Community Resources for Help

Most communities offer a variety of types of resources. Your local telephone book probably has a list of community service numbers. Look for resources such as:

• Al-a-Teen/Al-Anon: groups for family members who live with alcoholics
• Alcoholics Anonymous: support for alcoholics who are trying to quit
• Narcotics Anonymous: support for drug-addicted people who are trying to quit
• Children's Services Division: agency that deals with issues of child neglect and abuse
• County Mental Health Services: deals with issues of mental health.
• Nutrition First: USDA child care food program
• Parents Anonymous: for people who are abusive and are trying to change
• Consumer Complaints: consumer protection
• Consumer Credit Counseling: help for people who are in debt and need help with budgeting and paying bills
• Gambling Hot Line: support for people who are addicted to gambling but are trying to quit
• AIDS Hot Line: answers for questions about the disease
• Suicide Hot Line: support for those who may be thinking of committing suicide
• Human Services Crisis Hotline: support for a variety of crises
• Legal Aid: for people who need low cost legal help
• Emergency and Social Services:
• Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• Women's Crisis Center
• Health Services: information, resources and research for a variety of health related problems
• AIDS Support Services
• Alzheimer's Association
• American Red Cross
• March of Dimes
• American Cancer Society
• American Lung Association

Community Health Care Givers

Community service areas include health departments, hospitals, fire departments, and volunteer organizations. Many different people work in these agencies, doing many different jobs. They all work together to serve the public health needs of a community.

Health Departments

Some of the different jobs in a health department include:

• epidemiologist
• sanitarian
• lab technician
• public health nurse
• public record keepers

Hospitals

Some of the different jobs in a hospital include:

• doctor
• record keeper
• lab technician
• x-ray technician
• nurse
• physical therapist
• pharmacist
• hospital administrator

Fire Departments

Some of the different jobs in a fire department include:

• fireman
• paramedic
• fire chief
• dispatcher

Community Health Agencies

Many different health agencies provide services for the community. Sometimes they provide information or education about the prevention of disease. Sometimes they provide support and care for people with disease. Sometimes they provide emergency service to communities experiencing disaster. Some of these community health agencies include:

• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• Red Cross
• Dairy Council
• American Lung Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention