United Way of Allen County’s 2-1-1 Services, supported by Lutheran Health Network, announced that it has expanded to six new counties in northern Indiana, including Kosciusko County.

The expanded service area took effect Jan. 1, but is being celebrated today during National 2-1-1 Day. Today is also being used as a way to bring awareness to the need for 2-1-1 to be a required dialing code for all telephone service providers, just like 9-1-1.

The 2-1-1 code is a national free dialing code, confidential 24-hour access to more than 1,800 local health and human services, such as housing, shelter, food, legal aid, clothing, counseling, utility assistance, health care, transportation and more. 2-1-1 Information and Referral Specialists are trained to help callers identify their needs and determine what agency or program will best meet their needs.

In the first decade of service, Northeast Indiana 2-1-1 Services grew to cover 13 counties: Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. Now, it has expanded to an additional six counties. Those counties are: Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall and St. Joseph, bringing the number of counties served to 19 with a total of more than 1.5 million Indiana residents.

In the summer of 2013, United Way of Kosciusko County hosted conversations between representatives of the six counties and United Way of Allen County to explore better service delivery models. These conversations resulted in the consolidation of the existing North Central Call Center (then housed at United Way of St. Joseph County) into the Northeast Indiana Call Center.  United Way of Kosciusko County Executive Director, Patricia Coy stated, “We saw this as a way to be proactive in the areas of cost-effectiveness and service delivery.  The Indiana 2-1-1 Partnership is looking at ways to consolidate the number of service centers in Indiana. We are excited to be setting the pace for 2-1-1 collaboration.”

With the expansion, Northeast Indiana 2-1-1 Services will change its name to My United Way 2-1-1 to recognize the addition of the new counties.

“We are excited about this expansion,” said Tiffany Bailey, director of 2-1-1 Services, Income and Basic Needs. “All of the counties decided to combine services in order to best meet the needs of their clients in the most efficient and effective way possible. This effort in conjunction with the work being done towards making 2-1-1 a nationally required dialing code for all phone providers, and for additional government funding will allow our specialists to continue to help those in our community who are truly in need.”

For more information about 2-1-1 Information & Referral Services, please contact Tiffany Bailey, director of 2-1-1, basic needs and income at United Way of Allen County, at [email protected].