Alaska 2-1-1: a lifeline for Alaskans.

• Author: Slaten, Russ
• Position: HEALTH & MEDICINE

In an unforeseeable event or emergency where does one look for help? Not sure where to find the right healthcare or human services assistance? Need a lifeline? It's as easy as 2-1-1.

United Way of Anchorage operates Alaska 2-1-1, a referral system that connects people throughout the state to a wide variety of vital resources within the caller's community. Service referrals run the gamut of emergency food and shelter, healthcare, child care, transportation needs, disability services, senior services, legal assistance, counseling, drug and alcohol programs, and more.

"A call to Alaska 2-1-1 starts with a compassionate voice and ends up with timely resources that are accurate," says Sue Brogan, United Way of Anchorage vice president of Income/Health Impact.

Alaska 2-1-1 is armed with a database of nearly three thousand resources statewide. Every year the United Way of Anchorage ensures the database is updated with current contact information, says Brogan.

United Way of Anchorage has one part-time and four full time staff members taking calls and managing the database for referrals; in addition it partners with many organizations in the process.

Eight Years Running

The use of 2-1-1 as a resource referral line began in the United States in July 2000 when the Federal Communications Commission approved the use of the number, Brogan says. Alaska 2-1-1 did not launch its line until August 2007.

"It wasn't just the United Way of Anchorage designing the system with our sister United Ways across the state; there were many partners that were with us on the development. It was amazing to see everybody that was interested in having a system like this," Brogan says.

Funding partners for Alaska 2-1-1 include Alaska Children's Trust, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, the Municipality of Anchorage, and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), among others. Its partnering organizations have financially supported Alaska 2-1-1's development and have also supported the database that serves all of Alaska, Brogan says.

"Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has a series of programs targeted towards preventing and reducing homelessness and providing housing for people with special needs, and we used to provide funding for a whole list of organizations for information referral. When Alaska 2-1-1 came along, we recognized it as a unique opportunity to fund one entity that can be the information referral system for...