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2-1-1 In the News

Press Release
August 24, 2005

Mayor Purcell Helps Launch 2-1-1 in Middle Tennessee New Number Simplifies Calls for Help, Volunteering

NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 24, 2004 – A new, easy-to-remember telephone number holds the key to thousands of the area's health and human services agencies for anyone who needs help or wants to help.

Metro Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, community leaders and area nonprofit organizations gathered today at AmSouth Center to place the first call to 2-1-1, a centralized telephone number that links callers with needs to more than 2,800 Middle Tennessee programs best suited to meet those needs.

In the same manner that 911 connects the caller to a central dispatch center that sends the appropriate emergency help, 2-1-1 provides a single point of contact for people who need help as well as people who have help to give. With the initiation of 2-1-1 service in Nashville, 1.4 million Middle Tennesseans in 11 surrounding counties will be able to call and get connected to health and human service resources based on their situation.

"2-1-1 is the result of a unprecedented level of partnership between agencies, United Ways throughout Middle Tennessee as well as local, state and federal governments," said Keith Herron, city president for AmSouth Bank, the program's lead corporate sponsor.

"Bringing all of these organizations together and building the system has taken significant work on the part of many people, but we've created something that everyone in Middle Tennessee can use and depend on."

More Than 150 Languages
"United Way's Community Needs Assessment last year identified Nashville's growing immigrant groups as some of Nashville's most vulnerable people," said Judge William Koch, chair of United Way's Board of Directors. "Health and human services providers see great needs within these populations as well. So 2-1-1's ability to deliver help in the caller's native language is one of 2-1-1's strongest points."

2-1-1 automatically offers callers the option of Spanish or English before connecting them to a Specialist. Additionally, 2-1-1 callers and Specialists can access tele-interpreters fluent in 150 other languages to assist in the discussion within 30 seconds of the call being placed.

"Need doesn't speak just one language. 2-1-1 allows us to serve everyone who needs services," Koch said. "Middle Tennessee's growing non-English-speaking populations can access the same centralized, convenient help and get the information and referrals they need close to where they live."

2-1-1 Offers a Comprehensive Array of Health and Human Services
"The help 2-1-1 can provide spans the range of human need," said Mark Desmond, president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. "Through the database, callers can access agencies who focus on counseling, domestic violence, emergency shelter, substance abuse, healthcare, basic needs like food and shelter, crisis intervention, veterans service, financial and legal help, disability services, voting information, and parenting and childcare services."
“Most importantly,” Desmond said, “callers to 2-1-1 are from every part of Nashville and the surrounding 10 counties.
"We know from tracking ZIP codes of callers that people in every part of town need help and have help they can provide. 2-1-1 is a common ground where the two can come together," Desmond said.

2-1-1 Enables Callers to Give Help
Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, aid agencies in New York City and around the country were literally swamped by callers who wanted to help in any way they could. In many cases, agencies had to turn down offers of aid due to the large numbers of people calling. With the establishment of 2-1-1, people interested in providing aid of any kind can call a central number with their offers to help.

"The database allows agencies to post their needs for people and resources," said Desmond. "So when someone calls with an offer to help, we can link them with the agency that is most appropriate for the kind of help the caller is looking to give."

How It Works
Once a call is placed, callers are connected with an Information & Referral Specialist who speaks their language. As callers outline their needs, the Specialist taps into a custom-built database that can produce a relevant list of human services agencies for the caller based on their needs and their ZIP code.

"2-1-1 is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year long," said Lisa Chapman, CEO of the Crisis Center, the Nashville-based organization that, along with Murfreesboro's First Call for Help, will provide trained staff and infrastructure to handle the 66,000 calls expected in the service's first year of operations.

"2-1-1 serves everyone in Davidson County and the surrounding 10 counties," Chapman added. "Someone in Dickson or in Smyrna can access the services closest to them with a single confidential call."

Diverse Partnership Makes 2-1-1 Happen
At the federal and state levels, legislation was passed to designate 2-1-1 as a nationally recognized number to access health and human services. Locally, a large group of businesses and organizations worked together to make 2-1-1 a reality.

"United Way of Metropolitan Nashville worked to bring many of the partners to the table," said Koch. "The partnership that came out of that is really a model for how non-profits, for-profits and government can work together."

AmSouth Bank is 2-1-1's lead corporate sponsor, with the Frist Foundation funding the program's start-up costs. Additional financial support comes from the Memorial Foundation, the St. Thomas Foundation, First Tennessee Bank, Metropolitan Nashville Department of Health and eight Middle Tennessee-area United Ways from Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Dickson and Cheatham counties.

Operating partners for 2-1-1 include Nashville's Crisis Center, as well as First Call for Help (Rutherford County) and the Family Center (Maury County).

United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, founded in 1922, was originally called the Community Chest. Due to the support of our donors and the collaborative efforts with health and human service agencies, government, education, and business leaders, United Way continues to make a difference and impact the lives of Nashville's most vulnerable citizens -- and in the end, that's what matters.

