Blended 211 Service Line Is Counties’ Best-Kept Secret

CENTRAL OHIO—Many counties and cities boast 311 information lines for residents, but in Licking and Knox counties the 211 call goes a step beyond. 

Franklin, Delaware and Pickaway counties all have a version of either 211 or 311 call lines. Fairfield is in the planning stages.

The blended service line in Licking County not only answers assistance questions it also answers calls of crisis.

Trained staff members can help with suicide prevention, foreclosure crisis, depression and more. 

The line has been around for 40 years, but recently it’s morphed into its current form.

With 28,000 calls each year, the staff members have a specialized computer system that allows them to steer callers in the right direction.

The computer system also allows staff to gauge voice patterns and assess the mindset of the caller. 

The program costs about $450,000 each year, running 24 hours a day.

There are concerns about keeping a program like this up and running in a dwindling economy. 

The program will say goodbye to one employee this year, and officials said they hope funding stabilizes so they can continue the service.

But, the program director tells NBC 4 the organization has received great support over the years. 

The challenge now is to reach those who don’t know about them but still need their services.

This weekend, Pataskala leaders handed out information cards to residents.

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