Easy new resource for social services — Dial 211

First there was 911, a number to call for emergencies. Then there was 411, a source for directory assistance.

Now there's 211.

The free, confidential service begins Wednesday in a dozen counties, including King and Snohomish, connecting residents to social services from job training to volunteer opportunities to homeless shelters.

Callers to 211 will be connected to one of several call centers statewide, staffed by people who know their local communities.

In King County, trained staff will answer the phones seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. An Everett call center for Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The effort is the product of Washington Information Network 211 (WIN211), a statewide coalition of local service providers that has been working for five years to create a simple, easy-to-remember source for help in daily life as well as in disasters such as earthquakes.

National studies show that people make an average of 12 phone calls before they find the help they need. Those calls bog down social-service and public-safety agencies.

Dial 211


What is 211? An easy-to-remember, free phone service that connects people who need help — or want to help — to appropriate resources. Interpreters are available for people who do not speak English.

Will it work on my phone? This month, 211 will begin in the following counties: King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan, Island, Clark, Yakima, Kittitas, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla. Coverage will expand to other counties later this year. It's available on land lines, but it may be a while before it's available on cellphones.

"It's going to reduce the work that we do, the calls that we have to handle, and at the same time deliver better and more direct services to the person in need," said John Manning, a Bellevue police lieutenant and a board member of the Crisis Clinic.

Most of the call centers already exist. All that will change is the phone number.

In King County, for example, calls will be answered by the Crisis Clinic, which has operated a community-information line for more than 35 years. The staff is trained to guide people through a maze of more than 3,000 service providers, each with its own rules, hours and methods of handling calls.

Troy Tady, a supervisor at the Crisis Clinic, said that by the time some callers finally reach him, they are overwhelmed with the task of trying to find help.

"It can be really frustrating," said Tady. "Some people will just give up."

With 211, the clinic's call volume is expected to jump from about 78,000 calls a year to as many as 140,000 in coming years, said Kathleen Southwick, the Crisis Clinic's executive director.

That prediction is based on the experience of the 32 other states with 211 service, including Oregon. In those states, the call centers have been so effective — especially after disasters such as the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina — that the federal government is now considering funding them, Southwick said.

But for now, money remains an issue in Washington state. The state Legislature has supplied $1 million for infrastructure, but it's estimated that it would take $8 million to operate a statewide, 24-hour service.

WIN211 is hoping to get $2.5 million a year from the state, with the rest covered by other public and private sources. In King County, for example, United Way of King County has provided 39 percent of the funding, with 28 percent from the city of Seattle and 12 percent from the county. Suburban cities and private donors paid the rest.

Some counties don't have enough money to start 211 yet, even on a limited basis. Much of Eastern Washington is out of luck right now, but it could get service by the end of the year if the Legislature approves the annual funding.

Seattle Times Snohomish County bureau reporter Christopher Schwarzen contributed to this report. Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com