Virginia celebrates 20 years of 211 service for health and human needs

Feb 10, 2026 - 21:25

0 0

Virginia celebrates 20 years of 211 service for health and human needs

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia celebrated 20 years of 211, a free, 24-hour service available to citizens for health and human services, on Tuesday.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) joined Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) professionals and community advocates on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 211 Virginia.

The event was held at the Patrick Henry Building, East Reading Room, at 1111 E. Broad St. in the city of Richmond, and marked two decades of the free, confidential 24/7 service that connects residents to local community health and human services via phone, text or online chat.

Former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) placed the first call to a contact specialist on Feb. 11, 2006, officially kicking off the launch of 211 Virginia.

MORE: Virginia celebrates 10th anniversary of 211

Spanberger, along with VDSS professionals, continued to celebrate 211, praising 211's role in emergencies and disasters, during Tuesday's anniversary celebration.

"Two-one-one is a resource for so many of our neighbors who are struggling, who are facing challenges, whether rising costs are essential to their challenges or something else," Spanberger said.

"It's really connecting people with the information they need to get the services at the moment and time where they need them most," said Duke Storen, the VDSS commissioner. "Every day in times of emergency, in times of reflection and need of individuals' families, 211 answers that call."

20th anniversary of 211 Virginia on Feb. 10. (Photo: Paul Nevadomski, 8News)

Spanberger spoke with Rita Ramos, a woman who has worked with 211 Virginia for more than a year, over the phone. Ramos serves as a community resource specialist and answers thousands of calls from Virginians via inbound calls, texts or chats.

"One of my most memorable calls involving someone spiraling into a mental health crisis who was extremely distressed when they first reached me," Ramos told Spanberger. "I focused on staying calm with the caller, listening without interrupting, validating their feelings and slowing the conversation down so she could breathe and feel safe. Because she was overwhelmed at that time."

According to Spanberger, 211 has been active or on alert 38 times, working closely with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the governor's office since 2014.

After Hurricane Helene, 211 became only the second 211 system in the nation to provide FEMA-funded early disaster case management across 18 localities, along with VDEM, Spanberger said.

She emphasized that "211 was prepared" in late January when Virginia was hit with a snow, sleet and freezing rain storm -- a storm so severe that she declared a state of emergency for Virginia just two days prior to the start of the storm.