2-1-1: new go-to for access to health and human services
In coordination with 2/11, local United Way chapters announced 2-1-1 — the new free, easy-to-remember phone number that connects people with important health and human services in their communities.
The United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSMJ), in collaboration with North Penn United Way and the United Ways of Bucks County, Chester County and Southern Chester County launched 2-1-1 and 211SEPA.org to better allow residents and nonprofits in this five-county region to find the services they need.
“Whether it’s a mother in Lansdale seeking food for her family or a couple in Harleysville struggling to find home care for an aging parent, they can find help through dialing 2-1-1,” Sarah Whetstone, Director of North Penn United Way, said to a room full of nonprofit directors in the Greater North Penn area on Tuesday.
Specialists who are trained to help identify the needs of callers are available by dialing 2-1-1 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. These specialists have access to a database full of 4,500 organizations that meet critical basic needs such as food and housing, physical and mental health services, employment supports, assistance for older adults and people with disabilities and support for children, youth and families.
Food banks, shelters, rent assistance, mental health crisis intervention services, support groups and counseling are just some of the services accumulated on this database.
Anyone can access this database by visiting www.211SEPA.org. The search engine allows users to break down services by zip code and service needed.
The United Way stepped up its fundraising efforts to launch 2-1-1 locally when it realized because of the current economic climate the number of people who had to reach out for help that didn’t have to before, according to Wendy David, Associate Vice President of Community Investments and Operations for UWGPSMJ.
“Whether they are in transition or crisis, people need help every day and navigating these services can be very hard,” David said.
During Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, 2-1-1 in New Jersey received 80,000 calls mostly regarding utility outages and paying utility bills. David perceives this resource playing a critical roll in disaster and crisis in the South Eastern Pennsylvania area as well.
Assistance paying utility bills is the number one reason people call in to the New Jersey hotline and 60 percent of calls revolve around basic and critical needs like access to food.
An important aspect of this service, according to Russell Johnson, CEO of North Penn Community Health Foundation, is that nonprofits and other organizations that provide health or human services update and maintain the data on their profile on 211SEPA.org. This ensures that the information people are accessing is accurate and as helpful as it can be. Nonprofits and other organizations can do this by accessing the provider portal on the website and requesting a username and password or by calling 2-1-1.
The North Penn United Way perceives the data collected by this website and hotline being a tremendous resource in determining growing community need and gaps in services.
“Data collected will help inform our fundraising and focus decisions,” Whetstone said. “We can determine what the most emerging needs are.”
From Jennifer Connor. (2013 February 13). 2-1-1: The new go-to for access to health and human services. The Reporter. Retrieved from: http://www.thereporteronline.com/article/20130212/NEWS01/130219867/2-1-1-the-new-go-to-for-access-to-health-and-human-services#full_story