211 Maryland Celebrates 211 Day

Sunday, February 11, 2024, has been proclaimed 211 Awareness Day in Maryland by Governor Wes Moore.  211 Day serves as a tribute to the essential service provided by 211 Maryland, which last year responded to over 270,000 calls from Marylanders facing immediate and ongoing challenges.

In 2023, dedicated call specialists at 211 linked individuals with critical local resources, including assistance with housing, nutrition, utility bills, and healthcare. Notably, the service made over 133,000 connections for homelessness support, more than 77,000 for mental health services, and 67,000+ for utility assistance.

Representative Bonnie Cullison said “211 is a complimentary, confidential 24/7 information and referral hotline. For assistance or information, dialing 211 connects you with a skilled specialist. In 2023, 211 specialists linked individuals to local services such as rental assistance, food, utilities, and healthcare. In addition to providing information and referrals, over 20,000 Maryland residents benefited from supportive conversations through the 211 Health Check program.”

“For years, our region’s health and human service agencies have faced considerable challenges in linking our residents with the necessary services they require. We’re teaming up with 211 Maryland in an effort to change that.”

Nicole Morris, Director of the Mid Shore Health Improvement Coalition
Learn more about What’s the 211, Hon Mid Shore

“Our residents can conveniently connect with food, housing, transportation, and lots of other needed resources by dialing 211 and talking with a call specialist. This eliminates the need to remember an intricate web of phone numbers. It also helps lessen the administrative burden for agencies within our region as we don’t need to maintain separate directories of services. Making sure our residents and agencies know about 211 is one of our priorities.”

Quinton Askew, President/CEO of the Maryland Information Network, which operates the 211 system, advocates for the community to leverage this resource as needed. “In the past year, individuals turned to 211 not only for critical needs but also for everyday information such as child health screenings, job training, and free tax filing services,” stated Askew.

211 offers a comprehensive directory of local resources across the state, encompassing health and mental health support, insurance programs, support for seniors and individuals with disabilities, Kinship care, home healthcare, transportation, and family support services. The hotline is accessible in 180 languages through translation services.

For more than 13 years, 211 Maryland, in collaboration with its Call Center Network Partners — United Way of Central Maryland, Life Crisis Center, Mental Health Association of Frederick County, and Community Crisis Services Incorporated — has been a cornerstone in connecting Marylanders with the health and human services they require. Anyone in need of support can dial 211 or visit 211md.org.

About 211 Maryland

211 Maryland oversees a statewide network of call centers, providing essential connections to Marylanders when they need it most. The Maryland Information Network, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has powered 211 Maryland since 2010. 211 Maryland is part of the national 211 network.