which sometimes change), do not align with telephone exchange boundaries. There are two situations that need to be anticipated:
a) The exchange boundaries of a region that is providing a 211 service overlap with a region that is not (yet) providing a 211 service.
b) The exchange boundaries of a region that is providing a 211 service overlap with a region that is also providing a 211 service.
It is proposed that the decision be coordinated and agreed on between the two areas.
The basis for the decision should take into account:
a) where end users look to for services, (community consultation may be a part of this) and
b) the date of planned 211 roll out.
Note that it is expected that telecommunications service providers will not translate switches multiple times.
Best Practices
A 211 service is expected to have a comprehensive database for all community, health, government and social services in the exchanges that fall within their 211 service area.
Whether or not there is a 211 service in the adjacent region, a caller will be given the best assistance possible. This might be a referral to agencies, referral to an I&R provider or the seven or 10 digit number of the 211 service in their region.
Communications information provided to the public when a 211 service is launched, will need to explain the geographic area served by 211.
Appendix 7 Access for Culturally Diverse Residents
Interpretation services will be essential to providing some Simcoe County residents with an effective 211 service.
Using the Toronto model there are four primary ways to address the cultural and language needs of callers to the 211 contact centre.
Four Options:
1. Hiring culturally diverse information and referral specialists with facility in two or more languages is very useful, but the diversity of language needs will exceed the number of information and referral specialist staff required at the call response service. This could be a partial solution.
2. Establish a language exchange with other community agencies that provide information and referral, so that any agency knows at any given time if and where there are staff with specific languages available to assist with a call in a three-way conversation. This happens without exchange of funds and builds communal capacity.
In Toronto, for example, 17 organizations, all of which provide community information and referral services, have set up a language bank. They provide one another with a weekly schedule of the availability of information and referral specialists with proficiency in over 34 languages.
3. Purchase an over-the-phone interpretation service on an agreed-upon basis to be used when needed. This service could be purchased from a local organization with expertise in the area.
4. Purchase an over-the-phone interpretation service on an as-needed basis. CanTalk, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is available for a single flat rate of approximately $3.75/minute. Another interpretation service is Language Line (previously AT&T Language Line), based in Monterey, California. Both provide services in 148 languages and are available 24/7 for 365 days a year. The subscriber arrangement is based on a minimum of 20 minutes of interpretation a month. CanTalk includes Canadian native languages.
Purchasing some time from a service such as CanTalk is expected to be necessary to fill gaps in the first three options.
Services to translate materials can be purchased locally.
A phased, culturally sensitive public education program which builds in testing of outreach strategies and collaboration with organizations already serving multicultural populations, is recommended to promote multilingual access to the 211 service. If promotion and public education of 211 is multilingual and culturally sensitive, residents will expect the 211 service to deliver what it promises.
Appendix 8 Minimum Standards for Operating a 211 Service
Approved by the Inform Canada Board of Directors, May 2002
It is the objective of InformCanada that the public can expect similar levels of service quality and accessibility from 211 services operating across Canada. This is critical to public confidence and to ensuring that 211 services achieve their intended impact.
Documentation must be provided to InformCanada to present to the National 211 Steering Committee to confirm adherence to these standards and to monitor progress towards meeting goals related to the 211 service.
InformCanada is committed to providing knowledge resources and ongoing assistance and support to all members including 211 service providers to enable them to understand, meet and exceed the outlined standards.
For the above purposes and in keeping with the decision of the CRTC in August 2001, InformCanada has developed the following minimum standards for organizations. Please note that the language reflects the wording of the CRTC decision wherever possible.
