Press Room: Case Studies
50 Ways 2-1-1 Works Across America
Compiled by United Way of
Pennsylvania, July 2004
Reprinted and revised with permission
Displaying 31-40 of 50
- Crisis Counseling: 2-1-1 connects calls to counseling for any crisis. Specialized lines that provide expert help to victims of rape and domestic violence serve most communities. 2-1-1 connects people in need to these lines and other special crisis lines.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Although many communities have Volunteer Centers to help people find an appropriate match for their skills and time, many do not. 2-1-1 can help callers identify community Volunteer Centers and help people find opportunities where volunteer placement services do not exist.
- Public Health Warning System: States are now developing the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS), a national project to provide a centralized internet-based system for doctors to report disease to public health authorities. Like NEDSS, 2-1-1 provides a data collection system that can provide early warning of disease outbreaks through a built-in analysis of data as it is received and entered.
- After-Hours Support for Agencies: In Connecticut, calls to over 40 agencies are forwarded to 2-1-1 after hours so that caseworkers and others can be reached without maintaining separate night-shift staffing.
- State Homeland Security Plan: States such as Arizona have included establishing statewide 2-1-1 service as a goal in state Homeland Security plans. 2-1-1 complements emergency lines by taking non-emergency calls, thus freeing emergency workers to handle real threats to life and property. 2-1-1 is also an approved use of federal bioterrorism funds.
- Help for Helpers: In Connecticut, about 45,000 calls per year (15% of total) are from social workers, clergy, doctors, legislators and other helpers who want to know how best to help the people they are serving.
- Court Ordered Case Plans: Courts often order parents to obtain counseling, improved housing and other services as a step toward regaining custody of children placed in foster care. The juvenile justice system makes similar requirements of adjudicated youth and their parents. 2-1-1 helps social workers and criminal justice employees work with clients to help them take responsibility for achieving the goals included in court ordered plans.
- Former Welfare Clients: In Connecticut, 2-1-1 makes sure that former TANF clients get support and services they need, providing a safety net after TANF benefits end.
- Quality Childcare: 2-1-1 provides callers with information on childcare options and openings in their locality and assists them with information to evaluate quality and suitability for their child and family situation.
- Teen Advice: Parents and educators can teach teenagers to call 2-1-1 when they are faced with confusing, non-emergency situations and do not know where to turn. Connecticut Infoline provides a “Teen Yellow Pages” on its web-site that is just for youth.