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Information and Referral (I&R) Made Simple: 211.org

Until recently, whenever a person needed a local telephone number for community-based organizations, such as, the local United Cerebral Palsy, an after-school program, the local food bank, the nearest crisis intervention center, and government agencies, such as, the nearest Social Security Administration Office, they had to take out their telephone book and find the number. All that has changed, thanks to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who voted to designate 2-1-1 as the newest N11 number for universal access to human services information and referral (I&R) on July 21, 2000, a few days before the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This new N11 number went into effect July 31, 2000.

The original idea for a simple three-digit number for I&R originated in Atlanta, Georgia a couple of years ago. Since then other cities and states like, statewide in Connecticut, is also available in Columbus, Georgia; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Knox County, Tennessee, have decided to use the same three-digit number for their I&R services.

According to the FCC, they believed that the Information and Referral Petitioners had shown that a public need existed for an easy to use, easy to remember N11 code to efficiently bring community information and referral services to those who need them, providing a national safety network for persons to get access readily to assistance. One determining factor to their decision was, "…We are persuaded by the Information and Referral Petitioners' assertion that, with a large number of toll-free telephone numbers, confusion is inevitable and the increased margin for error in dialing eleven digits creates obstacles to use of community information and referral services, particularly in urgent situations…"

In addition, people with disabilities, more specifically people with severe physical and speech disabilities, would benefit from the use of a three-digit nationwide number, rather than having to dial various and different seven or ten digits to get access to help.

For more information, visit the 211 Web site.

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