Connecting Point outlines 2-1-1 role in Nevada County emergencies, says 18,683 calls handled in 2023

Representatives from Connecting Point presented an overview of Nevada County's 2-1-1 service during the Feb. 27 board meeting, highlighting its role as a local information-and-referral center and emergency call hub.

Tim Giuliani, executive director, described Connecting Point as a partner to the county across multiple programs. Lindsey Gordon, the 2-1-1 program manager, said the Connecting Point resource database contains 2,345 records (763 agencies, 1,479 programs across 103 sites) and that 2-1-1 handled 18,683 calls and texts from Nevada County residents in calendar year 2023.

Gordon described disaster services (wildfire, winter storms, PSPS) and a care-coordination program for vulnerable PG&E customers that includes safety planning and referrals for hotel rooms, backup batteries and vouchers through local partners. She said 2-1-1 is staffed 24/7 and can rapidly scale during a code-red alert, from about 200 daily calls to as many as 1,000.

Board members asked about mental-health crisis handling, warm handoffs and follow-up procedures. Gordon described adherence to national 2-1-1 standards, lethality assessments and warm-transfer practices to crisis providers; she said the program does follow-up and that the center maintains low wait times.

The Board thanked Connecting Point for the presentation and emphasized the organization's role in public outreach for the coming winter storm and other emergencies.