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Dial 2-1-1 for Information Referral
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Presenter

• Barbara Bernstein
• Executive Director
• Eden IR, Inc.
• 570 B Street
• Hayward, CA 94541
• 510-537-2710

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What is 2-1-1?
A free, accessible, 3 digit telephone number that
enables everyone to access the vital community
services that they need
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What is 2-1-1?
2-1-1 is to Critical Social Services what 9-1-1
is to Emergency Services
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Who do you call?
I need a day program for my aging parent
Help, my house is on fire!
How is traffic on 880?
My child has a drinking problem
Police/Fire/ Medical Emergency 9-1-1
Traffic Conditions 5-1-1
2-1-1
Teen Al Anon
Area Agency on Aging
Updated recorded messages
Fire Department
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Who Provides 2-1-1 Services?

• 2-1-1 service providers are local comprehensive
  Information and Referral Services that serve the
  entire population and operate according to
  national professional standards.
• In Alameda County, Eden IR, Inc. was designated
  by the California Public Utilities Commission to
  be the countys 2-1-1 provider.

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What is Information Referral?

• People call an IR agency for help accessing all
  kinds of health and human services including
  family support, disability services, legal
  referrals, consumer assistance, and counseling.
• The majority of calls to a comprehensive IR are
  for basic life needs food, shelter, and
  financial assistance.

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Information Referral, continued

• IR calls most often require an in-depth human
  services assessment and referral plan linking
  people to one or multiple service providers.
• Trained Information and Referral Specialists
  utilize specialized human service skills to
  assist callers in an average of 3-6 minutes.

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Previously, callers got lost in the maze
I cant pay my rent
My child is on drugs
I want to kill myself
I need to find childcare
I want to volunteer
We cant help with that
Please call back when were open
Ill try to transfer you to an agency who can help
We only do senior daycare
Why did you call us?
Im not sure who you can call.
I dont know, please hold.
We dont serve your county.
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After Implementation of 2-1-1
I need to find childcare
I want to volunteer
I cant pay my rent
My child is on drugs
I want to kill myself
2-1-1
2-1-1, how may I help you?
Yes, I can connect you with someone who can help
Suicide Prevention Hotline
Child Care Resource And Referral
Rental Assistance Program
Volunteer Center
Drug Rehabilitation Center
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2-1-1 Saves Money

• Cost/benefit analyses done in Texas and Nebraska
  show that 2-1-1 saves money.
• 1.25 Million saved in reduced nursing care
  placements.
• 3.60 Million saved in reduced redundant IR
  calls.
• 220,000 saved in reduced non-emergency 9-1-1
  calls. According to the California Department of
  Justice, 45 of 9-1-1 calls are for
  non-emergencies.
• Projections conclude a 1.1 billion net value
  savings nationwide over the next 10 years.

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2-1-1 Saves Resources in the Health and Human
Services System

• 2-1-1 supports Public Education Information
  Campaigns No need to create a new 1-800 number,
  2-1-1 is ready to help.
• In Toronto during the SARS scare an 800 number
  was created yet most callers chose to call 2-1-1.
• Should there be a local pandemic, 2-1-1 can
  provide up-to-date emergency public health
  information.

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Benefits for Users

• One call gives access to live Resource
  Specialists with countywide information.

2-1-1 is there 24 hours/7 days a week in multiple
languages. 2-1-1 is free and confidential. 2-1-1
is fast and easy no more wrong numbers.
Its Simple - Its 2-1-1!
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Benefitsfor Service Providers

• 2-1-1 frees agencies to concentrate on their core
  competencies by handling calls that belong
  elsewhere.
• 2-1-1 is the fastest, easiest referral for a busy
  staff member to make.
• 2-1-1 refers callers to appropriate local service
  providers including specialized IRs like Senior
  IAs and Childcare RRs.

