What do we have to do with it? 

The 2-1-1 system is funded by a combination of United Way support, grants and private contributions, and contracts. Leadership for the system is provided at the national level by United Way Worldwide and the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems in partnership with their state and local networks. In Pennsylvania, the United Way of Pennsylvania and the non-profit, PA2-1-1, are partners supporting this community-strengthening service. 

Where can 2-1-1 go from here? 

As 2-1-1 continues to grow and develop, it can be used in emergency response situations. Governors around the country support viable statewide 2-1-1 networks to help with disaster relief and emergency response. In other states, during disasters, people are directed to 2-1-1 for their non-life-threatening emergencies so that 9-1-1 capacity is not overwhelmed. Even in the course of normal day-to-day operations, 9-1-1 centers around the state receive many non-emergent calls that can be and are more appropriately directed to 2-1-1.

Assistance from state government is needed to help Pennsylvania achieve its full potential for leveraging 2-1-1 as a community strengthening tool. Nearly all start-up funds and ongoing costs are currently borne by local United Way organizations; their efforts are commendable but we need to create a public-private partnership in order to build a consistent 2-1-1 experience and streamline access to health and human service information for every user in Pennsylvania.  Implicit in a consistent user experience is the need for state-wide functions of coordination, fundraising and state relationships.  Without additional funding and a solid relationship with state government, the promise of 2-1-1 cannot be fulfilled.