1. 211 Santa Cruz County Connecting Residents in Need to Vital Community Services August 2014

2. 211 Santa Cruz County 2 Quick Reference 2-1-1Local Community Services 4-1-1Directory Assistance and Information 9-1-1Emergency Services

3. Imagine thousands of times a day… 211 Santa Cruz County 3 I can’t pay my rent My kid is on drugs I want to kill myself I need to find childcare I want to volunteer Why did you call us? I’m not sure who you can call. We can’t help with that I’ll try to transfer you to an agency who can help We only do senior daycare We only serve San Jose Please call back when we’re open I don’t know, please hold.

4. Imagine a single solution… 211 Santa Cruz County 4 I can’t pay my rent My kid is on drugs I want to kill myself I need to find childcare I want to volunteer Volunteer Center Crisis Hotline Senior Services Catholic Charities Suicide Prevention Yes, I can connect you with someone who can help… 2-1-1, how can I help you?

5. What is 211? 211 is an easy to remember phone number that connects people in need with important community services. This free, confidential, 24-hour/seven days a week, multilingual service also serves as a vital link for individuals seeking to volunteer, provide resources and assist during times of crisis. 211 serves approximately 240 million Americans – over 80% of the US population; Over 200 active 211 systems covering all or part of 46 states (including 19 states with 100% coverage, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico) 211 Santa Cruz County 5

6. 211 Santa Cruz County: Four Years of Service How many people are using it? 20,000- Total calls since 2010 launch What are people calling about? #1 Need: Housing & Utilities #2 Income Support #3 Food & Meals 211 Santa Cruz County 6

7. 211: Provides Assistance and Information Calls typically last 3-5 minutes Information and Referral Specialists:  Help the callers tell their story, understand and prioritize their needs  Identify and offer them appropriate resources  Provide advocacy for those needing extra support accessing services  Follow up 100% of crisis calls, such as those for shelter or housing assistance, and on 20% of non-crisis calls The goal is individuals empowered to be their own advocates. 211 Santa Cruz County 7

8. Benefits to Non-Profits and Public Agencies Fewer inappropriate calls More time and resources available to serve clients Easy referral source for their clients Complements specialized information and referral services Visibility for their services Online updating capacity – real time accuracy 211 Santa Cruz County 8

9. What types of services can people find by calling 211? Food and Housing Resources Help for Seniors and People with Disabilities Mental Health and Crisis Support Access to Income Assistance Health Services Resources for Children and Families Volunteer Opportunities Veteran’s Services 211 Santa Cruz County 9

10. Others who use 211 Disaster Officials  Have a dissemination mechanism for critical up-to-the-minute public information 9-1-1  Gets fewer non-emergency calls Public Officials  Have a place to refer constituents in need of help General Public and Potential Donors  Have easy access to give or get help – donations, funds, time 211 Santa Cruz County 10

11. 211 also plays a Critical Role in Disasters Santa Cruz County Floods 2011 211 Santa Cruz County 11

12. Resource Database Partnerships between 211 call center and designated agencies to provide seamless transfer of callers needing assistance Santa Cruz County provides original resource database HELPLINK provides resource management program to maintain current and accurate information about available services and add new resources as they become available Searchable public access provider database online 211 Santa Cruz County 12

13. Updating Your Agency Listing on 211 Database Step 1:Send an email to resources@uwba.org or call 415-808-4211 and state your agency and whether you want to create a brand new profile or update an existing oneresources@uwba.org Step 2: You will receive an email with a unique link to create or update your agency and program profiles Step 3: Make sure to create a profile for each program your agency offers, including as many key words as appropriate 211 Santa Cruz County 13

14. Contacts and References 211 Information Statewide 211:www.211california.orgwww.211california.org National 211:www.211.orgwww.211.org CAIRS:www.cairs.orgwww.cairs.org Bay Area:www.211bayarea.orgwww.211bayarea.org Your 211 Contacts 211 Database211 Santa Cruz County Maritza VillagomezMary Lou Goeke Database ManagerExecutive Director United Way HELPLINKUnited Way of Santa Cruz County (415) 808-7388(831) 465-2202 mvillagomez@uwba.orgmlgoeke@unitedwaysc.org 211 Santa Cruz County 14