Donate Now!
CrisisLink Press Release
CrisisLink Chosen to Provide 2-1-1 Starting Feb. 2008
(Download PDF version of this press release)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marshall Ellis (703) 516-6768
Email CrisisLink Press Office
ARLINGTON, VA (November 14, 2007) - CrisisLink has been selected to provide 2-1-1 services for Northern Virginia, with service to begin in February 2008. 2-1-1 is the FCC-designated three-digit number for free information and referrals on health and human services.
People call 9-1-1 in an emergency, and call 4-1-1 when they need directory assistance. Now, there will be a number to call when people need help from a community agency but don’t know where to call — 2-1-1. It’s an easy-to-remember number to help people navigate the complex maze of government, nonprofit, and faith-based programs.
Nationwide, 2-1-1 serves over 198 million Americans, about 65% of the population. The five other regions in Virginia have been served by 2-1-1 since February 2006, but now 2-1-1 will become available in Northern Virginia in February 2008 as part of the 2-1-1 VIRGINIA Statewide Information and Referral system.
“We are very excited to be chosen as the 2-1-1 provider for Northern Virginia,” says Carol Loftur-Thun, executive director of CrisisLink. “The social services maze is so complicated to navigate that many people in need don’t even know where to start. If they are elderly, disabled, homeless, sick, or in crisis, it can be overwhelming to try to access help to keep problems from getting worse. CrisisLink has been linking people to community resources for over 38 years, so this is a natural extension of our Hotlines, and we’re grateful to our state legislators and the Virginia Department of Social Services for helping to make 2-1-1 possible in Northern Virginia.”
2-1-1 also has played a critical role in the aftermath of natural disasters and other emergencies. During and after the hurricanes in Florida and Hurricane Katrina, 2-1-1 was a critical link to help connect people to food, water, shelter, and other vital services. Just this last week, during the wildfires in California, 2-1-1 San Diego took over 50,000 calls from desperate residents.
2-1-1 VIRGINIA can help officials efficiently and effectively plan for social services based on the types of requests received by 2-1-1 centers like CrisisLink.
CrisisLink recently doubled the size of its call center and installed a new phone system to expand capacity to provide 2-1-1 as well as CrisisLink’s five existing 24/7 Hotlines. “We are grateful to our in-kind donors who made this expansion possible—Jack Bays, Inc., ARG, Inc., Virginia Hospital Center, Black Box Network Systems, Design:W, FBI, Divecha Painting, Inc., and Washington Workplace,” says Ms. Loftur-Thun, “2-1-1 will be a tremendous asset for Northern Virginians once it is launched in February 2008 and we’re honored to be chosen to provide 2-1-1 for our region and be part of 2-1-1 VIRGINIA statewide.”