The fourth quarter (Q4) 2017 report for 2-1-1 is now available for download. 2-1-1's call center, PATH, provides United Way with anonymous quarterly reports detailing the reasons callers reach out to 2-1-1. These reports contain valuable information on our community's pressing issues.
For Q4 2017, 2-1-1 recieved 578 outreaches from Champaign County residents.
The top three reasons callers dialed 2-1-1 were:
- Rent Assistance (101 calls)
- Utility Assistance (95 calls)
- Homeless Shelter (74 calls)
Unmet Needs
While a majority (76%) of 2-1-1 callers find help, sometimes programs do not have enough funding to help, or a service simply isn't available here in Champaign County.
2-1-1 provides United Way with a comprehensive unmet needs analysis. United Way is using the Unmet Needs report to track the most pressing needs and work with local partners and lawmakers to close the gap in available services and improve the 2-1-1 database.
The most common reasons people call 2-1-1 are related to housing: rent and utility assistance, and homeless shelter. Because of the significant, recurring unmet need for rent and utility assistance, for our upcoming Funding Cycle United Way has added Number of people who recieved Rent or Utility assistance as a program output metric underneath our Financial Stability building block. We hope this will increase funding available in these areas.
Additionally, United Way has responded to the unmet need for homeless shelter. United Way has brought the Emergency Shelter for Families to our community, a new program that allows families to stay together in apartments for up to 30 days while they work with a case manager to find permanent housing. We have also collaborated with the local faith community to open the CU Men's Shelter the past two winters, providing 30 beds for homeless men annually from mid-November through March.
Finally, another common reason people do not find help is that 2-1-1 may not be notified when services are added or changed. Any referral service is only as good as it's database of information, and the responsibility lies on both 2-1-1 and local programs to make sure all services are listed accurately, so everyone in our community can find the help they need. Anyone can submit information to 2-1-1's database at any time - just dial 2-1-1, or submit information on their website.
For Q4 2017, the top three unmet needs in Champaign county were:
- Rent Payment Assistance
- Homeless Shelter
- Utility Assistance
Why Need was Unmet
2-1-1 provides the reason why a caller was unable to get help. Here are detailed reasons for the top three unmet needs. Please contact United Way if you would like to explore this data further.
Rent Payment Assistance (31 callers' needs unmet)
80% Program out of funding
20% Other (Does not meet eligibility guidelines, service is unavailable, service too far away/no transportation, caller refused referral)
Homeless Shelter (8 callers' needs unmet)
27% Service is unavailable
27% Service unavailabe to men
9% Service unavailable for parent with child(ren)
9% Service unavailable for women
Utility Assistance (10 callers' needs unmet)
70% Caller does not meet program's eligibility guidelines
10% Service Unavailable
10% Caller refused service referral