Supporting 2-1-1 is an easy call

By Ted Hendry
Published July 25, 2010 in The Greenville News

One of the most striking things about the economic downturn we’ve experienced over the past two years is the sheer number of people who’ve been affected, some very deeply.

United Way and our partner agencies are serving record numbers of people with basic needs assistance, including food, clothing and shelter. The depth of the recession and the accompanying long-term unemployment numbers have created hardships in our community, placing many of our friends and neighbors in a position where they are seeking help for the first time.
Knowing where to turn in a time of need can be critical. Improving access to the available resources in our community is an important part of our work at United Way. That’s why we’re such strong proponents of the 2-1-1 system.

2-1-1 is an information and referral line that connects people to vital health and human services provided by a range of nonprofit and government agencies. This easy-to-remember number saves time and frustration by eliminating the need for callers to navigate what can sometimes feel like a maze of agencies and programs.

When a person dials 2-1-1, trained personnel – including bilingual operators – analyze what services are needed and link the caller to appropriate community programs and resources. It’s easy. It’s effective. And, most importantly, it’s free to the caller.

United Way saw the value in the 2-1-1 and brought this service to our community in January, 2009. Since then, the service has connected thousands of Greenville County individuals and families to the help they need – everything from utility bill and rent/mortgage assistance, to emergency shelter and job training referrals.

Of course, the benefits of the 2-1-1 system go beyond just the person making the call for help. Having 2-1-1 available for non-emergency calls eliminates burden from our emergency 9-1-1 system. This is a huge cost saver to our state and local governments as it frees up time and resources to handle the emergencies for which the 9-1-1 system is intended.

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to 2-1-1. Currently, Greenville County is one of only 29 counties in South Carolina where the 2-1-1 system is in operation. Nationally, 2-1-1 is unavailable to approximately 20 percent of the population.

Although the 2-1-1 system has developed nationally over the past decade through United Way and state government funding, the 2-1-1 system lacks stable financing to ensure its future. Because 2-1-1 has proved to be so helpful and so in demand, many 2-1-1call centers lack the resources needed to build an adequate telecommunications infrastructure and provide appropriate staff levels, establish or maintain 24-hour-a-day service, ensure complete and accurate informational databases, and reach rural populations.

There is currently legislation in both houses of Congress that would solve these issues and help 2-1-1 go coast-to-coast. It’s the Calling for 2-1-1 Act, and it would create a grant program to complete the implementation of a nationwide 2-1-1 system. Specifically, the bill would award a grant to each state to establish a program or fund an existing program to make 2-1-1 service available to all the residents of a state. The bill also requires a state match, meaning each participating state must ensure that at least 50 percent of the resources of the program funded by the grant will be derived from other private or public sources.

In South Carolina, Senator Lindsey Graham and Representatives John Spratt and Joe Wilson are part of a bi-partisan group of more than 300 members of Congress who have already signed on as co-sponsors of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act. In these times, that’s almost unprecedented support, but we need more.

Please visit the “Advocate” section on our website, unitedwaygc.org, look for the link to contact your representatives, and tell our representatives how important it is for all citizens to have full access to the 2-1-1 system.

We ask you to join us in urging the rest of the members of the S.C. delegation to join with Sen. Graham, Rep. Spratt and Rep. Wilson in support of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act and to call for a vote on the act before the August recess of Congress.

Ted Hendry is a Greenville resident and is President of the United Way of Greenville County.