In the PA 2-1-1 Central Region, participants are working to create a comprehensive provider network that incorporates current providers while expanding to limited services areas across the entire 16-county region.
Centre County United Way (CCUW) is the PA 2-1-1 Central Region designated coordinator. The 16 counties that make of the region are: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northcumberland, Snyder, Somerset, and Union.
In January 2010, the Centre County Community Foundation was given a $225,000 matching grant to raise start up costs for the PA 2-1-1 Central Region Call Center project. CCUW is now working with other regional United Ways and various local and county governments, and non-profit providers across the region to raise $225,000 in matching funds.
The long-term goal of the network is to reduce costs to private and governmental human support services by moving those in need into service support prior to the development of full-blown and costly crisis situations.
The result is a regional, technologically advanced system capable of:
■ sharing data among local providers
■ rolling calls to other agencies in times of natural disaster,
■ meeting current licensing standards for information and referral providers across the country
Increased capacity among the participating agencies will assure access to up-to-date resources for those seeking:
■ assistance
■ easy access to referral to help
■ access to the small, private non-profit providers.
"There has been a national effort to develop statewide “2-1-1 systems” that will ensure that 2-1-1 becomes as easily recognized as 911 and 411."