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Latest News For You | For Agency Professionals
More About 2-1-1 | 2-1-1
Fact Sheet | 2-1-1
Cost Savings
Calling for 2-1-1 Act
Essential to the Stability of a 2-1-1 System
Contact Your Representative - Show Your Support for 2-1-1
Over 240 active 2-1-1 Call Centers can now be found in 46 states serving 78% of the US population. Two of these Call Centers are located in New Jersey where calls are answered from anywhere in the state 24 hours a day. Thanks to United Way and state government funding, the 2-1-1 system has steadily improved and expanded over the past decade, but without federal funding it still lacks stable, long-term financing. Because of the expanding reach and increasing visibility of 2-1-1, many 2-1-1 Call Centers across the country lack the resources needed to: build an adequate telecommunications infrastructure; provide appropriate staff levels and training; establish or maintain 24-hour-a-day service; ensure complete and accurate informational databases; and reach rural populations.
In New Jersey constrained budgets in FY 09/10 have lead to decreased staffing and a limitation on the outreach efforts that we had begun last year. Without sufficient support in the coming year we may be forced to limit our operating hours, and decrease time spent researching resources and updating our database. Without federal support for the 2-1-1 System, NJ 2-1-1 along with established 2-1-1 Centers throughout the country are not on stable ground. Passage of The Calling for 2-1-1 Act would change all that.
By taking the full burden off of the state and local United Ways and sharing the expense with the federal government,
NJ 2-1-1 would have the secure financial backing needed to provide essential services that will ultimately:
- bring stability to people-in-need
- foster efficiencies in government
- provide a compassionate network of support in times of crisis
See what was written in The Huffington Post about the 2-1-1 system.
Watch a 3 minute video on YouTube promoting the passage of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act.
U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo Urges Congressional Vote on Calling for 211 Act (July 7, 2010)
Let Your Senators and Representatives Know that 2-1-1 is Important to You
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| Specifically the bill would: |
Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award a grant to each state to establish a program or fund an existing program which will make 2-1-1 service available to all the residents of a state with phone service.
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Require a state match, meaning each participating state must ensure that at least 50% of the resources of the program funded by the grant will be derived from other sources.
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Mandate that grant recipients collaborate with human service organizations to provide an exhaustive database of services with which to provide information and referral to persons utilizing the 2-1-1 service.
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Provide $150 million for each of the first two years, and $100 million for the next four years, for a total of $700 million.
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We want our nation's leaders on Capitol Hill to hear our voices. Please join our efforts to obtain critical federal funds for your community. We encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives to urge co-sponsorship of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act (see S.211 / H.R.211). The legislation will provide federal money to states starting or enhancing a 2-1-1 system.
Support the Calling for 2-1-1 Act. Write to your Senators and Representatives today.
Learn more about the difference 2-1-1 makes. Learn how it brings stability to people in need, fosters efficiencies in government and provides a compassionate network of support in times of crisis.
Need Help? – Dial 2-1-1
You are encouraged to dial "2-1-1" 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need help in understanding and finding available assistance services. Language translation and TTY services are offered to any caller. You can also search our database for services in your local community or Chat Live with an experienced community resource specialist. 2-1-1 will help identify with you the best local resources to fit your individual needs during times of distress or for life's everyday situations.
If you know of additional resources that would be appropriate to include in this section, please let us know by contacting us via e-mail at info@nj211.org.
Page last modified on 7.14.10
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