Hot line offers solution

2-1-1 is expected to up Help Hotline's volume of calls by 10 percent.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Dialing 2-1-1 is a free, easy, one-stop way for people to plug into a system of social and community services that can be pretty complicated, said Don Cagigas, president of the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way.
United Way, along with the Mahoning County Mental Health Board, Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Board, and Columbiana County Job and Family Services, funded the development of 2-1-1, which went into service Monday.
Help Hotline, which has provided information and referral services in Mahoning County for 28 years, is funded by the Mahoning County Mental Health Board, Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way and the Mahoning County commissioners.
Additional funding for 2-1-1 was provided by SBC Ameritech.
To prepare for the expected 10 percent increase in calls to the 2-1-1 call center, three Help Hotline staff members have been specifically trained and certified to handle 2-1-1 calls, said Duane Piccirilli, the organization's executive director.
Feedback response
Cagigas said development of 2-1-1 in this area came about because of a community survey in which people said they wanted a centralized way of accessing nonemergency community services.
"2-1-1 will get used a lot once people learn the number, especially the elderly," said Ron Marian, Mahoning County Mental Health Board executive director.
The 2-1-1 nonemergency telephone service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People can also dial the regular Help Hotline number, (330) 747-2696.