Organization and Governance
❑ Incorporated nonprofit or registered charitable organization; or a service delivered by government or designated agent of government
❑ Governance model with formal and clear community representation that includes community representation and accountability
❑ Formal approval of appropriate level of government
Relationship with Telephone Service Providers
❑ Establish contact with all local Telephone Service Providers, including wireless service providers, to create 211 switching within national guidelines
Operational Effectiveness
❑ Either achieved accreditation by AIRS/InformCanada or has formally applied for accreditation and is undertaking the time-limited accreditation process
Service Standards: Call Centre
❑ Hours of operation must consist of a minimum of 70 hours a week with the objective of providing 24 hour, 7 day a week service (note that this can be achieved through “rollover” arrangements with other 211 providers)
❑ Automatic call distribution (ACD) capability with means of tracking call volume, number of abandoned calls, average speed of answering and average call length
❑ Calls answered by trained staff who are Certified Information and Referral Specialists (CIRS) or trained staff who are qualifying for certification
❑ Staff are capable of handling crisis calls if and when they occur
❑ Barrier-free access to services for individuals and groups who have special needs, e.g. TDD/TTY access for people with hearing impairments and physical access for people with disabilities if the I&R service sees inquirers at its facility
❑ Multi-lingual access on-site or through translation services based on local community need
Service Standards : Database
❑ Comprehensive, accurate and computerized Information and Referral database of human services with a standard service classification system
❑ System for proactively maintaining and updating database
❑ Database overseen by trained staff who are Certified Resource Specialists (CRS) or trained staff who are qualifying for certification
Community Involvement
❑ Protocol with 911 to address emergency service calls
❑ Cooperative relationships with specialized Information and Referral organizations, crisis centres, other specialized telephone-based human services and local community service providers
❑ Membership of InformCanada
Sustainability
❑ Formal and comprehensive business plan (which addresses all the above requirements in addition to call volume projections, staffing models, call answer lengths, funding details and sustainability issues) together with an operational budget
Public Education and Awareness
❑ Comprehensive public promotion and outreach plan to educate the public on 211, both during the service launch and on an on-going basis
Appendix 9 Resources
211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002, Application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Balkwill and Associates with funding from Human Resources Development Canada and sponsored by United Way of Greater Simcoe County, Resource Materials, Social Capital Formation and Non Profit Organizations, June 12, 2000
Ernst and Young, Review of Access to Human Services Information, Ministry of Culture and Communications, December 1991
Goggins, Kim, “Barrie’s Growth Plans Still Look to the South”, Barrie Advance February 6, 2002
Huronia Business Times, November 2000
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, World Health Organization, Health and Welfare Canada and the Canadian Public Health Association, International Conference on Health Promotion, November 17-21,1986
Report of the Information Management Task Group, Prepared for Making Services Work for People Advisory Group, March 1999
Simcoe York District Health Council Profile II April 2002
Statistics Canada, The Daily, January 13, 1998
Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute, University of Texas 211 State by State: A Periodic Report on the National Implementation of Three Digit-Accessed Telephone Information and Referral Services. September, 2001
Torjman, Sherri In partnership with the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations Canadian Council on Social development and United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada, Reclaiming Our Humanity, December 2001
211.ca - Canadian information site on 211
- U.S. information site on 211
g. High Tech Communications recommended this web site for information on: The NEAX® 2000 IPS which is a full-featured IP-based communications system. It provides pure voice-over-IP (VoIP) peer-to-peer connections across corporate local and wide area networks (LAN/WAN) and also supports time division switching (TDM).
- Community Connection web site
munitylink.ca - Community Link North Simcoe web site
- Information Orillia web site
library.barrie.on.ca/infobarrie - Information Barrie web site
.on.ca/english/francom - Ontario Francophone Affairs
southsimcoecic.ca - South Simcoe Community Information Centre web site
- for Francophone history in Simcoe County
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[1] Simcoe County United Way 211 Steering Committee members: Blair Almond, General Manager, Grant Internet Communications; Anne Ansell, Administrator, South Simcoe Community Information Centre; Betty Attridge, Executive Director, United Way of Bruce Grey; Alice Grottoli, Executive Director, United Way of South Georgian Bay; Pamela Hillier, Executive Director, Community Connection; David Jeffrey, Executive Director, United Way of Greater Simcoe County (Chair); Robb MacDonald, President, MiS Communications; Jim MacPherson, Manager, Operating Solutions Bell Canada (Ontario); Deb Woods, Board of Directors, InformCanada, and David Yole, Youth Internet Project, YMCA Barrie.
[2] Service standards for information and referral have been developed both by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS)/InformCanada and InformOntario.
[3] Toronto’s public education materials address this issue by promoting 211 as “somewhere between 911 and 411”.
[4] A Simcoe County population of 600,000 is projected by 2021.
[5] The 211 Champions Funding Task Group could have representatives from the Municipality of Simcoe County, the Cities of Barrie and Orillia, representatives from the offices of the three M.P.P.s, and the three M.P.s, representatives from Simcoe County’s leading corporations and strategic human service providers. The strategy for informing and engaging participants will be developed in consultation with other 211 fundraising initiatives outside Simcoe County, but may focus on Simcoe County as the first semi-rural community to implement 211.
[6] If Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is to be used on a Province-wide or larger scale for 211 roll out, and a Province-wide database with local collection and maintenance is the provincial solution, 211 I&R services could join the integrated Province-wide system as they become ready. VoIP could route calls to the nearest I&R provider based on the exchange in which the call originated.
[7] The recent successful application to the CRTC for a 3-digit telephone number (211) for community I&R provides the basis for this overview.
[8] N11 numbers should only be assigned to organizations that can demonstrate national affiliation or structure, the intent to support implementation of the N11 resource nationally in communities across Canada, and the capacity to manage the N11 resource and deliver a high quality, effective, and efficient service.
[9] InformCanada, which is an incorporated national body, was created to coordinate I&R in Canada. InformCanada has expertise in information and referral and North American standards for I&R, and will play a leading role in providing assistance and direction on matters related to I&R service delivery and standards.
[10] Formal notice is proposed to be a minimum of 12 weeks; however, initial consultations will have preceded this period.
[11] To read the complete decision, visit the CRTC web site and follow the path:
[12] Decision CRTC 2001-475, August 9, 2001, paragraph 26.
[13] This standard can be met by developing service delivery partnerships between 211 providers, where after-hours service is provided by one service on behalf of another.
[14] The AIRS/InformCanada Standards have been developed by Information and Referral professionals from Canada and the U.S. for North American and International use. Accreditation criteria that are an elaboration of the Standards have been developed. InformCanada has formalized its association with AIRS on behalf of providers of I&R across Canada.
[15] Telephone directories may be difficult resources to use for many vulnerable populations.
[16] The project “211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002” was submitted by InformOntario, United Ways of Ontario, Community Information Toronto, and United Way of Greater Toronto, and was approved for funding by the Trillium Foundation in April 2002. The project will develop a strategic vision for how 211 services could be rolled out across Ontario in the most efficient, effective, and sustainable fashion.
[17] The five I&R providers or Community Information Centres in Simcoe County are Community Connection in Collingwood, Community Link North Simcoe in Midland, Information Barrie, Information Orillia and South Simcoe CONTACT, in Alliston.
[18] None of the I&R providers has a toll free line for long distance calls.
[19] CONTACT provides the services of an Employment Resource Centre, whose walk-in clients are included in this number.
[20] Simcoe York District Health Council Profile II April 2002 p.5 reports that York Region has grown by 23.1 percent in the same period.
[21] Goggins, Kim, Barrie’s “Growth Plans Still Look to the South”, Barrie Advance February 6, 2002 p.1
[22] Until 2001 Information Barrie printed the directory annually in a format produced to go into a 3 ring binder. A new format and a CD option are being investigated.
[23] The Innisfil library is building a collection on self help books related to addiction including gambling. The need for this was particularly associated with the two casinos in Simcoe County: Casino Rama and Georgian Downs.
[24] Statistics Canada, The Daily, January 13, 1998
[25] Statistics Canada 1996 Census
[26] Torjman, Sherri In partnership with the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations Canadian Council on Social development and United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada, Reclaiming Our Humanity, December 2001 p.25
[27] Simcoe York District Health Council Profile II April 2002 p. 24
[28] Simcoe York District Health Council Profile II April 2002 p.171
[29] 2001 Canadian Census
[30] Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute, University of Texas 211 State by State: A Periodic Report on the National Implementation of Three Digit-Accessed Telephone Information and Referral Services. September, 2001, pp 7-8
[31] 211: A Bird’s Eye View of Provincial Capacity in 2002, Application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation, p. 3.
[32] Haliburton County, (popn:15,085); Northumberland County (population 77,497): Peterborough County (population 125,856); Bruce County (population 63,892); Algoma District (population 118,567) Sudbury District (population 22,894) Parry Sound District (population 39,665) Manitoulin District (population 12,679) and Sault Sainte Marie (population 78,908).
[33] Community Information Toronto, in partnership with the United Way of Toronto and the City of Toronto provides 211 for the 416/647 area code.
[34] Balkwill and Associates with funding from Human Resources Development Canada and sponsored by United Way of Greater Simcoe County, Resource Materials, Social Capital Formation and Non Profit Organizations, June 12, 2000. p.4 and p.16
[35]
[36] In table 3.1, the number of walk-in clients may appear to be skewed by the individuals who use South Simcoe CONTACT’s Employment Resource Centre. However, when CONTACT data is removed, the figure becomes 22 percent.
