2-1-1 Maryland 

In October 2006, 2-1-1 Maryland launched with an unfunded pilot supported in part through United Ways and a sponsorship from Constellation Energy.   

 With its pilot, Maryland joined Maryland joins 43 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto who already have 2-1-1 systems in place.  Currently 7 5percent of the U.S. population has access to 2-1-1.

 2-1-1 Maryland is available to Verizon landline and wireless customers through four centers. This year, the pilot will cover all areas of Maryland except Montgomery County, whose population is too large to cover during an unfunded, limited capacity pilot. The organizations that serve as 2-1-1 call centers are:

1.      Community Crisis Services, Inc., Hyattsville  

2.      Life Crisis Center, Inc., Salisbury

3.      Mental Health Association of Frederick County, Frederick

4.      United Way of Central Maryland’s First Call for Help™, Baltimore

What distinguishes 2-1-1 is its staffing. Call specialists are not phone operators, but certified, social work professionals with active listening skills who get beyond the symptom presented, identify the root cause and maximize benefits for callers.

Not only does 2-1-1 provide information, it also helps identify needs or gaps in service as well as emerging needs. It shares this information with planner and funders, 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. 2-1-1’s “round-the-clock” status eliminates the need to activate new, hard-to-remember, numbers during crises. It was a used during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and during the September 11 terrorist attacks.