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211 Ventura County reports housing and behavioral health top needs for Camarillo callers
Summary
Interface 211 told the council it received 1,59x calls from Camarillo residents in 2025 (noting repeat callers) and that housing, family support and mental-health services were the top local needs; staff highlighted programs for VITA tax help and PSPS support.
Gerardo (Herardo) Gonzalez, community information associate director with Interface 211, presented data to the Camarillo City Council about how the 211 information-and-referral service supported local residents in 2025.
Gonzalez said that countywide 211 took more than 18,000 calls and texts in 2025; locally, 211 handled about 1,59x contacts from Camarillo residents (staff emphasized that repeated callers mean the unique-individual count is smaller). Gonzalez said housing remains the top need among Camarillo callers, followed by family and community supports and behavioral-health and substance-use services.
The presenter described several direct-service programs: a VITA volunteer tax-preparation program that helps qualifying residents claim refunds, a PSPS (public-safety power shutoff) initiative supplying lodging, meals and backup power during outages through a Southern California Edison partnership, and enhanced-care management for eligible Gold Coast Health Plan members.
Council members thanked 211 for its services and asked whether 211 connects callers to mental-health help when they contact housing resources; Gonzalez said staff assess callers' needs comprehensively, refer to mental-health services when appropriate and follow up when callers cannot take all information at once.
The presentation underscored local demand for housing-related assistance and integrated services and councilmembers thanked 211 for the partnership and financial support the city provides.
