About Fairfield County 2-1-1

Established in 1977, Information and Referral (I&R), now known as Fairfield County 2-1-1, was a volunteer-led organization that traditionally offered information and referral services to the general public, with a specialty in linking callers with financial assistance provided by area service groups.

In January 2006, Information and Referral began a partnership with the Fairfield County Family, Adult and Children First Council to pursue a transition to a full-service, nationally accredited information and referral agency and 2-1-1 Call Center. The Board of Directors began to align the policies, procedures, and practices of the agency with the national Alliance for Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) standards of practice and to pursue AIRS accreditation and designation as a 2-1-1 Call Center. Fairfield County 2-1-1 achieved AIRS Accreditation in September 2014. As a result, agency improvements have included moving to a handicap-accessible building, improved phone systems, upgraded technology and operating software with email, the hiring and training of staff, and fund development.

Our agency currently uses ReferNet Software, an information and referral–specific database. ReferNet is an accurate, up-to-date computerized database that contains information about available community resources, including detailed data on services provided and the conditions under which these services are available. Additionally, I&R created a database of client information that enables staff and volunteers to track services and client information.

The purpose of 2-1-1 is to provide “front door” case management services to individuals and families in need of resources in Fairfield County.