Call 211 For Non-Emergency Assistance
Call 211 For Non-Emergency Assistance
Through programs and resources, we can build a stronger community. Lubbock Area United Way consistently works with others and builds close bonds to find and address needs through strategies that mobilize available resources.
Lubbock Area United Way is a part of United Ways of Texas, focusing on systems change through policy and advocacy. United Ways of Texas aims to inform, educate, and build consensus by serving as the unified public policy voice of United Way organizations across Texas.
Through public policy and advocacy efforts, UWT ensures member voices are heard so that lawmakers know the policy priorities of the next legislative session. They translate our work into opportunities for systemic change through policies in education, health, financial stability, and nonprofit/community strengthening. To best address community goals, their policy approach is non-partisan and issue-focused.
The United Ways of Texas 2023 Public Policy Agenda highlights the collective priorities of the state network for the 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature.
We want our community to thrive. Learn more about the needs we plan to address in 2025.
As the state Legislature heads into the final few weeks of session, 127 Texas organizations sent a letter urging the Legislature to approve a $100 million investment in improving families’ access to high-quality child care. The funding already passed the Texas House in HB 500, the supplemental budget bill, and is under consideration in the Texas Senate. Lubbock-area organizations that signed the letter include the Lubbock Area United Way, The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA), and YWCA of Lubbock.
“The Legislature is on the verge of making a vital investment to help working parents secure high-quality child care,” said David Feigen, Director of Early Learning Policy at Texans Care for Children. “Texans from across the state are calling on lawmakers to get this funding across the finish line. We appreciate Speaker Dustin Burrows, Appropriations Chair Greg Bonnen, Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Armando Walle, and the other legislators who are pushing to secure this funding and help Texas parents.”
The funding will allow the Texas Workforce Commission to serve more working Texas families through the Child Care Services program, which provides scholarships to pay for child care. Approximately 95,000 Texas families are on the waitlist list for a scholarship.
“These child care scholarships are a game-changer for Texas families,” said Mr. Feigen. “They have been really effective helping Texas parents go to work and provide safe, high-quality child care for their kids. The challenge is that so many families are stuck on the waiting list for months or even years.”
House Bill 38 (HB38), authored by Representative John Bucy III, seeks to enhance 211’s ability to connect Texans with vital health and human services available around the clock.
This bill will modernize 211 by incorporating crucial technological upgrades, ensuring that the network functions more efficiently and meets the evolving needs of Texans. Just as 9-1-1 is a lifeline in emergencies, 211 serves as an essential resource for accessing health and human services. By investing in technology improvements, HB38 will streamline service delivery, reduce wait times, and improve the quality of support Texans receive through 211 when they need it most.
In 2024, 211 responded to 1.4 million calls statewide, connecting Texans to critical information and resources. Over 15,000 of those calls were from Lubbock County community members seeking help with housing, childcare, disaster relief, and more. The Texas 211 Texas helpline has become an essential way to connect communities to vital services, and it allows individuals to access a comprehensive list of resources without having to navigate a maze of local resources.
House Bill 38 will modernize the 211 Texas system and enhance its functionality in several important ways:
Texting: Implementing texting capabilities will allow more efficient communication between 211 Call Specialists and callers, improving service delivery while also reducing call center congestion. Currently, callers are forced to use pen and paper to write down information.
Enhanced Screening and Navigation: The bill will improve the network’s ability to better serve specific populations, such as seniors, veterans, and individuals affected by disasters, through enhanced screening and navigation tools.
Closed-Loop Referrals: HB38 will allow for better integration with state agencies and healthcare systems, ensuring that referrals between 211 and these entities are more seamless and effective, leading to better outcomes for those in need.
Increased Data Transparency: By improving data collection capabilities, the system will provide more accurate, real-time information on community needs, helping to better allocate resources and identify trends for future investments.
The 211 Texas Information and Referral Network (TIRN) is a vital resource for millions of Texans, and with the modernization proposed in HB38, it will become an even more powerful tool to meet the increasing needs of our communities. Lubbock Area United Way strongly supports this critical legislation and urges all Texans to advocate for 211 as an essential state service.
By striving to improve our programs, we continue to support thousands of people in our community through educational, healthcare, safety, and financial resources. Learn how we have positively changed lives in the Lubbock Area through our programs and funding.
Lubbock Area United Way is an organization dedicated to mobilizing our community through support and resources.
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