National Certification of 211 Demonstrates Excellence and Commitment to Providing Quality Service

Nationally and internationally recognized accrediting body, the Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS), has awarded professional certifications to ten outstanding 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast (PBTC) staff who recently participated in its rigorous certification and examination process. Seven of the ten individuals join an elite group of only 92 other Certified Information and Referral Specialists (CIRS) across the state of Florida and 1554 across the entire United States. For the remaining three staff the award was an additional credential – CIRS-A, for specifically demonstrated competencies in the field of aging which successfully resulted in dual certifications held by only 44 other individuals in the entire state of Florida.

As a professional association for 211 PBTC and over 1200 other national community information and referral (I&R) organizations, AIRS accreditation mandates adherence to stringent quality standards and is the primary quality assurance mechanism for gauging I&R excellence throughout the United States and internationally. These standards are viewed as the foundation of excellence in 211 service delivery and the paramount benchmark of quality organizations. 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast was the first of Florida’s 211 network providers, the fifth nationally to achieve this prestigious accreditation in 2000, and is one of only 90 organizations currently accredited nationally.

In addition to rigorous requirements for organizational accreditation, individual professional certification is viewed by AIRS as a measurement of 211 staff’s ability in the field of I&R reflecting specific competencies such as crisis intervention, needs assessment, community development within resource provider networks, cooperative emergency and disaster preparedness, working with governmental personnel, and other related performance criteria. These professional attributes demonstrate the knowledge, skills, attitudes and work-related behaviors needed by I&R practitioners to successfully assist individuals in need of specialized services such as those offered by 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast .

While not mandated, industry standards support a professional’s dedication to achieving the goal of certification. Participation in the process and successful completion is testament of individual 211 staff commitment to delivering quality service. This distinguished certification also demonstrates excellence as 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast staff stand apart from non-certified, non-accredited counterparts in the I&R and human service industry. Additionally, 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast is currently one of only 80 organizations nationally accredited by the American Association for Suicidology (since 1996).

“We are extremely proud that 88% of our eligible staff now possess this national credential. It’s a tremendous honor and phenomenal achievement for these individuals as well as our organization as a whole” states Executive Director, Susan K. Buza.

211 services are currently accessible to 89% of the entire population in the United States and in total providers answered more than 14 million calls nationally in 2008. Locally, 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast assisted 173,105 individuals of all ages with information, assessment, and referrals to health and human resource programs; telephone counseling; crisis intervention; and suicide prevention services. 211 services are free of charge and available 24 hours a day to residents in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties. By simply dialing 2-1-1, individuals can connect with trained and certified specialists who can assess current circumstances, de-escalate crisis situations and provide valuable linkage to available community resources. For more information dial 2-1-1. Teens can also visit www.teen211pbtc1.org.