United Way Services' 211/First Call For Help is a free and confidential information service ready to direct you to the health and human services you need. Link to press release.

Dial 2-1-1 or (216) 436-2000. Professional staff members are here to help you 24 hours a day, every day. Last year, nearly 95,000 people turned to us for information about a wide variety of health and human services. Cuyahoga County residents can get help from agencies that provide:

• Services for senior citizens
• Counseling and mental health services
• Recreation and social activities
• Treatment for substance abuse
• Services for people with disabilities
• Home-delivered meals
• Shelter
• Health care
• Services for children and families
• Emergency food
• Support groups

What kind of needs did Cuyahoga County residents have in 2003?

• There were 13,573 requests for food pantries and soup kitchens (a 10% increase over 2002).
• About 19,000 requests were made for housing and shelter last year (a 6.4% increase over 2002).
• We made 10,400 referrals for alcohol and drug services (a 22% increase over 2002).
• We had contact with more than 12,661 Senior Citizens (a 6.5% increase over 2002).
• There were 5,025 requests for Mental Health Services (a 3.3% increase over 2002).
• There were 8,715 requests for Healthcare Assistance (a 5.8% increase over 2002).

What is 211?
The Federal Communications Commission assigned 211 as the number to dial for help with health and human services. United Way Services' First Call For Help (FCFH) has been designated the 211 Call Center in Cuyahoga County by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Ohio Conference of Information and Referral Providers.

What does it take to become a 211 Call Center in Ohio?
National standards for 211 Call Centers were adopted by the National 211Collaborative and United Way of America in May 2000. United Way Services 211/First Call For Help fulfills those standards:

• 24-hour coverage, year-round.
• Utilizes Certified Information & Referral Specialists and Resource Specialists (I&R's).
• Demonstrates cooperative relationships with specialized I&Rs, crisis centers, and 911.
• Tracks call volume, number of abandoned calls, average speed of answering, average call length.
• Computerized I&R database with client collection capability.
• Uses the AIRS (Association of Information and Referral Systems) Taxonomy.
• Has the ability to publicize 211 services and educate the public.
• Ensures quality of service and inquirer satisfaction through appropriate follow up. FCFH surveys its customers to ensure quality service.
• 211 calls are free to the caller.

Are there other 211 Call Centers locally and nationally?
On February 11, 2004 seven counties in Northeast Ohio with a total population of 2.5 million people will have 211 Call Centers: Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, Portage, Stark and Summit Counties. Forty-two percent of Ohio (4.6 million people) is covered by 211. It is expected to rise to about 71% by the end of 2004. At present about 25% of the United States population is covered by 211 Call Centers.

Who Funds United Way Services' 211/First Call For Help?
We are funded by United Way Services, the Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services, the Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners, The Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, the Community Vision Council and Employment and Family Services.

What other services do we offer?
By visiting www.211cleveland.org you can access our free online database of more than 1,200 agencies and 10,000 services in Cuyahoga County. You can search by service need, agency name, program name or location. You can customize your search by age, gender, zip code and language. You can get detailed information regarding services, including eligibility, hours and travel instructions. You can send an instant message and get an instant response to your human service questions. You can download or request our free publications -- the Senior Services Guide, the Here to Help Displaced Workers Guide, and the Youth Pages. You may also order the 2004/2005 Human Service Directory online.

Can everyone call 211?

• If you are trying to reach us by cell phone, please continue to use (216) 436-2000.
• Some businesses and agencies block 'N11' numbers such as 411. We encourage those organizations to remove any internal phone system blocks of 211.
• Everyone in Cuyahoga County will still be able to reach us by calling (216) 436-2000.
• Individuals should still call 9-1-1 for all Police, Fire and Medical Emergencies.

What are the other 'N11' numbers?

• 311: Available for municipalities for non-emergency services
• 411: Used nationwide by phone carriers for directory assistance
• 711: Used as a relay service for persons with communications disabilities
• 911: Used nationwide for emergency services

Is Congress getting involved in funding 211?
HR3111 and S1630 proposed legislation in the House and Senate respectively would authorize $200 million annually to assist states with implementing and sustaining 2-1-1 statewide. States would have to provide a 50 percent match to their grant. The match could come from current funding of 2-1-1 in the community, including (but not limited to) United Way and other nonprofits, state governments, foundations, and businesses. Currently U.S. Representative Rob Portman and Senator Michael Dewine are co-sponsors of the legislation. To find out more about the National 211 movement, you can go online to www.211.org . Please call your congressional representative to request their support or to thank those who have indicated their support.