WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Fayette County residents can now dial 211 to be connected with local food, housing, health care and other assistance resources, according to Fayette County Public Health.
The three-digit number, similar to how 911 routes emergency calls, is a free and confidential service that operates around the clock, every day of the year. Callers who dial, text or search online reach trained navigators who assess a resident’s needs and connect them with agencies that can help, including food and clothing banks, homeless shelters, rent and utility assistance programs, health insurance and Medicaid enrollment help, counseling and crisis intervention, job training and transportation assistance.
Ohio 211 is coordinated through a network of regional call centers that together cover all 88 Ohio counties, according to Ohio 211.
To introduce the new service locally, Fayette County Public Health is hosting a community meeting at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at the Fayette County Commission on Aging, 1179 S. Elm St. in Washington Court House. Residents are invited to stop by to learn how 211 works, ask questions and pick up resource materials, the health department said in a Facebook post.
The Fayette County Commission on Aging, a nonprofit that has long served county residents 60 and older, offers its own programs including congregate and home-delivered meals and transportation services, funded in part through United Way and other local, state and federal grants.
Fayette County Public Health encouraged residents to spread the word about the new resource.
The information contained in this story was obtained from Fayette County Public Health.
