MOUNT VERNON — Since the 2-1-1 crisis hotline and information center launched late last month, interest and calls have been picking up, according to Kristen McCloud, director of the center. The 2-1-1 center is located in Newark and serves Licking and Knox counties 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
The service itself is not new, according to McCloud, but as of June 21, the number changed to 2-1-1 in order to be more convenient for clients and easier to remember. The crisis hotline and information center has been serving Knox County for approximately six years through an 800 number.
“2-1-1 is really a new number to reach an existing service,” said McCloud. “Previously, Knox County residents had to ... remember to dial an 800 number, which still works.”
According to McCloud, people who have cable telephone service — such as Time Warner — or use voiceover IP for phone service, may not be able to access the crisis hotline and information center by dialing 2-1-1.
“When I’m out speaking to groups, I say, ‘go home and test this because you don’t want to find out in the middle of a crisis that it doesn’t work,’” said McCloud.
She said that at the statewide level, 2-1-1 is working with cable telephone providers in order to make the service available to cable telephone subscribers. Until those issues are worked out, McCloud said, the crisis hotline and information center can be reached by calling (800) 544-1601 if dialing 2-1-1 does not work.
McCloud compared the 2-1-1 service to 9-1-1 service in that it enables a person to dial one number in the event of a crisis or emergency instead of remembering several numbers.
“2-1-1 is ... similar [to 9-1-1] in terms of it eliminates the need to remember who [to] call to get foodstamps, who [to] call to find help for [an] elderly mother,” said McCloud. “2-1-1 is the only number people need to remember, and then we will refer them on to the appropriate agencies and organizations that provide those services.
“9-1-1 is for a burning house, and 2-1-1 is for a burning question,” she said.
“We’re encouraging people to call with anything,” said McCloud, adding that she hopes people get familiar with the service so that if a major crisis, such as contemplation of suicide, should occur, a person would know where to turn.
“We want people to think of us any time they’re kind of at their wits end or they don’t know where to turn,” she said.
McCloud said that when the 2-1-1 service began in October 2007 in Licking County, the hotline and information center saw a 20 percent increase in calls; she expects a larger increase in Knox County as marketing and promotion efforts within the county takes effect. According to industry standards, said McCloud, the 2-1-1 service is expecting to see around 5,500 calls from Knox County over the course of a year.
The 2-1-1 crisis hotline and information center has eight full-time staff members, as well as several part-time workers. According to McCloud, every staff member undergoes around 50 hours of training before they begin answering the phones. Every staff member is required to work toward becoming a certified crisis response specialist.
The 2-1-1 service in the county is supported financially by the Knox County Commissioners, the city of Mount Vernon, the United Way of Knox County, the Community Mental Health and Recovery Board, and The Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County.
