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Who We Are
United Way 2-1-1 Phone System Offers Community Access to Health, Social and Human Services 
People living in a 9-county region of Northeast Florida can now dial 2-1-1, the new, easy to remember,
three-digit telephone number for free information and referral and access to health, social and human services.
The 9-county area includes: Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Baker, Nassau, Columbia, Suwannee, Hamilton, and Putnam counties. Primary sponsors and partners of United Way 2-1-1 include: United Way of Northeast Florida, United Way of St. Johns County, United Way of Suwannee Valley, the City of Jacksonville, the Department of Children and Families, JaxCare, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Connie Hodges, President of United Way of Northeast Florida, Ann Breidenstein, Executive Director of United Way of St. Johns County, and Rita Dopp, Executive Director of United Way of Suwannee Valley, all agree that 2-1-1 is an important communication tool that will allow the people of Northeast Florida to access services more easily than before. "Dialing 2-1-1 is free and the service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," said Hodges. "United Way 2-1-1 provides a critical connection between individuals and families in need to the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. All three United Ways are proud to be associated with this project and look forward to continuing to serve the people living in this region." United Way 2-1-1 also operates a suicide intervention and prevention helpline. It, too, can be accessed by dialing 2-1-1. Callers to 2-1-1 will speak with a highly-trained, professional information and referral call center specialist who will refer the caller directly to the health, social and/or human service organizations that are most able to provide assistance. The call center specialist follows-up with the caller at a later date to make certain they have been served properly. United Way 2-1-1 provides information and referral for:
Some cell phones, business phones and pay phones may be unable to access 2-1-1. Therefore, callers may dial 1-904-632-0600 to access a United Way 2-1-1 call center specialist. If you are unable to access 2-1-1 in your county, please dial the number that's appropriate to your county listed below: Duval County: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-904-632-0600 Jacksonville calling area: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-904-632-0600 All other counties: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-318-0211 
United Way 2-1-1 History
2-1-1 was first implemented in Atlanta by the United Way of Metro Atlanta in 1997, followed by the State of Connecticut in 1999. Each service saw the number of its callers increase in the first year of service with corresponding increases in referrals. 2-1-1 is in various stages of implementation throughout the nation. Florida's 2-1-1 network of information and referral providers will be coordinated through collaborations with the United Way of Florida and the Florida Alliance of Information and Referral Services (FLAIRS). 2-1-1 services are now up and running in:
The need for 2-1-1 service has been recognized throughout the United States for quite some time as an easy way to access important information on social services for local communities, cities, counties, states and governments. There have been extensive state and national efforts to improve universal access to health and human services across the United States. In July 2000, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 2-1-1 as the national number to call for health and human services referrals. The national 2-1-1 Collaborative, which successfully sought FCC approval, includes many major, national associations:
There are several ways you can help:
Typical Calls to 2-1-1.
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