[37] A daily service from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. would provide 112 hours of service a week.
[38] Toronto’s public education materials address this issue by promoting 211 as “somewhere between 911 and 411”.
[39] Report of the Information Management Task Group, Prepared for Making Services Work for People Advisory Group, March 1999 p.6
[40] Huronia Business Times, November 2000
[41] Health Promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual must be able to identify and realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment. Health is, therefore, seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. Therefore, health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health sector, but goes beyond healthy life styles to well-being. Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986
[42] Community Information Toronto, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Toronto and the City of Toronto, launched the 211 phone service and the 211.Toronto.ca web site, supported by Human Resources Development Canada, on June 13th, 2002 to serve Toronto’s 2.4 million people in the 416/647 area code.
[43] Ernst and Young, Review of Access to Human Services Information, Ministry of Culture and Communications, December 1991 Appendix 1 p. 15.
[44] Based on a minimum of 70 hours a week.
[45] A full time position has been based on 49 weeks at 30 hours a week, i.e. 1,470 hours/year.
[46] Annual salaries have been assumed to be $35,000 in year one, and have been increased by an assumed cost of living increase of three percent per annum.
[47] Balkwill and Associates for Human Resources Development Canada, Resource Materials Social Capital Formation and Non Profit Organizations, June 2000
[48] The Simcoe County database in addition to containing Simcoe County records, contains all Federal offices and all Provincial offices serving Simcoe County.
[49] This preliminary information for the purpose of estimating costs was supplied by Norm Pollard of Simcoe County Long Distance, a firm that re sells Bell Canada services and currently provides telecommunications services to Community Connection, Community Link North Simcoe and South Simcoe Community Information Centre.
[50] Cost of long distance calls is calculated at 5.5 cents a minute and average length of call 3 minutes, i.e., 16.5 cents/call.
[51] The information was provided for the purpose of early cost estimates by Brad Watts, High Tech Communications, which has Barrie and Newmarket offices. More information can be found on g. Brad Watts suggests a presentation to provide more information could be arranged at the corporate head office in Mississauga.
[52] If this technology is to be pursued, exploration of the Texas 211 experience and identifying their choice of vendor and why it was selected, would be valuable.
[53] If DSL lines are determined to not provide the quality required in a managed environment, and ISDN is required, the lack of ISDN in parts of Simcoe County may present a problem with this option.
[54] This estimate is high, about 0.3% of Simcoe Residents speak neither official language.
[55] The 211 Champions Funding Task Group could have representatives from the Municipality of Simcoe County, the Cities of Barrie and Orillia, representatives from the offices of the three M.P.P.s, and the three M.P.s, representatives from Simcoe County’s leading corporations and strategic human service providers. The strategy for informing and engaging participants will be developed in consultation with other 211 fundraising initiatives outside Simcoe County, but may focus on Simcoe County as the first semi-rural community to implement 211.
[56] If Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is to be used on a Province-wide or larger scale for 211 roll out, and a Province-wide database with local collection and maintenance is the provincial solution, 211 I&R services could join the integrated Province-wide system as they become ready. VoIP could route calls to the nearest I&R provider based on the exchange in which the call originated.
[57] Community Connection will retain the walk-in store front entrance when it moves to a strip mall .5 kilometres from downtown Collingwood, in September 2002.
[58] The Consultant retained to assist Community Connection and the other information and providers, depending on their interest with accreditation and enhanced standards is Hazel Barton was Executive Director of Ancaster Community Information Centre for 17 years. Hazel was Chair of the InformOntario committee that first introduced Accreditation and has volunteered for many years on Standards Committees.
[59] The annual budget of Telecare Orillia, which employs a half time staff person is $50-60,000, and the budget Telecare Barrie is $8-10,000.
[60]
|Notes: (a) In 2001 Information Orillia used a different call classification system. (b) All five of the I&R providers |
|track calls manually using statistics sheets, which would be perceived to have some degree of human error. |
|(c) Categories of calls are not discrete. A request for a birth certificate, may have been categorized as document |
|of government, similarly with "where is the nearest immigration office?" which may be categorized as immigration |
|and citizenship or government. (d) South Simcoe CONTACT receive 23,588 employment calls a year. These are |
|not able to be separated from their general employment calls so have been removed from the totals to not skew |
|overall numbers. |
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