January 2022 Update: Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Distress Centre continues to support Calgarians by providing 24 hour crisis and 211 support, and ConnecTeen youth support. Counselling sessions are being conducted by phone and video. If you need help, please reach out. Distress Centre also has several programs available at SORCe for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

This is the final COVID-19 report for 2021. To learn more about our COVID response in 2021, read our 2021 wrap-up article.

The following report details the COVID-19 related crisis and 211 contacts responded to by Distress Centre Calgary in December 2021:

• The volume of high-risk contacts continued to increase, in December we experienced a 8% increase in suicide-related contacts compared to December 2020. YTD, there was a 19% increase in suicide related contacts compared to the same period last year
  • While we continue to see an increase in the volume of suicide-related contacts over 2020, we have not seem commensurate increase in volume of reportable disclosures in 2021. YTD, volume of reportable disclosures in 2021 is 5% less than was reported in the same time period in 2020
• We have started to see a decline in contacts with COVID as a primary contact issue from earlier this year. In December, 13% of 211 contacts and 5% of crisis identified COVID-19 as a primary concern
• While we saw a 0.1% decrease in 211 contacts in December 2021 compared to December 2020, YTD 211 contact volume experienced 29% increase over 2020
  The top issues on COVID-19 related crisis contacts were Isolation and Loneliness, Anxiety and Family Relationships. The top issues on all crisis contacts were Anxiety, Suicide Ideation, and Depressed Mood
• In December, the top needs on COVID-19 related 211 contacts were Communicable Disease Control, Undesignated Temporary Financial Assistance. The top needs on all 211 contacts were Undesignated Temporary Financial Assistance, Housing Assistance and Communicable Disease Control
• In December, the top unmet needs on COVID-19 related 211 contacts were Undesignated Temporary Financial Assistance, Information Sources and Employment Insurance. The top unmet needs on all 211 contacts were Undesignated Temporary Financial Assistance, Housing Expense Assistance and Communicable Disease Control.
  • The top reason for inquirers’ needs not being met in October were caller refused referral, client ineligible for service and no program found to meet need.

For additional information on Distress Centre’s monthly data and trends by program (Crisis and 211), please visit Monthly Data Reports.

Anyone interested in learning more about needs and unmet needs across the province can visit the 211 Alberta COVID-19 Data Dashboard.