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Benefits for Businesses Communities

• Complements corporate Employee Assistance
  Programs.
• Increases employee productivity.
• Reduces on the job injuries.
• Reduces employee absences.
• Reduces crime in the workplace and throughout the
  community at large.

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2-1-1s Role after A Disaster

• 2-1-1 is an easy way for people to get
  essential information following a natural
  disaster or terrorist attack.
• In Florida after Hurricane Charley 2-1-1 averaged
  200 calls/hour 5,000 calls/day.
• In Monroe LA after Hurricane Katrina 211 received
  4,000 to 6,000 calls daily.

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2-1-1s Role during the 2007 Southern California
Wildfires

• 130,000 calls were handled by 6 Southern
  California 2-1-1 centers in the first 5 days
  alone.
• Callers were connected to the updated information
  that they needed including evacuation areas,
  transportation, and emergency shelters.
• First-responders (fire, police) were relieved of
  thousands of non-emergency calls.
• 2-1-1 continues to provide ongoing essential
  service information to fire victims (e.g., mental
  health, legal aid, FEMA insurance).

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September 11th Aftermath

• In Connecticut, where 2-1-1 has been operational
  since 1998
• 95 of calls for non-emergency information such
  as mental health counseling, volunteering, and
  donations went to 2-1-1 rather than an 800 number
  established for the same purpose.

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September 11th Aftermath

• In New York, where 2-1-1 service had not been
  implemented
• Over 400 emergency hot line numbers were
  activated leading to confusion and frustration.
• After several months, when those hot lines
  closed, callers were left without a number to
  call for assistance.

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2-1-1 National Initiative

• The Alliance of Information Referral Systems
  (AIRS) and United Way of America formed the
  original National
• 2-1-1 Coalition that secured the FCC designation
  of 2-1-1 for Information Referral in July,
  2000.

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National 2-1-1Coalition Members

• Administration on Aging
• Alliance of Information Referral Systems
• American Library Association
• American Association of Suicidology
• American Red Cross
• Contact USA
• National Association of Childcare Resource
  Referral Agencies

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National Coalition, continued

• National Association of Community Action Agencies
• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
• National Association of State Units on Aging
• National Information Center for Children Youth
  with Disabilities
• National Mental Health Association
• Points of Light Foundation
• United Way of America

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Current 2-1-1 Sites

• The first 2-1-1 service was begun in 1997 in
  Atlanta, Georgia.
• INFOLINE of Connecticut followed in 1998.
• There are currently over 206 operational
  2-1-1 Centers in 41 states (plus Washington DC
  Puerto Rico) serving over 198 million people.

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2-1-1 serves more than 198 million Americans
(over 75 of the U.S. Population) 206 active
2-1-1 systems in 41 states (as of March 2008)
Map October 2006
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Status of 2-1-1 in California

• CAIRS and the Statewide 2-1-1 Steering Committee
  submitted a 2-1-1 Petition to the California
  Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in August,
  2001.
• The CPUC issued a Rule governing implementation
  of 2-1-1 on February 13th, 2003.
• Seventeen (19) California counties are providing
  2-1-1 services to over 84 of California
  residents.
• On 7/1/07 Eden IR launched Alameda Countys
  2-1-1 service.

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CPUC Standards for 2-1-1

• There will be one 2-1-1 system per county that
  will...
• provide service in accordance with the
  professional standards of information referral
• have a local presence and a local commitment
• demonstrate significant support of local
  stakeholders
• offer comprehensive 24-hour, multilingual
  services
• provide effective access to people with
  disabilities
• have the capacity and willingness to coordinate
  with local and state emergency/disaster service
  systems
• use common resource information standards
• collect and share common service need/usage and
  client demographic data.

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Eden IRs 2-1-1 Role

• Eden IR was designated by the CPUC as the first
  Northern California 2-1-1 provider on December 4,
  2003.
• As a Board member of CAIRS, Eden IR has assisted
  in the launch of 2-1-1 services throughout
  California.
• Alameda County 2-1-1 was in test mode from
  11/06 thru 6/07 with an official launch date of
  7/1/07.

