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About 2-1-1
About 2-1-12-1-1 is an easy-to-remember phone number that links people to the health and human services they need. This confidential informational and referral service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 150 languages. Call specialists — certified, social work professionals with active listening skills who get beyond the symptom presented — assess callers’ needs and get them to the right solutions using a comprehensive database of more than 4,000 federal, state and local services — both government and nonprofit. 2-1-1 Maryland is available through four call centers. The organizations that serve as 2-1-1 call centers are: Governor Martin O'Malley on 2-1-1 “I’m proud to sign into law this important legislation to establish a statewide 2-1-1 health and human services referral system, linking citizens with the health services, community preparedness information and crisis response they need,” said Governor O’Malley. “This information exchange will be available 24 hours a day, all year long to serve the people of Maryland as a single point of reference for health and human service related information. The safety, security, and health of the people of Maryland depend on an ability to immediately and efficiently connect with the services and information that they depend on, and we’re proud to support this legislation to establish such a system.” Last year, 2-1-1 Maryland answered more than 240,000 calls around basic needs such as food, shelter, eviction prevention, utility assistance, H1N1 flu shot services and more. The top five needs in central Maryland centered on financial assistance for utility billing, emergency food and housing, financial assistance to prevent eviction and tax assistance. Call specialists also noticed an increase in calls for foreclosure prevention and financial assistance with prescriptions. Not only does 2-1-1 provide information, it also helps identify needs or gaps in service as well as emerging needs, offering a clearer picture for decision-making. 2-1-1 is also a partner in crisis response and homeland security. During and after disasters and emergencies, 2-1-1 offers easy access to rumor-controlled information, reducing inappropriate calls to 911 and freeing emergency personnel to do what they do best. The “round-the-clock” status eliminates the need to activate new, hard-to-remember, numbers. It was used during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and during the September 11 terrorist attacks. In May 2010, Governor Martin O’Malley signed Senate Bill 527/House Bill 693 making 2-1-1 Maryland a permanent system that will allow it to continue to provide thousands of Marylanders with vital resources each day. The new law creates a Health and Human Services Referral Board – 2-1-1 Maryland, with members appointed by the Governor and representing state agencies in health and human services, representatives from 2-1-1 Maryland and other nonprofit organizations. It also identifies 2-1-1 Maryland as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization to oversee the 2-1-1 system in the state. 2-1-1 engages in many partnerships with local and state government as well as other nonprofit agencies to help meet the needs of citizens. Some examples are: Baltimore City Commission on Aging and Retirement Education Baltimore County Local Management Board Harford County Local Management Board Maryland Food Bank Baltimore CASH and Maryland CASH Campaigns and Bank of America Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Maryland Department of Human Resources
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