OHIO 211 Serving Your Constituents

Helping People Stay Cool in Extreme Heat


As temperatures reach higher, people can be at risk for heat-related illness, including people with health conditions, the very young, and seniors. Cooling centers open around the state each summer, but they may change from month to month.


Ohio 211 Call Centers are able to get help to those who need it most. By calling 1-888-OHIO-211 residents can be connected to their local 211 and are given local resources.

HEAP SUMMER CRISIS PROGRAM


The Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program provides a one-time benefit to eligible Ohioans with cooling assistance during the summer months. The program runs from July 1 to Sept. 30.

The focus of the Summer Crisis Program is to provide assistance with electric utility bills, central air conditioning repairs, and air conditioning unit and/or fan purchases. Households with a household member who is either 60 years of age and older, has a certified medical condition, and households who have a disconnect notice, have been shut off, or are trying to establish new electric service may be eligible for assistance. 


The Summer Crisis Program assists low-income households or those that have a disconnection notice, have been shut off, are trying to establish new service on their electric bill, require air conditioning, or those with an elderly household member (60 years or older) who can provide physician documentation that cooling assistance is needed for their health.


211 Connects Ohio Residents to Back-to-School Resources

211s across Ohio are well connected to resources that supply backpacks and school supplies. There are many events being held across the state in both July and August. Enjoy the benefit of partnerships that have developed between 211s and their local communities to ensure that children are ready to return to school.

Everyone needs help at some point in their lives. But sometimes it can be difficult to know where to turn, especially in a stressful situation. Fortunately, there are several helplines available every day, each accessible with easily remembered digits: 211, 311, 911, and 988.


The need for those helplines is clear:


  • United Way 211 annually connects more than 150,000 community members with vital resources to help them secure such things as food, housing, and utility assistance;
  • the City of Cleveland’s 311 line answers approximately 200,000 calls each year about non-emergency city services;
  •  911 is available for immediate emergencies; and,
  • 988 provides emotional support for people in suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or substance use or mental health crisis.

Led by moderator Matthew Richmond of Ideastream Public Media, our panel of experts will offer insight into what to expect when you call one of the helplines, the important services available to community members, and discuss some misconceptions about why people utilize the various helplines.


Panelists include:


  • Michelle Snowden, Associate Director of United Way 211
  • Rick Oliver, Director of Crisis Services at FrontLine Service
  • Elizabeth Crowe, Director of the Office of Urban Analytics and Innovation at the City of Cleveland
  • Brandy Carney, Director of Public Safety & Justice, Cuyahoga County


Join the live conversation on July 18 at noon via Zoom. While the event is free, registration is required.


United Way 211 is a service of United Way of Greater Cleveland, providing connections to community resources for residents in Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Ross counties. The 211 program is a nationally recognized leader because of its robust program model and database, which includes 2,500 agencies covering nearly 16,000 services. Compassionate social service professionals have extensive Community Resource Navigation training, which allows them to break down complex situations and help community members find the resources they need 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Learn more at 211oh.org or call 2-1-1 for help.

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SHARE THE TAKEAWAY NEWSLETTER WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES

You can share the link with other legislative offices to make sure they have access to our newsletter. The link is: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/C9bMew2/Ohio211

211 matches callers' needs to available community resources.

Using a robust database of resources from private and public health and human service agencies, 211 is a free, 24/7/365 service provided by fourteen organizations across the state of Ohio. Ohio 211 matches callers’ needs to available community resources, and links them to an organization that can provide resources including food, housing, utilities assistance, health care, transportation, child care, employment opportunities, mental health crises, disaster information and assistance, and more.

Get Connected to Resources


You can use this flier to share with others on how to help get constituents connected to needed resources.


To the right is the link to the printable PDF.

Below is 2023 data for Ohio 211

Click here to see the roles each of the three critical lines - 211, 988, and 911 - play in the safety of our citizens. 211 provides fourteen call centers and four of those are blended centers also providing 988 crisis services. All of these call centers are 24/7.


 Please share with your co-workers!

Ohio 211 Providers













In 2001, following the Federal Communications Commission authorization of 211 for the provision of information and referral, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) gave Ohio AIRS (DBA Ohio 211) responsibility for overseeing the development and management of 211 in Ohio.

Ohio 211 Website

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