Placerville, CA (Dec 13 2023) – In a strategic move to better align resources with community needs, El Dorado County has announced the cessation of 2-1-1 operations on December 15, 2023. The decision, driven by a comprehensive evaluation of available resources and community requirements, aims to enhance services for residents.
Olivia Byron-Cooper, Director of Health and Human Services Agency, expressed that while 2-1-1 had been a valuable resource for residents, the decision to transition was prompted by a careful consideration of the return on investment. Factors such as low call volume and extended wait times of up to 30 minutes led county officials to reallocate resources more effectively.
“2-1-1 has been a valuable resource for our residents by providing information and referrals to various social services, community programs, and resources,”
said Byron-Cooper.
“However, after a thorough assessment of the return on investment considering the current agreement costs versus the low call volume, long wait times up to 30 minutes, reallocating resources will allow us to better address our community’s evolving needs.”
The 2-1-1 function will be seamlessly absorbed by the County’s Community HUBS program, already present in each County Library. These HUBS currently provide much of the same information as 2-1-1, ensuring a smooth transition for residents. For inquiries, citizens can now contact the Community HUBS at https://www.eldoradocommunityhubs.com/.
In addition to achieving cost savings through this transition, the County emphasizes that residents will now have a local contact who is intimately familiar with the services, geography, and options available. This shift aims to provide a more personalized and immediate response compared to the previous centralized phone bank located in southern California.
“El Dorado County remains steadfast in our commitment to the welfare and prosperity of our community. We hope these changes will enable us to allocate resources more effectively to cater to the diverse needs of our community,”
added Byron-Cooper.
