Vermont 2-1-1 Monthly Contact Statistics

A message from the Director, MaryEllen Mendl

October’s contact volume of 2,552 is indicative of the arrival of early winter weather, and 2-1-1 contact specialists are hunkering down for another very busy season helping those in need to escape the often life-threatening cold nights. This month’s housing-related calls continue the historical trend of a significant uptick in the requests for referrals to housing resources. The Adverse Weather Conditions response set forth by the Department for Children and Families started on November 1st , but the race to escape the cold weather had already begun during the month of October. The number of referrals in the Housing/Shelter sub-category shows a 20% increase over September, and, for this “pre-winter” month, these referrals already make up 75% of the total in the Basic Needs category. October’s prelude to Vermont’s winter weather has local non-profits actively planning and preparing for the opening of their warming shelters. These mostly volunteer-run, cold weather shelters will serve the most vulnerable members of our Vermont communities, and almost all will fill to capacity each night throughout the long winter months.

Another noteworthy increase in requests for assistance this month can be seen in the Public Assistance Programs sub-category. These types of contacts are clearly in line with the numbers we saw this past winter in January of 2018. Primarily, referrals were made to General Assistance, an income maintenance program administered and funded entirely by each county, that provides basic financial assistance for people who are “indigent” – a term that should be understood as describing individuals in need who are truly down and out. This sub-category also includes referrals to Reach Up, 3SquaresVT, WIC, and other State and Federal public assistance programs.

Meanwhile, referrals in the Legal Assistance Modalities sub-category made up 64% of referrals in the Criminal Justice and Legal Service category, a calendar year high. The top referrals were to Law Line and Vermont Department of Public Service’s Consumer Affairs and Public Information Line. Legal Counseling, Mediation, Individual Advocacy, and Utility issues were the top four referred services.

Finally, the “Vermont 2-1-1 Web Seeing Tour” is coming to a hospital, library, or business near you! Our Outreach team is available to demo this new tool at your location. Businesses have scheduled time for their human resources staff; librarians from around the state are learning how to use the website to best help their members; and hospitals have requested demonstrations of the new website to better understand how to help connect patients with resources where Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) have been identified. While the new website makes it easier for people to conduct searches on their own, Vermonters can still receive person-to-person assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week from highly trained Vermont 2-1-1 Information & Referral Specialists who listen, offer problem-solving support, and provide information about, and referrals to, the services needed. The new guided search option to locate resources around the state is available on the website. In October alone, there were 1,464 unique visitors, an increase of 16% from September. Page views increased 21.6, and the most popular page was to the online resource directory.

Read Vermont 2-1-1's monthly contact volume report here.

Kindness Matters Even More During the Holidays

The arrival of the holiday season often means spending time with family, exchanging gifts, and enjoying delicious meals with loved ones. But it’s also the perfect time to focus on gratitude and giving. Choosing to focus on doing good during this hectic time of year can be a wonderful tradition to start. Whether you’d like to volunteer, make a donation, or perform any number of random acts of kindness, there are plenty of ways to make a difference in the life of someone in need during the upcoming season of giving. You don't have to volunteer every waking hour or donate your retirement savings to a charity in order to give back.

Giving back to our communities through volunteer groups, non-profit organizations, charities, or other means does so much to help those in need and contributes to the common good. We each might choose to give back in a different way, but no matter how we do it, giving back to our communities will touch many people’s lives. Regardless if it’s through volunteering at a local event, helping a neighbor, or making a monetary donation, it’s not the size of the act that matters. Even the teeniest good deed can ignite change and positively impact the community by providing a renewed sense of hope.

Vermont 2-1-1 Information & Referral (I&R) Specialists can connect you to those organizations across the state that are helping those in need of a little extra care and kindness during this holiday season. These folks are making the holidays brighter for many through the provision of holiday meals, holiday food baskets, holiday gifts and toys , holiday transportation to seniors, free holiday programs for children, and more.

