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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Executive Director of Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley Michael Zimmerman is concerned about the potential shutdown of Luzerne County, because in addition to further stressing the already financially burdened agency, a shutdown would mean more work for the agency&#8217;s Help Line program staff.</p><p>Established in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes as a central resource to provide information for victims of the disaster, in 1975 Help Line entered into agreements with area agencies to provide 24-hour crisis services, becoming the crisis center for most Wyoming Valley social services agencies.</p><p>In that capacity, should the county fail to fund Children &amp; Youth Services, Bureau of the Aging, the county&#8217;s drug and alcohol program, and its Mental Health and Developmental Services, these calls would be forwarded to Help Line, requiring additional staffing.</p><p>Zimmerman said staff members would need to carefully assess the needs of the caller, differentiating between a call which might simply be a request for information and one which may reflect a true crisis.</p><p>This additional expense would stress an already overextended budget currently utilizing a $120,000 line of credit.</p><p>&#8220;On holidays and weekends when county agencies aren&#8217;t open, we see a spike in phone calls re-directed from county agencies,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Should the county shut down happen, I believe that not only would we have an initial spike, but that those phone calls would continue to increase as people become frustrated with their need for services.&#8221;</p><p>Zimmerman is frustrated with the process.</p><p>Although he believes the agency will continue to successfully function fully staffed and provide services at least until the end of the year, he thinks government officials should act with foresight and concern for citizens.</p><p>&#8220;Someone, the state or the county, has to take responsibility for serving members of community in need,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a priority.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Zimmerman </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_zimmerman3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Zimmerman </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Family Services Executive Director Michael Zimmerman fears stress on Help Line staff should county shut down