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	2-1-1 In the News Press Release August 24, 2005 Mayor Purcell Helps Launch 2-1-1 in Middle Tennessee New Number Simplifies Calls for Help, Volunteering NASHVILLE, Tenn., August 24, 2004 – A new, easy-to-remember telephone number holds the key to thousands of the area's health and human services agencies for anyone who needs help or wants to help. Metro Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, community leaders and area nonprofit organizations gathered today at AmSouth Center to place the first call to 2-1-1, a centralized telephone number that links callers with needs to more than 2,800 Middle Tennessee programs best suited to meet those needs. In the same manner that 911 connects the caller to a central dispatch center that sends the appropriate emergency help, 2-1-1 provides a single point of contact for people who need help as well as people who have help to give. With the initiation of 2-1-1 service in Nashville, 1.4 million Middle Tennesseans in 11 surrounding counties will be able to call and get connected to health and human service resources based on their situation. "2-1-1 is the result of a unprecedented level of partnership between agencies, United Ways throughout Middle Tennessee as well as local, state and federal governments," said Keith Herron, city president for AmSouth Bank, the program's lead corporate sponsor. "Bringing all of these organizations together and building the system has taken significant work on the part of many people, but we've created something that everyone in Middle Tennessee can use and depend on." *More Than 150 Languages* "United Way's Community Needs Assessment last year identified Nashville's growing immigrant groups as some of Nashville's most vulnerable people," said Judge William Koch, chair of United Way's Board of Directors. "Health and human services providers see great needs within these populations as well. So 2-1-1's ability to deliver help in the caller's native language is one of 2-1-1's strongest points." 2-1-1 automatically offers callers the option of Spanish or English before connecting them to a Specialist. Additionally, 2-1-1 callers and Specialists can access tele-interpreters fluent in 150 other languages to assist in the discussion within 30 seconds of the call being placed. "Need doesn't speak just one language. 2-1-1 allows us to serve everyone who needs services," Koch said. "Middle Tennessee's growing non-English-speaking populations can access the same centralized, convenient help and get the information and referrals they need close to where they live." *2-1-1 Offers a Comprehensive Array of Health and Human Services* "The help 2-1-1 can provide spans the range of human need," said Mark Desmond, president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. "Through the database, callers can access agencies who focus on counseling, domestic violence, emergency shelter, substance abuse, healthcare, basic needs like food and shelter, crisis intervention, veterans service, financial and legal help, disability services, voting information, and parenting and childcare services." “Most importantly,” Desmond said, “callers to 2-1-1 are from every part of Nashville and the surrounding 10 counties. "We know from tracking ZIP codes of callers that people in every part of town need help and have help they can provide. 2-1-1 is a common ground where the two can come together," Desmond said. *2-1-1 Enables Callers to Give Help* Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, aid agencies in New York City and around the country were literally swamped by callers who wanted to help in any way they could. In many cases, agencies had to turn down offers of aid due to the large numbers of people calling. With the establishment of 2-1-1, people interested in providing aid of any kind can call a central number with their offers to help. "The database allows agencies to post their needs for people and resources," said Desmond. "So when someone calls with an offer to help, we can link them with the agency that is most appropriate for the kind of help the caller is looking to give." *How It Works* Once a call is placed, callers are connected with an Information & Referral Specialist who speaks their language. As callers outline their needs, the Specialist taps into a custom-built database that can produce a relevant list of human services agencies for the caller based on their needs and their ZIP code. "2-1-1 is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year long," said Lisa Chapman, CEO of the Crisis Center, the Nashville-based organization that, along with Murfreesboro's First Call for Help, will provide trained staff and infrastructure to handle the 66,000 calls expected in the service's first year of operations. "2-1-1 serves everyone in Davidson County and the surrounding 10 counties," Chapman added. "Someone in Dickson or in Smyrna can access the services closest to them with a single confidential call." *Diverse Partnership Makes 2-1-1 Happen* At the federal and state levels, legislation was passed to designate 2-1-1 as a nationally recognized number to access health and human services. Locally, a large group of businesses and organizations worked together to make 2-1-1 a reality. "United Way of Metropolitan Nashville worked to bring many of the partners to the table," said Koch. "The partnership that came out of that is really a model for how non-profits, for-profits and government can work together." AmSouth Bank is 2-1-1's lead corporate sponsor, with the Frist Foundation funding the program's start-up costs. Additional financial support comes from the Memorial Foundation, the St. Thomas Foundation, First Tennessee Bank, Metropolitan Nashville Department of Health and eight Middle Tennessee-area United Ways from Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Dickson and Cheatham counties. Operating partners for 2-1-1 include Nashville's Crisis Center, as well as First Call for Help (Rutherford County) and the Family Center (Maury County). United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, founded in 1922, was originally called the Community Chest. Due to the support of our donors and the collaborative efforts with health and human service agencies, government, education, and business leaders, United Way continues to make a difference and impact the lives of Nashville's most vulnerable citizens -- and in the end, that's what matters. top