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Government | 2-1-1 & 9-1-1 | 2-1-1
Disaster Response
Who is Using 2-1-1?
Whether it is a situation where the caller needs help or wants to offer help, 2-1-1 indirectly touches the lives of every person in the community by providing New Jersey citizens with a place to turn when they need answers to life challenges, both big and small.
97% of 2-1-1 inquiries are from individuals seeking information and assistance
for themselves or their family. 71% are female. The vast majority (79%) are calling for Information and Referral assistance. Another 17% are calling because they need to talk their situation over with someone.
The needs most frequently expressed by callers include those associated with:
- Temporary financial assistance (28%)
- Mental health services (16%)
- Housing (14%)
- Government services (4%)
- Health and medical care (4%)
- Food (4%)
- Individual/Family life (4%)
- Donor services (2%)
Case Examples
2-1-1 is the first three-digit telephone number dedicated to health, human services,
and community life. It is the place to find the location of shelter during
a flood or power outage, information about the nearest child care center, legal
service, housing, immigration, employment, or service in a language other than
English.
Case Example 1: Sunday, 6pm
A 23 year-old woman with her 2 year-old daughter
calls in crisis. Her abusive husband has threatened her life and she fears
for herself and her daughter's safety. She has gathered a few things and
left the house while he is out. Now, she has nowhere to go, it's getting late
and she is afraid to return home and find him there waiting for her. She
is taking his threats very seriously this time.
2-1-1 Client Resource Specialist:
- Listens to story and probes caller for specifics
- Recognizes the urgency and crisis nature of the call
- Patches the caller through to the local Women's Shelter to ensure the
woman is connected with an emergency shelter where she can receive domestic
violence intervention services
Emergency Shelter: Providing the woman and
her child with a safe place to stay, indefinitely.
Domestic Violence Intervention: Counseling
to help the woman escape a life of abuse.
Without 2-1-1, this young mother may have returned
home, putting herself and her child's life at risk.
Case Example 2: Tuesday, 2 am
Emergency first responder calls from the scene
of a response to a 9-1-1 call. A 45 year-old man has fatally shot himself
while his wife and two young children were sleeping in the house. The
EMS worker recognizes the need for immediate trauma intervention and provides
case details to the 2-1-1 Information & Referral Specialist.
2-1-1 Client Resource Specialist:
- Listens to story and probes caller for specifics
- Pages a local, on-call Trauma Response Counselor
- Receives call-back from TR Counselor, relays story, and secures Trauma
Response services
- Calls EMS worker, provides name and cell-phone number of TR Counselor,
who will be on the scene within the hour
Care Management:
In addition to the immediate, on-scene response to the tragedy, the
Trauma Response Counselor provides crisis care management, counseling to the
family in crisis, assessing their needs and getting them the help they require
in an on-going, hands on approach
- Trauma Counseling: Clinical treatment to stabilize
and sustain the mental health of the family
- Credit Counseling Service: In time, helping
the wife to understand her financial circumstances and create a new household
budget
- Community Youth Services: Therapeutic recreational
activities for the children
Without 2-1-1, this family may have been left to deal
with this devasting tragedy on their own.
Case Example 3: Friday, 5 pm
A 33 year-old man arrives at the office of his
local legislator. He reports that he has been locked-out of his apartment
due to 3 months uncollected rent. The man has nowhere to go, no credit
cards and only $7 cash in his pocket. He plans on sleeping in his car
unless he can find other shelter. The legislative aide and the constituent
call 2-1-1.
2-1-1 Client Resource Specialist:
- Listens to story and probes the caller for specifics
- Provides name and address of local 24-hour Emergency Shelter
- Calls shelter that night to ensure the client has connected
- Calls client back at work on Monday morning to provide the name and phone
number of a local tenant rights organization and to find out if further assistance
is necessary
Tenant Rights Counseling: Providing the client
with knowledge of his legal rights and helping him to communicate appropriately
with his landlord
Emergency Shelter: Providing the client a warm
safe place to sleep.
Without 2-1-1, this man would have spent the cold winter night in his car.
Pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 when you need help.
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 the database of 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 financial distress or for life’s everyday situations.
Page last modified 9.29.09
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