Blair County Human Services Office

CONTACT ALTOONA
P.O. Box 11
Altoona, PA 16603-0011

Help Line: (814) 946-9050
Office Phone: (814) 946-0531
FAX: (814) 946-4573
Email: c.contactaltoona@verizon.net
Web: www.contactaltoona.com

Agency Type: Not for Profit
Office Hours: Helpline-24 hours a day /365 days a year; office hours: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Monday - Friday

CONTACT Altoona is a telephone helpline service providing listening services, reassurance calls, crisis intervention, and information and referral services to the community. Telephones are staffed 365 days a year by trained volunteers who are prepared to offer stability in times of confusion and to assist people of all ages to resolve their own problems and develop their inner resources. All services are free and confidential.

PROGRAMS:

HELPLINE

Provides a telephone service of listening, crisis intervention, information and referral.

REASSURANCE PROGRAM

The CONTACT Altoona Reassurance Program seeks to meet the needs of people who are living alone, isolated, aged, ill, or disabled. By placing a daily telephone call, at a pre-arranged time, we are offering a listening ear to many in our community. The purposes of the daily calls are:

To be assured that the person being called is doing all right and able to answer the telephone.
To share a few minutes in a friendly chat to let the person know someone cares about them.
To remind the person to take medications or to make sure that they are getting adequate nutrition and hydration.

CONTACT Altoona Reassurance Program provides daily personal contact by telephone to people who may be alone to check on their well being. If the CONTACT Altoona Reassurance call is not answered, indicating the possibility of a fall or serious illness, help is sent to the individual. Those who register for the Reassurance Program are given the number of CONTACT Altoona's Telephone Helpline to call when lonely or just need to know that someone cares.

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL

Individuals may have a myriad of problems when they call the CONTACT Altoona Helpline. CONTACT Altoona volunteers attempt to address each of the caller's needs and/or successfully refer the caller to the proper agency for help. CONTACT Altoona volunteers have access to information about hundreds of community, state and national services, such as mental health agencies, support groups, human service agencies and agencies that help with basic life necessities.

BEREAVEMENT REASSURANCE

CONTACT Altoona is the referral point for the Center for Living with Loss and Grief. We provide Bereavement Reassurance call and referral to appropriate support group.

TRAINING PROGRAM

If you like to help other people, CONTACT Altoona needs you!!! A CONTACT Altoona volunteer provides valuable services to the community. The training program at CONTACT Altoona prepares people like you for telephone duty on CONTACT Altoona's Helpline. It is a program focused on self-awareness, listening skills and knowledge of the human service resources of Blair County.

The program is rewarding, offering opportunities for personal and professional growth and a way to give meaningful service. For more information or for information on our next training class please call the CONTACT Altoona Office at (814) 946-0531.