Courthouses get 211 telephones

Ventura Superior Court, working with Ventura County Interface, recently installed "2-1-1 Ventura County" blue phones in each of its three courthouses.

The phones connect directly to Interface's countywide comprehensive information and referral service. Trained multilingual staff serve 24 hours a day, including weekends, to provide assistance such as finding domestic violence shelters, support services, free or lowcost healthcare, crisis intervention and obtaining treatment for substance abuse problems.

The phones are located in areas of the courthouses most likely to produce a need for these services, such as the Family Court lobby in the Ventura Hall of Justice and outside the dependency courtrooms at the Juvenile Courthouse in El Rio. Posters and brochures next to the phones explain the service to court visitors. The 2-1-1 call is free and can also be dialed from any landline telephone. Cell phones can connect by dialing 1 (800) 339-6993.

Interface's helpline has been providing information and referral services for over 25 years. The three-digit "2-1-1" prefix, which was recently set aside by the California Public Utilities Commission for the exclusive use of local health and human service information and referral programs to allow quick and easy access to trained resource specialists, improves access to these services.

The 2-1-1 program began in Los Angeles County. United Way of Ventura County and Interface Children Family Services formed a partnership to bring 2-1-1 to Ventura County. United Way is spearheading community awareness and outreach efforts, and working with First 5 Ventura County and other organizations to fund start-up costs and ongoing operations.

For additional information, visit the websites www.icfs.org and www.211ventura.org.