In need? 211 is at your service

WARREN – Trumbull County residents who need community or social services, crisis support or are seeking volunteer opportunities need only dial 211.

Trumbull 211 is designed to make it easy for those in need of services to find them, and became operational on Thursday.

“I’m really excited. There’s a lot to celebrate,” said Kenneth Lloyd, president and chief operating officer of Community Solutions Association.

Community Solutions, a Warren-based agency, operates CONTACT, a 24-hour/seven day a week telephone answering system for those in need. CONTACT is now known as Trumbull 211.

Community Solutions’ role is to help people navigate through hundreds of local health and human service programs, government offices, non-profit agencies and other community services.

Those needing assistance can continue to call (330) 393-1565 to reach Trumbull 211 or simply dial the three-digit number.

Don Dickens, director of information and crisis services for Community Solutions, said   Trumbull 211 can be reached by all land-line telephones. However, most cell phone users will have to dial the 10-digit number.

During the kickoff at the county commissioners’ meeting room, Commissioners Daniel Polivka and Paul Heltzel placed the first call to 211.

“We need a little help over here,” Heltzel quipped to the volunteer who answered. It was a reference to he and Polivka sometimes not seeing eye-to-eye on issues.