Nevadans can dial 211 for social services

Gov. Kenny Guinn placed the first official call on Nevada's new 211 number designed to help people find needed social services.

And he asked the call center to help him find a job.

"I'm the governor of Nevada, but I'll be out of a job Dec. 31," he told the call center.

Guinn's joking reference to the end of his term in office came after he signed the executive order creating the new call service. The service is organized much like the 911 number for police, fire and medical emergencies. It connects the caller to one of two centers operated by Crisis Call in Reno or Help of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas where a live technician will direct them to a variety of social services. Guinn said the service will help with everything from mental health issues, counseling and crisis intervention, needs such as food, work or shelter, health issues, child and senior services.

Human Resources Director Mike Willden said it's much easier for people to remember 211 than the various 800 numbers now available through different social-service agencies.

Guinn credited Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, and Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, for sponsoring and pushing the legislation through the 2005 Legislature. Smith said she got the idea after talking with a group of grandparents raising grandchildren.

"As we went around the table, I realized what they really needed was resources," she said.

The 211 service, she said, can provide that kind of help by finding the agency or organization that can help people with their specific problem.

Kathy Jacobs of Crisis Call said the service officially starts 8 a.m. Monday, and will run Monday through Friday until midnight.

She said they will have to raise more than the $200,000 state appropriation to eventually offer the service 24 hours per day, seven days a week. And, she said, at present it isn't available in most rural areas because SBC in Northern Nevada and Sprint in the south are the only two phone companies connected. She said it will take more cash to put Nevada's numerous small phone services on the system but that they will begin fundraising to accomplish those goals immediately.

"Almost every hour of every day, someone needs help," Guinn said. He described 211 as a "one-stop provider" for information on a wide variety of services.

Jacobs said while 211 isn't available statewide yet, the hearing impaired can access the services from anywhere in Nevada by dialing 711.

-- Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.