{"id":37119,"date":"2021-07-23T09:30:30","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T13:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=37119"},"modified":"2024-03-26T13:52:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T17:52:59","slug":"what-is-211","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/what-is-211\/","title":{"rendered":"What is 211? Your guide for when to call the non-emergency helpline"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is 211?<\/a> | What is 211 used for?<\/a> | 211 for health care<\/a> | Additional hotlines<\/a> | COVID-19 resources<\/a> | Financial assistance<\/a> | Health insurance resources<\/a> | Food assistance<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

“Call 911!”<\/i><\/b> Chances are you have heard, needed, or even yelled those words at some point in your life. 911 is an emergency telephone number in North America that works to quickly send out emergency responders: police, fire, or emergency medical personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>However, you might not have heard about 211\u2014a non-emergency referral service for statewide, nationwide, and community services. While you probably don’t use 911 regularly, 211 has information you can utilize in your everyday life, such as accessing affordable healthcare or finding a COVID vaccine provider near you.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Are you prepared for an emergency situation?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is 211?<\/h2>\n

The dialing code 211 connects individuals and families in need with community and government agencies that can help. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Organizations such as United Way, Goodwill, Community Action Partnerships, and local crisis centers operate more than 200 centers across the United States that<\/span> handle more than 14 million requests for help each year<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 The service covers all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico,<\/span> according to the FCC<\/span><\/a>. In fact, more than 309 million people have access to 211.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Local or regional calling centers receive your call, and resource specialists access extensive databases with information on private and public services and agencies. According to the FCC, specialists match the caller with essential community services based on individual concerns. It is different than 911 or 311. We use 911 for emergencies, and<\/span> 311<\/span><\/a> (where available) is intended to handle non-emergency calls, such as noise complaints, dangerous animal complaints, broken traffic signals, and abandoned vehicles. 311 is available in around 100 locales around the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can reach a 211 center in several ways:<\/span><\/p>\n