Massachusetts 211

February 25, 2010 by Sarah Stewart

Yesterday, Charlene and I were able to attend the Blue Hills Community Health Alliance (CHNA 20) winter event.  It's always a pleasure to attend events like these - to be able to meet people from around the community, and hear about the work they are doing. 

We also learned about a great resource, Massachusetts 211.  Donna Jackson, the Community Outreach Coordinator from Massachusetts 211, spoke about the service, which is a way to connect people to the health and human resources they need. By dialing 2-1-1 from any phone in Massachusetts, people are connected to a trained operator, who will help them find the resources they need.  Interpretation in over 100 languages is also available.  The database of services is also available online at www.mass211.org.  Organizations can check online to make sure they are listed as a resource, and to ensure that their information is correct and up-to-date.  Folks at the meeting were excited about this resource, both as a way to connect people to services, and as a way to let people know about the services they offer. 

If you are not already linked into your local CHNA (Community Health Network Area), I would encourage you to find out about how to get involved.  CHNAs provide great professional development and networking opportunities, and often have funding opportunities as well.  To find out more about CHNAs, and to learn about the 5 CHNAs in the Metrowest region, see http://healthier-communities.org/info/chna.

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