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Eden IRs 2-1-1 RoleContinued

• Eden IR has more than 32 years of experience
  serving persons with disabilities and other
  vulnerable populations.
• Eden IR participates in disaster preparedness
  through Collaborating Agencies Responding to
  Disaster, the Alameda County Office of Emergency
  Services, and Calif. Golden Guardian.

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Eden IRs 2-1-1 RoleContinued

• Multicultural, multilingual staff assess callers
  needs and give referrals from an information base
  of over 1350 human service programs
• As a past provider of 9-1-1 statewide translation
  services, Eden IR has experience in operating a
  critical service 24 hours a day, seven days a
  week, serving over 330,000 callers annually.

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Funding 2-1-1 Nationally

• On a federal level, bipartisan Senate and House
  legislators co-sponsored the Calling for 2-1-1
  Act(S211 HR896) to authorize 150 Million for
  nationwide 2-1-1implementation.

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2-1-1 Funding in California

• The following have funded initial statewide
  planning activities including technical and legal
  consulting for the CPUC filing
• The California Endowment
• The Community Technology Foundation of California
  (Bay Area)
• The Julius Sumner Miller Foundation
• The Weingart Foundation

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Long-Term 2-1-1 Fundingthroughout California

• 2-1-1 is being considered for a phone surcharge
  like 9-1-1 and the California Relay Service
  (7-1-1).
• Funding through the Governors Office of
  Emergency Services is being pursued.

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2-1-1 Funding on the Local Level

• IRs have traditionally been funded by multiple
  funders.
• Counties throughout California have developed
  funding partnerships with stakeholders including
  local government, the business community, and
  charitable foundations.
• The funding picture for each county is unique.

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Eden IRs Initial 2-1-1 Advisory Board

• Chambers of Commerce
• Community Based Organizations
• Corporations
• Criminal Justice System
• Disaster Relief Organizations
• Educational System
• Elected Officials
• Private and Public Foundations

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Local 2-1-1 Funding Sources

• Eden IR obtained planning, start-up and/or
  current funding from
• Alameda County and ALL 14 Cities
• United Way of the Bay Area, Walter and Elise Haas
  Fund, SF Foundation, First 5/Every Child Counts,
  Community Technology Foundation
• Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Kaiser Permanente,
  The San Francisco Foundation, Eden Township
  Healthcare District, KB Home, WD Foundation, and
  Safeway
• In-Kind/Barter ATT The Real Yellow Pages, East
  Bay Business Times

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Alameda County 2-1-1 Funding

• Alameda Countys Fair Equitable
• 2-1-1 Funding Partnership Plan includes
• (in round figures)
• 500,000 County Departments
• 500,000 14 Cities (by of population)
• 300,000 Foundations/Corporations

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2-1-1 Alameda County

• Based upon nationwide and Eden IRs 2-1-1 data,
  Alameda Countys 2-1-1 service is projected to
  handle over 140,000 calls annually (1 in 10
  residents calling 2-1-1 each year).
• During the first 6 months of operation, 2-1-1
  handled over 19, 170 calls.
• 80 of the unduplicated callers were female 21
  were disabled and most callers needed some type
  of housing assistance (e.g., emergency shelter,
  subsidized housing, residential care facilities).
• 9-1-1 Dispatchers can now reduce non-emergency
  calls with the ability to transfer inappropriate
  9-1-1 calls more quickly and efficiently to 2-1-1.

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2-1-1
Helps everyone in the community, while targeting
the most at-risk populations including older
adults, people with disabilities, caregivers,
non-English speakers, families and low-income
people.
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Information Resources

• Contact Barbara Bernstein
• Executive Director
• Eden IR, Inc.
• Telephone [phone], ext. 8
• E-mail bbernstein_at_edenir.org
• Agency www.edenir.org
• Statewide 2-1-1 www.cairs.org
• National 2-1-1 www.211.org