Jodi West was invited to speak at the Southeast Utah Health Department (SEUHD) during a meeting on Thursday afternoon for a special presentation.
West represented United Way and 211 Utah. 211 is a telephone number that connects individuals to a specialist and is a connection to community services. Nearly anyone in the nation is able to dial 211, put in their zip code and reach the correct avenues. There is a 94.6 percent overall coverage in the U.S. as of July.
There are not any direct services offered by 211; it is simply a means for assistance to get families connected to the needed or wanted services. There is no cost and the call is confidential. The only time identity is requested is in the event of a follow up.
The phone number is available 24/7 and as of July, United Way of Utah County has taken over. In the evening, the calls go to Kansas. The main goal of 211 is, instead of calling multiple places to try and find the correct one, one call can be placed and be directed.
211 Utah serves people who need help, people who assist those that need help and those that give funding for services used by individuals needing assistance.
West explained that some of the common calls received are for resources for health care, housing, utilities and food. Other calls are youth counseling, autism therapy, job-finding assistance, immunizations, tax prep and many, many more. 211 partners with Utah Tax Help, Take Care Utah and Help Me Grow. In 2018, there was a total of 53,304 calls made to 211 Utah.
There are local, statewide and even national resources. Ways to connect with 211 Utah is by calling, texting, visiting www.211utah.org or downloading the app and specifying the particular search area.