Today, more than 32 million Americans can use 211, and that number increases daily. People in Knox County, Tennessee, and Denver, Colorado, both Demand Treatment! Partner communities, have new 211 lines. Areas of Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah also have operational 211 systems.

The idea for 211 started in Atlanta, where in 1997 the Georgia Public Service Commission assigned 211 to United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. Since then, local United Way agencies have become integral partners for communities establishing 211 services. Local United Ways have a long-standing commitment to funding information and referral services in their communities. Each year United Ways allocate approximately $15 million for such services, and over 500 United Ways fund or operate information and referral services call centers around the country. The national United Way of America is working in partnership with the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems to advance the nationwide rollout of 211.

"We like to think 211 can be the area's information experts, especially for health and human services," said Ben Landers, president of United Way of Greater Knoxville in an October 25 article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. United Way of Greater Knoxville will give $20,000 to 211 this year.

However, establishing 211 can be an expensive proposition, and with charitable donations decreasing nationally, help from a local United Way may be limited. Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties in Florida plan to offer 211 next year, through a collaboration between the Heart of Florida United Way and Community Services Network, a member agency already operating a telephone information service. The Community Services Network's $610,000 annual budget is expected to grow by $250,000 a year during the next three years for phone equipment, computers, and additional staff, the Orlando Sentinel reported November 1. A local foundation pledged the first $250,000, and local resource groups for senior citizens are each expected to give at least $50,000. United Way and network officials said they would ask participating counties and municipalities for the remaining $350,000.

For its users, 211 has benefits and downsides. People will hopefully be more likely to remember it than a 7- or 10-digit number, and more likely to call 211 than 911, saving those calls for emergencies. In a time of crisis, dialing 211 is easier than fumbling through a phone book looking for the right place to call.

However, in most areas, people cannot use a cell phone to call 211 -- a need because some users of 211 services may find it preferable, or even necessary, to call 211 from outside the home. Implementing 211 on wireless networks is much more complex than on regular telephone systems because the point of contact into a wireless network frequently does not follow the same pattern as the caller's location. Additionally, regions covered by cell phones also tend to differ considerably from the political boundaries created by service providers. However, six locations have successfully created wireless access, and it is an important agenda item for other states implementing 211 lines.

The concept of establishing 211 lines recently got a small boost of support from the federal government -- enhancing public communication during public health emergencies "through the use of 2-1-1 call centers" is in the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (although no money was appropriated for creating such centers). Hopefully even more consumers will be able to take advantage of 211 in their communities in the very near future.