2-1-1 – Your First Call for Help

Dial 2-1-1 for information and referral for basic health, human services or community resources. United Way partnered with American Red Cross Central Iowa Chapter, Iowa Information and Referral Systems (Iowa AIRS) and the Human Services Planning Alliance to implement 2-1-1. This is an easy-to-remember number that will give everyone in central Iowa access to the information they need and a referral. This service will be provided 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. Caller identity will be held in strictest confidence.

Click here to search the 2-1-1- assistance database

What is 2-1-1?
2-1-1 is a national number that operates much like 9-1-1, but for a different purpose. Rather than connect people to emergency services, as 9-1-1 does, 2-1-1 connects people to resources, direction and guidance in finding community resources in one easy phone call.

What services does 2-1-1 offer?
2-1-1 provides callers with information about and referrals to human services for every day needs and in times of crisis. While services offered through 2-1-1 vary from community to community, 2-1-1 can offer access to the following types of services:

Basic Human Needs Resources – food pantry, clothing closets, shelters, rent or utility assistance

Physical and Mental Health Resources – health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.

Employment Supports – financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, education programs.

Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities – adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, home health care, transportation and homemaker services.

Children, Youth and Families – child care, after school programs, Head Start, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, protective services.

Who developed the 2-1-1 program in Iowa?
United Way of Central Iowa established First Call for Help 36 years ago this summer. For three decades this has been the information and referral one-stop shop in central Iowa. In 1997, United Way contracted with American Red Cross to perform this critical service. 2-1-1 is fast becoming a reality in communities all across the country. United Way of America and AIRS (Association of Information and Referral Services) are leading the development and creation of the program throughout the country, including here in Iowa.

Where else in Iowa is 2-1-1 available?
Seven regions in Iowa began 2-1-1 programs in Fall 2003. Eighty-seven of Iowa’s 99 counties will have access to the program when these regions implement their programs, with other regional organizations looking for partners or additional funding to implement programs in Iowa’s other 12 counties.

United Way of East Central Iowa (based in Cedar Rapids) rolled out the program in a 24-county area [Appanoose, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Davis, Grundy, Henry, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Monroe, Poweshiek, Tama and Van Buren, Wapello and Washington];

United Way of the Quad Cities and InfoLINK (based in Davenport) established a program in Scott County, and is looking to expand in Clinton and Muscatine counties;

United Way of the Midlands (based in Omaha, Nebr.) has a program for the eight Iowa counties it serves [Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby]; and

First Call for Help (based in Onalaska, Wisc.) offers the program in five Iowa counties [Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek]

Iowa State University Extension (based in Urbandale) offers the program in 32 counties [Audubon, Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clay, Crawford, Des Moines, Dickinson, Emmet. Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Kossuth, Louisa, Marshall, Mitchell, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Story, Webster, Winnebago, Worth and Wright.]

American Red Cross Central Iowa Chapter (Des Moines) offers 2-1-1 service in 12 counties [Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, and Wayne.]

United Way of Central Iowa (Des Moines) offers the program in three counties [Dallas, Polk and Warren.]

Other regions of the state are looking for partners and funding to bring the program to their regions.

How is 2-1-1 funded?
In central Iowa, United Way of Central Iowa has funded this information and referral service since 1968. The 2-1-1 Call Center has established contracts with other phone services, organizations, government entities, and crisis lines which provide additional funding for the service.

Who staffs the 2-1-1 lines?
The 2-1-1 lines are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with professional information and referral specialists who utilize an extensive database listing services, agencies and providers for all types of human services needs.

What hours are 2-1-1 lines available?
2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is continuously staffed by information and referral professionals.

Are calls to 2-1-1 confidential?
Calls to 2-1-1 can be anonymous and confidential. The information collected by the Information and Referral Specialist will not be shared unless it is a specific emergency such as suicide.

What happens to other hotlines we used to use?
Other 800-numbers, hotline numbers or service provider numbers may still be available. It’s best to check with your service provider. 2-1-1 is simply a three-digit, easy to access number that provides another way to reach the same services.

What if I don’t speak English? Can I still use 2-1-1?
Yes. A Spanish-speaking Information and Referral Specialist staffs phone lines from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours calls or calls in a language other than Spanish will be accommodated through an interpretation service that handles 150 different languages.

Can I access 2-1-1 through a cell phone?
There is cell phone capability in Iowa; however, the call is not free.

Is 2-1-1 a free call from a pay phone?
In central Iowa, currently we cannot offer the ability to call from a pay phone for free. However, this is being worked on and we are hopeful this free service will be available in the near future.

Which provider agencies support 2-1-1?
Iowa AIRS members:
United Way of Central Iowa’s First Call for Help (at the American Red Cross),
Des Moines
First Call for Help, Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center, LaCrosse, Wisconsin
First Call for Help, United Way of East Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids
First Call for Help, United Way of the Midlands, Omaha, Nebraska
Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging, Waterloo
Help Central, American Red Cross, Story County Chapter, Ames
InfoLINK, United Way of the Quad Cities, Davenport
Information, Referral, and Assistance Services, United Way of River City, Clinton
IOWA COMPASS, University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City
Iowa Concern, Healthy Families, Teen Line, Iowa State Extension , Urbandale
Iowa Review of Family Assets, Department of Public Health, Des Moines
Project Concern Inc., Dubuque
The Center, Sioux City
United Way of Siouxland, Sioux City
Southeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging Inc. Burlington
Seneca Area Agency on Aging, Ottumwa
Area XIV Agency on Aging, Creston
Southwest 8 Senior Services Inc, Council Bluffs
Aging Resources of Central Iowa, Des Moines
Heritage Area Agency on Aging, Cedar Rapids
Generations Area Agency on Aging, Davenport
Scenic Valley Area Agency on Aging, Dubuque
Siouxland Aging Services, Sioux City
Northwest Aging Association, Spencer
Elderbridge Agency on Aging, Mason City
Northland Agency on Aging, Decorah
Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Des Moines

Agencies supporting Iowa AIRS:
Alzheimer’s Association
American Red Cross, Central Iowa Chapter, Des Moines
American Red Cross, Loess Hill Chapter, Council Bluffs
American Red Cross, Story County Chapter, Ames
Area Education Associations
Area on Aging Associations
9-1-1
Central Place
Department of Human Services, State of Iowa
Department of Public Health, State of Iowa
Generations Incorporated
Iowa Compass
Iowa State University Extension, Ames and Urbandale
Iowa Technology Department, State of Iowa
Iowa Workforce Development
Polk County Decategorization
Polk County Department of Human Services
Siouxland United Way
United Way of Central Iowa
United Way of East Central Iowa
United Way of the Quad Cities
United Way of the Midlands

Do other states offer 2-1-1?
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta launched the first 2-1-1 service in 1997. As of September 2003, over 30 million people in the U.S. have access to 2-1-1 service and it is expanding daily. For a current list of where 2-1-1 is available nationally, log onto www.211.org.

 

 

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