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211 Contra Costa
"It's a direct extension of our mission to keep people alive and safe and help them through crises - and connect them with local resources." - John Bateson, executive director, Contra Costa Crisis Center
In Brief: 211 is a three-digit phone number that can help people in need gain access to appropriate and affordable services - including those struggling with physical and mental health needs who do not know where to turn and who may struggle with English. In other areas around the country, the 211 service has proven to be quite effective. This grant serves as a bridge, so the Crisis Center can expand its services today and, ultimately, secure funding that will sustain it over the long-term.
The Health Issue: People who need health services - especially non-English speaking populations - often struggle to understand where they need to go and what they need to do to obtain those services. Simply looking through the phone book does not help these people understand which services are best suited to their particular needs or how to go about accessing the services. 211 Contra Costa addresses this concern and many others, but does not yet have enough funding to be viable in the long-term 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Health Improvement Strategy: When people call 211 in Contra Costa County, trained operators - with access to the most comprehensive database of providers in the county - deliver tailored and trustworthy information about food, housing, employment, health care, and other critical services. These operators also follow up to make sure the caller got the help they needed. By tracking the calls and follow-up - and working closely with both policy makers and the service providers - 211 also helps identify gaps in services and helps make existing services more relevant to community needs. In addition, studies have shown 211 can save substantial community dollars by taking on calls inappropriate for 911, by ensuring people get the help they need, and by facilitating community planning.
By joining other grantmakers in providing funding for 211 over the next five years, the Community Health Fund has helped this program launch and extend its hours of operation. And by advocating for others to support this program for the long-term, we are helping to ensure it will be available whenever anyone needs a place to turn.
"Call specialists know the different approaches of the different service providers and can identify the best one or two for the caller and let them know what questions to ask and what materials to have on hand when they go for their appointment." - John Bateson