211 service expands to all Ohio counties by June 2026

Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth announced a partnership with Ohio 211 to extend free, 24/7 211 services to all 88 counties, with full implementation by the end of June 2026.

A statewide expansion will bring Ohio 211 service to all 88 counties. Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara Wente announced a new partnership between DCY and Ohio 211 this week. The plan is to unite the program's regional providers into one system so callers statewide can reach community resources any time. Officials said the expansion will be fully implemented by the end of June 2026. Key details: - The announcement names a partnership between the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and Ohio 211. - The expansion will extend 24/7, free 211 services to all 88 Ohio counties and is slated to be complete by the end of June 2026. - DCY and Ohio 211 plan to bring together 13 regional 211 providers into one statewide system to offer consistent services. - The change adds coverage in 30 counties where 211 services had been limited or not available. - The partnership expands access to DCY's Family and Customer Support Call Center so callers can be connected to DCY services after normal business hours. - In 2025, Ohio's 211 centers handled 797,169 contacts and identified 809,120 needs. Summary: The expansion aims to create a single, statewide 211 system offering round-the-clock connections to local resources and supports. Officials say the system will be in place by the end of June 2026 and will include extended after-hours access to DCY services. Undetermined at this time are the specific timelines and steps for phased local rollouts beyond the statewide completion goal.