The 211 phone service in New Brunswick which connects individuals to community and government resources has expanded.
A free and confidential service, 211 has gone online at nb.211.ca as a new searchable database to provide the same information to help people navigate programs and services quickly.
Launched in October 2020, 211 calls are answered by real operators 24/7, 365 days a year in both official languages.
Help is also available in 170 other languages through interpretation services.
More than 9,000 calls have been logged since the launch date.
The 211 system is a partnership between the Department of Social Development, United Way Canada, the three regional United Ways in New Brunswick (Greater Moncton and Southeastern N.B.; Central N.B.; Saint John, Kings & Charlotte), FindHelp Information Services and the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation.
“While we pride ourselves on the human touch that the community navigators provide to callers at the other end of the line, the launch of the new 211 NB portal represents a step in the right direction in terms of expanding the service’s accessibility to better serve community members who may face barriers to reaching us by phone,” said Debbie McInnis, CEO of United Way Moncton.
The province has provided $550,000 to support the operational costs through the Department of Social Development and the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation.
“We are pleased to support the development and expansion of the 211 service to assist more New Brunswickers in getting the help they need,” said Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch.
“When someone contacts 211, they are connected with a real person who takes the time to learn about the caller’s situation in order to recommend the programs or services that can respond to their specific needs.”
