There is a new service, Helpline 211, available that you might want to keep in the back of your mind or publish in your newsletter.

HELPLINE/2-1-1 provides information about and referral to social service resources in Central Indiana. Resources include food pantries, emergency shelters, legal services, support groups, financial counseling, government services, educational services, addiction programs, medical services, employment programs and much more. HELPLINE services are confidential and provided at no charge.

All a person needs to do is pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1.

HELPLINE/2-1-1 is answered live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with expert assistance available 8am-8pm and direct connection to shelters and crisis services 8pm to 8am. Spanish-speaking Specialists are generally available Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Remember 2-1-1 for direction with social services assistance.

Here's a great resource opportunity for your neighborhood!

Community Service Work (CSW) is a sentencing option that is utilized frequently by the Courts in Marion County. Each year, almost 1/3 of the cases placed on probation are required to complete CSW as a condition. The Department is fortunate to offer a variety of opportunities including work with local, non-profit organizations as well as work crews.

Work crews operate 6 days of the week and focus on neighborhood initiatives and public projects such as alley clean-ups, graffiti removal, and beautification projects. Work crews have been especially helpful during times of crisis, having assisted with efforts after the tornadoes in 2002 and flooding in 2003. Projects are selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

Organizations interested in utilizing the assistance of the CSW program should attend an informational meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, March 30th in the Public Assembly Room (2nd floor) of the City-County Building.

If you have any further questions regarding CSW projects, please contact Georgette Sims at 327-8259 or Gsims@indygov.org.

While the lobby will be closed to the public on Wednesday mornings, the permit services office will remain open, and that time will be utilized for additional staff training and permit processing.

"This new schedule will allow DMD to dedicate more time to comprehensive staff training across the entire Division of Compliance," said DMD Director Maury Plambeck. "Increased training and coordination among our staff will translate into improved code compliance and customer service."

Plambeck explained that a key to improving code enforcement is ensuring that permits are issued in strict adherence to the code. When permit errors occur, they oftentimes are not discovered until construction begins. Last year, the error rate was approximately 4.7 percent.

The new schedule is the latest effort by the city to improve the permit process. In 2002, the city announced the addition of online permit services that allow contractors to file for permits over the Internet, saving both time and money.