United Way and 211 help Ontario residents navigate complex services Ontario 211, the province's go-to number to connect to health, community and social services, has released its 2016 caller statistics. The numbers show that more than 335,000 calls for non-emergency help were answered by 211 across the province last year. It's website received over half a million visits. On 211 Day, when 211 and its partners raise awareness about 211, 211 is launching a greatly improved website using modern search capabilities. This new search functionality also allows community organizations to embed a 211 search box on their own website to make finding local community, government and health services easier than ever. Looking for health supports, income and social assistance, legal, consumer and public safety questions and community and family services represented 51 per cent of all calls to 211 last year in Ontario. 211's data provides a view to the mostly invisible social service needs in the province. "Legal and Health services were the top two reasons people called 211 Ontario in 2016. Our health, social and government services are plentiful, but complex to navigate, and many Ontario residents find it difficult to know where to begin," said Karen Milligan, Executive Director, Ontario 211 Services. "We know from a Canadian Institute for Health Information study* in 2015, that 27 per cent of Canadians caregivers who needed help, did not know where to find support. We raise awareness about 211 on Feb. 11 to help people find the support they need, and to reduce inappropriate calls to other channels, such as the 911 phone number." "United Way Lanark County supports 211 because we know that people in our communities need help from time to time to overcome challenges, and to build resilience. We are excited that the new public search tool that is optimized for mobile phone and other devices will ensure that people can get the help they need in the way that they need it," said Fraser Scantlebury, Executive Director of United Way Lanark County. Residents should always call 9-1-1 for a life-threatening emergency, when a property is in danger or a crime is in progress that requires the police, fire or paramedic services. Calling 2-1-1 is the easy way to access financial, emotional and other supports in Ontario communities this winter. Internet phone users can call 1-877-330-3213, and TTY users can call 1-888-340-1001. There were 32,522 calls for legal, consumer and public safety services such as consumer regulation (7,918), legal services (5,579), law enforcement agencies (3,009), consumer assistance (2,761), law encorcement services (2,527),criminal correction system (2,253) and legal assistance 1,971). There were also 29,557 calls for health care services such as heath supportive services (8,422), outpa-
tient health services (4,335), inpatient health services (3508), specialty medicine (2,712), specialized treatment (1,964), social insurance programs (1,677) and general medical care (1,652). This three-digit number helps On-
tarians navigate the complex network of human services quickly and easily, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 150 languages. Ontario 211 Services is a nonprofit agency, established to develop and govern the 211 system in On-
tario. 211 is supported by the Province of Ontario and Green Shield Canada, and is a proud partner of United Ways across the province. Through its partnership with 211 and investment in hundreds of community programs, United Way works to im-
prove lives locally. *(Canadian Institute for Health Information. How Canada Compares: Results from the Common Wealth Fund 2014 International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults. Ottawa; ON. CIHI. 2015).
Pederson re-elected as chair of RVCA board of directors Lyle Pederson was re-elected as chair of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) Board at its annual general meeting, held Thursday, Jan. 26. Pederson, RVCA board representative for the Municipality of Elizabethtown-Kitley, has been a member for six years and is currently serving his third year as chair. The RVCA would also like to congratulate Ed Hand on being reelected as vice-chair. Hand has been a member since 2008 and is one of the six appointed representatives from the City of Ottawa. The RVCA board is comprised of 22 representatives from its 18 member municipalities. The board is responsible for making policy, budget and regulatory decisions regarding the authority's watershed management activities. The RVCA's area of jurisdiction covers over 4,000-square kilometres. This year's board of directors includes: Andy Jozefowicz of Athens; Dale McLenaghan of Augusta; Sharon Mousseau of Beckwith; Victor Heese of Central Frontenac; Erin Greco, Pieter Leenhouts, Scott Moffatt, Ralph Pentland and Tom Scott of the City of Ottawa; Ray Scissons of Drummond/North Elmsley; Anne Barr of Merrickville-Wolford; Vince Carrol of Montague; Gerry Boyce of North Dundas; Barclay Cormack of North Grenville; Judy Brown of Perth; Jeff Banks of Rideau Lakes; Joe Gallipeau of Smiths
Falls; Pat Barr of South Frontenac; Brian Campbell of Tay Valley; and Gerald Schwinghamer of Westport. Clarence-Rockland has no member. The RVCA is one of Ontario's 36 Conservation Authorities created under the Conservation Authorities
Act of Ontario to deliver a range of programs in watershed management and natural resource conservation. RVCA works with local municipalities, government agencies, special interest groups and the general public to protect watershed resources - working
toward clean water, natural shorelines and sustainable land use throughout the Rideau Valley watershed. Visit www.rvca.ca and follow the RVCA on Facebook, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on events and other important information.
Kids in the hall
Evelyn Harford/Metroland
Chimo Elementary School students gather within Smiths Falls’ council chambers for a question and answer period with Mayor Shawn Pankow on Tuesday, Feb. 7. It was a chance for students to learn about municipal politics and get an inside look at what keeps the wheels turning at town hall.
75% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime The HPV vaccine is free to all men under 27 in the LGBTQ community Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District
HEALTH UNIT Your Partner in Public Health
www.healthunit.org
Contact us today: 1-800-660-5853 or areyousafe.ca
Connected to Your Community A/CP/K/P/SF - 4 - Thursday, February 16, 2017