Note: For human services listings, go to Community Resources Online

  Since the early 1970s, Crisis Clinic’s Community Information Line has been providing King County
  residents with information on a wide range of community services, most notably basic needs and
  financial assistance. Our Information & Referral Specialists are experts in helping people navigate
  the complex world of human services.

Crisis Clinic will retain the existing local, toll-free and TDD numbers for the Community Information
Line because some cell phones or business switchboards won’t be programmed to reach us by
dialing 2-1-1. Callers from Pierce County or Snohomish County who call 2-1-1 will reach their local
Community Information Line. Other 2-1-1 centers plan to offer service later in 2006.
We expect full state coverage by 2007.

Eventually, our Community Resources Online will also become easier to use. New software will
enable you to search for services by a ZIP code or city, as well as having an easier list of search
topics. Over the next year, each of the other  2-1-1 centers will be adding their service information
so the database covers the entire state of Washington.

Today, more than 139 million Americans have access to 2-1-1, a simple, easy-to-remember number
to “get help” or “give help.” Here in King County, not only will you be able to find help, but we will be
able to direct you to those agencies that connect people to volunteer opportunities, most notably
United Way of King County, or to agencies that donate, and accept, donated goods.

We greatly appreciate the many individuals, businesses, organizations and governments that
have worked with Crisis Clinic to bring 2-1-1 to King County!

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What is 2-1-1?

2-1-1 is the abbreviated dialing code that the FCC has authorized telephone companies to make
available to local communities to use to provide easier access to comprehensive information and
referral service for health and human service resources.

This will be a tremendous public service for Seattle/ King County residents.  2-1-1 is similar to the
9-1-1 initiative that made it so much easier for the public to call for help for public safety emergencies.
Today, we take 9-1-1 for granted. In communities where 2-1-1 has already been implemented, the
public has quickly remembered the number and used it. Information and referral calls have increased
dramatically, with the result that people are being linked with the most appropriate provider in an
efficient manner.


What is Washington State doing?

The legislature has designated a non-profit, Washington Information Network 2-1-1 (WIN211), to
develop and implement the system. Eight call centers have been designated to provide full state
coverage by the end of 2006. King County, North Puget Sound and central Washington will launch
service first, in Feb. 2006. In addition to call centers, 2-1-1 will have an online statewide database
of health and human services so that anyone can find information anywhere in the state.
2-1-1 will also use telephone interpretation for callers who do not speak English,
as well as TDD/TYY for hearing impaired callers.

              For more information on Washington State 2-1-1 , visit http://www.WA211.org
 

How will 2-1-1 be implemented in King County?

Crisis Clinic’s Community Information Line has been recognized and funded by United Way,
King County and the majority of cities as King County’s comprehensive information and referral
service for more than 35 years and has been designated as King County’s 2-1-1 provider. Currently,
the Community Information Line handles over 86,000 calls from people needing tangible resources.
With the advent of 2-1-1, we expect those calls to increase to over 115,000 annually.
For more information on King County 2-1-1, visit www.211KingCounty.org

How did 2-1-1 come into being?

It was a joint effort of the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) and United Way of America. They petitioned the FCC to allocate this prefix for this use.  With the bipartisan support of legislators, the FCC authorized this prefix for use in July 2000.

As of June 2007, over 198 million American, in 38 states, have access to 2-1-1. This service has developed so quickly because it is built upon the hundreds of existing information and referral providers, such as Crisis Clinic, who have been providing this service using a traditional dialing code.

 

Why should the private sector care about 2-1-1?

Businesses are also committed to quality of life in their communities. Early employee access to
effective services helps to reduce absenteeism and increase retention.  For example, a father,
who is a small business employee, loses the mother of his children to cancer.  He seeks and
gets good childcare and grief counseling by calling 2‑1‑1 that refers him to the specific agency
that can help him. He is able to keep his job, and has higher morale and performance because
he knows his children are safe. 2-1-1 is also a resource for human resource professionals, if they
need suggestions for agencies that can help their employees during difficult times.

Why should 2-1-1 be a priority? Isn’t it a duplication of services that already exist?

2-1-1 offers a direct and tangible service that every citizen can use.  It is an easy-to-remember
number you can call to either “get help” or to “give help’.  People who need to access a community
service often make 10-12 calls before reaching the right agency. With a call to 2-1-1 they can be
connected to the correct agency almost immediately. 2-1-1 is also used to provide information on
how to volunteer or make donations of goods to appropriate agencies. 

Human service agencies get hundreds of calls from people they can’t serve, which is a waste of
their resources. Also, prominent agencies such as Salvation Army or Red Cross get many calls
because people know their name and they are often overwhelmed by those calls. If people call
2-1-1, we can direct them to the smaller agencies, in their own communities, that are more likely
to help them. So, 2-1-1 helps distribute “the needs” of a community to a broader array of agencies.

Also, in times of local disasters or public safety issues, communities have used 2-1-1 to be the
public information “hotline” during relief and recovery.  During the Florida and Katrina hurricanes,
2-1-1 was used extensively to provide information on shelter, food and other resources and to
respond to people’s desire to help. This frees 9-1-1 and the Red Cross to focus on the public
safety response. Some communities are integrating 2-1-1 into their Emergency Operations
and Public Safety departments.

Links to other sites and info.

National 2-1-1 - www.211.org

Washington 2-1-1 - www.WA211.org

North Sound 2-1-1 - www.VOAWW.org/211

King County 2-1-1 - www.211KingCounty.org

Greater Columbia 2-1-1 - www.pfp.org/211/

United Way of King County - http://www.uwkc.org/211

United Way of America - http://www.UnitedWay.org/211

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Below are links to featured news articles about 2-1-1.

 (Click on picture below to view the entire article.)

2-1-1 network set to launch:
Portal will provide county residents with access to more than 8,000 services.
2006-01-18 by Mike Archbold Journal Reporter

                (Click on picture below to view the entire article.)

Who ya gonna call?   Try 2-1-1.
Thursday, January 26, 2006 BY JIM MONTGOMERY AND JON FINE GUEST COLUMNISTS

 (Click on picture below to view the entire article.)

Premera donated the computers used by Crisis Clinic for 2-1-1 launch in King County
Tuesday Feb. 21st, 2006 By Ann Pearce, Community Relations Coordinator
 

 (Click on picture below to view the entire article.)

Easy new resource for social services — Dial 211
Monday, Feb. 20th, 2006 - By Cara Solomon  Seattle Times reporter
 

                                        (This Page was last updated on  Friday August 15, 2008 )