Recent news coverage of United Way’s 2-1-1 call center offers our communities, and our state, the opportunity to take a good look at the access to and availability of human services. The 2-1-1 network directly addresses the access issue – how does an individual find out if there’s help nearby for her particular situation? If a caller doesn’t know the name of a certain program or agency, where does she begin to look?

2-1-1 operates exactly as it is intended, providing a caller appropriate referrals to the services available in his or her community. The 40,000 calls received year-to-date continue the upward trend in call volume, and are evidence of the area’s need. 2-1-1 has created the most comprehensive health and human service database in the state, and it is a free service, thanks to the generosity of Nebraska’s United Way donors, and to several counties and health partnerships that provide funding and program information in their communities.

Most often, callers seek direct assistance with basic needs such as housing, utilities and food. Some call looking for counseling or shelter. Each caller, no matter the situation, finds himself in a personal crisis. And every time, the caller receives the most up-to-date information available on the nearby services that best fit his needs.

In addition, 2-1-1 is a critical resource in a difficult economy, working with local partners to provide referrals on HUD-approved foreclosure prevention services, credit counseling, tax preparation and eligibility requirements for the earned income tax credit. The EITC effort alone helped many eligible Nebraskans file for more than $1 million in refunds that are helping them pay off debt and save for the future. And, 2-1-1 is one of several local portals to emergency assistance through the Omaha World-Herald Goodfellows Charities.

2-1-1 centers in other U.S. cities have disseminated vital information in times of crisis, including hurricanes in the South and wildfires in California. In June 2008, the Omaha 2-1-1 center compiled callers’ property damage reports immediately after a series of severe storms, giving government emergency managers the information they needed to file for a disaster declaration.

United Way has been providing information and referral service for more than 35 years, originally under the banner of "First Call for Help" as a weekday-only service; now, 2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, every day. The call center is accredited by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, and the people who work on the line are trained and certified information specialists. All calls are confidential, and to insure quality service, they are recorded. Ten percent of the callers receive a follow-up call to survey their satisfaction level.

To date, the Nebraska Public Service Commission has admitted 40 counties to the 2-1-1 network, covering approximately 1.3 million of Nebraska’s 1.7 million citizens. A key requirement is the participation of local partners who help keep the service information up-to-date. The goal is to provide seamless 2-1-1 coverage from the Panhandle to the Missouri River; funding remains the biggest challenge. The Omaha call center also serves 8 counties in southwest Iowa.

The Federal Communications Commission designated "2-1-1" as the dialing code for two reasons: to give Americans easier access to their local human services, and to relieve the pressure of such calls on 9-1-1 hotlines. Without the interruption of non-emergency calls, 9-1-1 operators are available immediately to respond to life and death situations. Local United Ways have taken the lead to develop the 2-1-1 system nationwide, and right now, 78 percent of Americans can make the call.

Our state faces real challenges as it examines the options open to families that struggle with mental and behavioral health issues. This fall’s "Safe Haven" cases have provoked a vigorous discussion of Nebraska’s care system, and solutions will surely require a combination of enlightened public policy and robust private action.

For many individuals and families, calling 2-1-1 is the first step to navigating the complex and often confusing human services arena. Many thanks to the donors and local partners who remain dedicated to providing this unique and necessary service, in times of public and personal crisis.

Submitted to the Omaha World-Herald by Michael J. McLarney,president and CEO of United Way of the Midlands. United Way is host of Nebraska’s 2-1-1 call center and also a partner in the statewide website ne211.org.

Find out more about 2-1-1 right here on this site, too