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Mental Health director urges Wayne County to promote 211 referral line to ease 911 workload
Summary
Mental Health Director Sharon MacDougall asked the committee to promote the 211 community resource number on the county website, saying increased use could steer non‑emergency calls away from 911 and connect residents to housing, food and social services.
Sharon MacDougall, Wayne County Mental Health Director, told the Health and Medical Services Committee that the department is promoting a simple referral line: "Help is 3 Numbers Away." She said 211 connects residents to housing, food and other social services and recommended the county make the number more prominent on its website to reduce nonemergency calls to 911.
MacDougall framed the recommendation as an operations and public‑safety improvement: directing residents who need social services to 211 could reduce the workload for 911 dispatchers, freeing emergency resources for true emergencies. The committee approved several related mental health budget transmittals later in the meeting.
