HSCTC

Need Help Finding Help? Contact 2-1-1 in Tompkins County!

2-1-1/ Information and Referral (2-1-1) connects people in need with services designed to address that need by providing a central telephone information service, chat line, and maintaining a data base of community information. Callers are referred to service providers according to their situation. 2-1-1 may follow up with callers, when appropriate, to ensure that contact was made and to offer further assistance if needed.

2-1-1 maintains a comprehensive Directory of Services for Tompkins County on the Web. On-line publications include Resources for Working Families, and Unemployed?, Local Resources For You. 2-1-1 also publishes the "Tompkins County Community Services Guide"

Other community information publications of the Human Services Coalition include the Meeting Space Directory and the Foundation Directory

2-1-1 can provide supportive services for organizations answering basic information calls, pre-screening for program eligibility and gathering survey data. Call for more information.

The 2-1-1/ I&R Director and Call Center Manager are available for presentations in the community on I&R services and community services in general.

How 2-1-1 Works

2-1-1 works a bit like 911. Calls to 2-1-1 are routed by the local telephone company to a local or regional calling center. The 2-1-1 center's I&R specialists gather information on the caller's needs, access databases of resources available from private, not-for-profit, and public health and human service agencies, match the callers' needs to available resources, and link or refer them directly to an agency or organization that can help.

Types of Referrals Offered by 2-1-1

• Basic Human Needs Resources
  Including food and clothing banks, shelters, and rent and utility assistance.

• Physical and Mental Health Resources
  Including health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health resources, health insurance programs for children, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, and drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.

• Work Support
  Including financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, and education programs.

• Support for Elderly and the Disabled
  Including adult day care, community meals, respite care, home health care, transportation, and homemaker services.

• Children, Youth, and Family Support
  Including child care, after school programs, educational programs for low-income families, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, and protective services.

• Volunteer Opportunities and Donations
  Using 2-1-1/ Information and Referral's volunteer and donations coordination web site, VolunteerTompkins, volunteers may find a position and agencies may post volunteer opportunities. 2-1-1/ I&R refers many callers wishing to help to agencies that receive donations, whether those be funds or food, furniture and clothing.