Dec 3, 2007 10:45 am US/Mountain
United Way's 211 Goes 24/7 In Colorado
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Mile High United Way started the 2-1-1 line in 2003. 2-1-1 is the number people can call to get information and referrals for all kinds of health and human services organizations.
During the last four years, the service has grown to cover all of Colorado, with the exception of some areas in the southwest. They call volume has grown from 32,007 calls the first year to 94,227 calls last year. The next major milestone for the line was to provide service every hour of every day, and now organizers have met that goal as well.
"We know that people need services at any time, not just during business hours, so we're very excited that the 2-1-1 service can be available not only during business hours but at night and on weekends," said Rich Audsley, interim president at the Mile High United Way.
Mile High United Way has 16 staff members working in a call center in Denver. They take the bulk of the calls for the Denver Metro Area. That call center will be staffed 8am to 8pm Monday - Friday. In the evenings and weekends, calls will be transferred to a call center in Kansas. Call agents in Kansas will have access to the same database of services that the call agents in Denver use.
"We've been testing the system the last few months and have found that we've had more calls than we anticipated," Audsley added.
Most of the callers to 2-1-1 are in need of financial assistance for utility bills or rent. Many people call for information about shelters or housing programs, and others ask for food referrals. 2-1-1 offers information and referrals on a wide range of topics including GED and ESL classes, senior services, after-school programs, licensed childcare facilities, legal assistance, mental health assistance and much more.
"When you can call the United Way and tell them what your problem is, they're gonna focus on that solution for you and give you answers that you need," Debra Williams told CBS4.
Williams called 2-1-1 when she needed help paying for an electronic wheelchair. Last year, Williams' right leg was paralyzed in an accident. Her doctor prescribed the electronic wheelchair to get her back to work. Insurance paid 80% of the bill but that left $940 dollars that Williams had to finance.
"So I started panicking, going through a lot of stress, like how am I going to get this?" Williams said.
After talking to a 2-1-1 call agent she had a list of 8 agencies that offered the kind of help she needed. She was able to call the various agencies and make arrangements to get her wheelchair. Now that she has it, she's looking forward to getting back to work.
"When you get off that call with them, you have hope, and that's important to have - hope," Williams said.
Not only does 2-1-1 help the individual that's looking for a particular service, but it's also a wealth of information about what services are being requested. The Mile High United Way puts our periodic reports so that non-profit organizations can allocate their funding accordingly.
"We continue to see a lot of people that are pay checks away from financial issues, and so we project in the Denver area at any given time, there's about 20,000 people that are right on the cusp of getting into a dire situation," Audsley told CBS4.
2-1-1 is also a valuable resource for getting information on how to help in your community. Call agents can offer information on mentoring programs, volunteer opportunities, or agencies in need of donations.
Organizers at Mile High United Way are encouraged by the success of the line so far, and look forward to helping additional clients through their new 24/7 service.
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