News

COOK: 2-1-1 A SUCCESS

By Jonesetta Lassiter/Special to The Commercial
Saturday, July 5, 2008 12:21 AM CDT

In the nearly two months since Arkansas 211 launched statewide, the non-emergency information number for social service agencies has received more than 5,000 telephone calls and 20,000 hits on its Website, the service’s executive director said Thursday.

“For the service being up just two months, it’s doing great,” Nathan Cook said. “I’ve set up these programs all across the country and have not seen this number of phone calls and Web activity anywhere else this quickly.”

Cook attributed some of that volume to calls from areas hit in the spring by tornadoes.

“We’ve received a lot of calls from the state’s disaster areas, and the state emergency management program has used our services quite a bit,” he said.

Next to those seeking disaster relief, a high volume of calls came from persons seeking assistance with rent and utilities, he said.

“That’s probably the second highest area of requests, but we’ve had a full range of questions,” Cook said.

The system, with its main center at Pine Bluff, operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Funded through the United Way in Arkansas and a $600,000 challenge grant from the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation, Cook said the system is expected to be operating 24 hours a day by the end of the year.

The 211 system is the state’s most comprehensive database of social service agencies. It is connected to close to 8,000 agencies that provide nearly 80,000 ser vices in 10,000 sites statewide. The database is updated daily with information supplied by participating agencies, he added.

Previous reports listed Arkansas as the 42nd state to implement such a system and the 17th to provide statewide service.

When fully operational, he said monthly reports detailing the services provided will be published on its Website.

Although initial plans called for the system to be up and running by July 2007, negotiations with the state’s telephone companies and software testing delayed the roll out to May 7. He said there still are some small telephone companies in the state that have not implemented the number. Residents in those areas can still contact the service by dialing the toll-free number 866 489-6983 or logging on to its Website, www.arkansas211.org or .com.

“I suggest that customers who are unable to contact us on the 211 number call their phone service providers and let them know they want this service,” he said.

Print this story   |   Email this story