What is 2-1-1?  It's an easy-to-remember phone number that links people with the health and human services they need.  It's accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in more than 150 languages.  Dialing 2-1-1 connects callers to trained/certified specialists at one of four nationally accredited call centers who assess their needs and connect them to the right solutions using a comprehensive database of federal, state and local services -- both government and non-profit. 2-1-1 cuts through the confusion and helps callers connect to the service they need with accurate, precise information about these and other resources:

Basic human needs:  food and clothing, shelter, rent, and utility assistance

Physical and mental health:  health insurance programs for adults and children, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol services.

Employment support:  job training, transportation, vocational/educational programs

Support for older Americans and people with disabilities:  adult day care, congregate meals, respite care, home health care and transportation services

Support for children, youth and families:  childcare, after-school programs, Head Start, family resource centers, mentoring, tutoring and protective services

Volunteer opportunites and donations:  organizatios that rely on help from people who care.

2-1-1 is a permanent presence that can provide easy access to rumor-controlled information.  It reduces inappropriate calls to 9-1-1 and other emergency personnel.  It also helps to identify needs or gaps in service and communicates them to planers and funders, providing them a more accurate picture of local needs and emerging trends.

Since the year 2000, United Way of Charles County's President and CEO Dorothy Harper has served on the 2-1-1 Taskforce as an advocate for bringing it to Maryland statewide.  She gives this example of how it can help.  "Say you need to find assisted living for your parent who lives on the west coast.  You can call 2-1-1 and find out about services where your parent lives and how to access them. And you talk to a live person!"