There are over two hundred listings in the Vermont 2-1-1 database that will connect you to the many ways to volunteer and/or donate to fellow Vermonters. To find opportunities in your communities and beyond, you can take a look in Vermont 2-1-1’s Online Resource Directory.

Search for holiday giving opportunities via the Keyword Search feature using the following terms:

Or simply dial 2-1-1 and speak to an I&R Specialist who will provide information about holiday giving programs in your area. You may also text your zip code to 898211 to connect directly with a specialist. Together, we can make a difference!

Vermont 2-1-1 Web Statistics

In addition to the contact statistics, the following data is from the 2-1-1 website and shows how the public used the database search engine during the month of October:

Top Services: Assistive Technology Listing Services (455 searches); Medication Disposal (434 searches); Christmas Programs (288 searches); Homeless Intake (formerly homeless motel vouchers) (252 searches); Foster Parent/Family Recruitment (218 searches)

Top Agencies: Salvation Army (Rutland); Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA); Vermont Department for Children and Families - Economic Services Division; Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO); United Way of Northwest Vermont

Top Searches by City: Burlington; Saint Johnsbury; Winooski; Rutland; New Haven

Total Site Visits: 5598

Unique (First-Time) Visitors: 1983

Preventing Illness during Cold Weather

Hello, November! As the month of November makes its way, so do lower temps.The chilly and crisp air has its pros, but also has its cons for health. Staying warm, preventing the spread of germs during the colder months, and overall not getting sick for children this month is key. There are several ways to boost the immune system in hopes of preventing illness at school, home, and out in the community. Below is a list of ways that families can incorporate the prevention of illness in their family’s routine this month!

Teach children to cough into their elbows.
Wash hands frequently.
Exercise regularly.
Boost immune system with immune boosting foods.
Drink lots of fluids.
Provide a calm bedtime routine.
Get plenty of fresh air, while dressing appropriately for the weather.

Emergency Housing in Vermont

Through a partnership with the State of Vermont's Economic Services Division, Vermont 2-1-1 administers the After Hours Emergency Housing Program beginning at 4:30pm weekdays, throughout weekends and on state/federal holidays. Housing in Vermont has reached a critical need.

Vermont 2-1-1 Information and Referral (I&R) Specialists responded to 304 calls regarding housing needs. I&R specialists provide needs assessment, problem-solving support, and information and referrals to a wide range of services to each caller. Review Vermont 2-1-1's Emergency Housing Report for October here.

Help Me Grow VT ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 Developmental Screening Pilot

The Child Development Specialists at Help Me Grow VT are currently running a 3- month pilot study offering developmental screening through our contact center. We are offering 2 types of screening to families, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE-2).This pilot will help us streamline the process so we can then offer this to all our callers.

About the screenings:

• The ASQ-3 is a set of questionnaires about children’s development. It has been used for more than 20 years to make sure children are developing well. The ASQ provides a quick look at how children are doing in important areas, such as communication, physical ability, social skills, and problem-solving skills. ASQ-3 can help identify your child’s strengths as well as any areas where your child may need support.

• The ASQ:SE-2 is a set of questionnaires about behavior and social-emotional development in young children. It has been used by parents for more than 15 years, and it makes sure that children’s social emotional development is on schedule. ASQ:SE-2 can help identify your child’s social-emotional strengths and areas where your child may need support.

As a parent or caregiver, you are the best source of information about your child and are an active partner in your child’s learning and development. That’s why ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires are designed to be filled out by parents. You will only need 10–15 minutes - it’s that quick and easy. Once the questionnaires are completed, return them to the Help Me Grow Child Development Specialists, who will then provide you with parenting tips to help you continue to support your child’s development and help you with next steps if there are any concerns.

If you are a parent or caregiver of a child 1 month to 5 years and are interested in participating in this developmental screening pilot, contact Katie or Elizabeth at Help Me Grow VT Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm by dialing 2-1-1 ext.6.