Dial 211: Help with rent, bills, rides, paperwork is just a phone call away

For a Colorado Springs service that received about 26,000 calls last year, you wouldn’t think that name recognition would be a problem.

But the folks who run the United Way’s 2-1-1 system in the Pikes Peak region are still trying to spread the word on who they are and what they do, because in a struggling economy, there are always more people who could use a referral to a place that will help with their rent and utilities, find a medical provider that takes uninsured patients, or tap into an array of other safety net and emergency services.

First, however, they have to know about it.

“It’s seven-and-a-half years for 2-1-1, and even after that amount of time, not everyone knows this service exists,” says 2-1-1 Center Director Michelle Milner.

Enter the Bat Phone, a direct line to 2-1-1 that’s being placed where the area’s neediest residents tend to congregate. At the moment, the only Bat Phone is at Peak Vista Community Health Centers, where most patients are on Medicaid or are uninsured. But if she can get the funds, Milner hopes to set up phones at the Marian House and the new consolidated county services building, which houses the El Paso County Department of Human Services, El Paso County Public Health and the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.

The idea for a special phone line grew out of a meeting of the 2-1-1 Advisory Council, which is made up of representatives of more than a dozen area social service agencies. It was tested earlier this year at the Marian House Soup Kitchen — except people met directly with 2-1-1 representatives instead of using a dedicated phone line. About 200 people tapped into the three-day-a-week service in three months, with 60 percent of them using it for first time.

“We proved with the pilot that there’s a need for outreach,” Milner says. “But the staff is not large enough to continue face-to-face referrals.”

So the Bat Phone idea was born, and a Peak Vista employee who sits on the 2-1-1 Advisory Council brought it to its enrollment center. Milner said it’s too early to tell how effective it is, but she believes it’s a critical service, not only for those who may not know about 2-1-1, but for those who may not have a phone, or whose cell phone, for whatever reason, doesn’t connect to 2-1-1. (If that happens, dial 719-955-0742.)

When people call, they’ll reach one of five staff members who will take down basic personal information, find out what the caller needs and refer them to the best matches from among the 4,500-plus agencies in 2-1-1’s six-county service area database.

“We’re really a one-stop shopping center,” Milner says.

The perennial winner of the most-requested service is help with utility bills, but in talking with callers, 2-1-1 employees find they often need other assistance as well.

“It’s never just about one thing,” Milner says.

2-1-1 and then some
2-1-1 is best known for connecting callers with safety-net services, including help with rent, utility bills and food, but it provides other, lesser-known services, including:

• Disaster/emergency information: Caught in a blizzard or trying to find a place to stay when a chemical spill forces a neighborhood evacuation? 2-1-1 works with the local Office of Emergency Management and other agencies after disasters to direct people (and animals) to shelters, advise them about evacuation routes and tell them where they can donate or find help. It’s also a way to keep 9-1-1 lines free for emergency reports, not calls about where to donate blankets.

• Emergency Evacuation Registry: If an illness or disability might prevent you or someone you know from getting out of a residence in case of a fire or other emergency, call 2-1-1 to get on the registry. The information will be shared with first responders and included on a map overlay. You might be asked to provide some personal information, such as your weight, but it’s all to let police and firefighters know what they’ll encounter on a call.

• Adult Resources for Care & Help: In conjunction with the Area Agency on Aging, 2-1-1 operates the ARCH Program for people 60 and older, and those ages 18 to 59 with disabilities. 2-1-1 serves as a single point of contact to help callers plug into various agencies that can meet their needs. It also helps them navigate the system, from filling out paperwork to keeping up with the agencies’ requirements.

• Community Resource Calendar: Available at www.ppunitedway.org/communityresourcecalendar, this listing compiles social-service type events such as job and health fairs, free application workshops for utilities help, grief workshops and a variety of other events.

The 4-1-1 on 2-1-1
The 2-1-1 center that operates out of Pikes Peak United Way is one of six regional centers that work collaboratively as Colorado 2-1-1. After hours, all calls go through Larimer County 2-1-1, which still provides information tailored to local needs.

According to November data for the local 2-1-1 center:

• 2,168 requests came in for information and referral.

• 43 percent of the callers were accessing 2-1-1 for the first time.

• 59 calls were from individuals or families who were homeless, with 70 percent of those being homeless for the first time.

• 38 percent of callers were unemployed.

• 41 percent of callers had a monthly income of $833 or less; the average monthly income was $1,121.

• 79 percent of the callers were women; 9 percent were veterans.

• The vast majority of calls came from El Paso County, with Chaffee, Teller, Park, Cheyenne and Lincoln counties contributing a total of only 20 calls for the month. Most calls within El Paso County came from the 80910 and 80916 zip codes.

Source: Colorado 2-1-1