By Alayna Shulman, Record Searchlight
Original publication date: June 26, 2011

Redding, Calif. — Shasta County may be one step closer to having a toll-free number residents can call for referrals to all kinds of community resources after supervisors consider the 211 system at Tuesday’s board meeting. The system would let residents call 211 – similar to 911 – to get information and referrals on children, seniors, mental health, unemployment and other resources.

“It’s free to callers and free to organizations to belong to the database,” said Melissa Janulewicz, deputy director of the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.

Supervisors will vote on an agreement that would let the Community Services Planning Council Inc. run the system.

“The goal will be that anyone in Shasta County, regardless of what phone you have, should be able to dial 211,” Janulewicz said.

It’s especially handy, she said, because during disasters, people could call 211 instead of 911 for nonemergency questions on road closures, evacuation routes and more.

County Administrative Officer Larry Lees said this is probably the system’s biggest draw.

“It provides a great opportunity for people to seek information without tying up emergency channels,” he said. The system also would

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