Provider Inclusion &
Exclusion Guidelines
Standards
211’s database includes resources that support the participant’s right to accurate, comprehensive and unbiased information and the ability of 211 to be a non-partisan, non-ideological and impartial information source for available nonprofit, government, and for-profit services that meet 211’s inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Inclusion Criteria
Agencies eligible for inclusion must meet one of the following criteria:
- Nonprofit agencies that offer free or low-cost services to the community at large.
- Government (local, state, and federal) and quasi-public agencies (no attempt will be made to list all government agencies and departments).
- Crisis lines, hotlines, help lines, information lines, and information & referral lines administered by nonprofit agencies or government entities.
- Agencies located outside of our service area that offer community services to residents in our service area.
- Self-help support groups that do not charge a fee or charge a nominal fee.
- Advocacy groups and community coalitions.
- For-profits providing affordable health or social services not adequately met by other resource listings, or offering free service, scholarships, reduced fees, or a sliding fee scale.
- For-profits offering programs that provide unique, specifically targeted services, or services that are otherwise difficult to access, e.g., serve an area where resources are scarce.
- Virtual services such as websites and Toll-Free hotlines that offer relevant information to residents of our service areas.
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Agencies are not eligible for inclusion if they meet any of the following criteria. These exclusion criteria will be applied equitably to all agencies, for-profit, not-for-profit, private, or public:
- Discriminating based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, familial status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity & expression, veteran status, or any characteristic that is protected by federal, state, or local law.
- In violation of local, state, or federal statutes.
- Engage in fraudulent or illegal activities.
- Misrepresent their services in any way.
- For-profit agencies are generally not eligible for inclusion in the database unless they meet one of the criteria outlined in the Inclusion Criteria and provide a critical service that is otherwise not met by nonprofit agencies.
- Have been actively providing services for less than six months.
- Do not respond when asked to update agency information.
- Agencies that require membership or have restrictive requirements to receive services.
- Agencies that do not provide direct public service (e.g., volunteer, donation collection, grassroots, religious activities).
- Agencies may be removed for serious and substantiated complaints.
- Programs offering services that are in low demand.
- Programs for which there exists an entity that adequately maintains current data & provides central referral for the service (e.g., service locator tools, specialized I&R services, clearinghouses).
- Private practitioners or group practices of professional services (e.g., doctors, dentists, attorneys, CPAs, etc.).
Exclusion Criteria
Guidelines for Review, Appeals, and Elimination from Database
- If an agency applies and it is determined to be ineligible to be listed within the 211 Database, the 211 Database Team will respond with an explanation.
- To request an appeal about a decision, please email the Database Team at [email protected] requesting a review of the application. The request should clearly document the reason(s) for which the exclusion criteria should not have been applied.
- The Inclusion/Exclusion Committee will determine the final eligibility of an Agency/Program to be included in the 211 database. The 211 Director of Data Services will chair the committee consisting of the 211 President/CEO or designee and such ad hoc members as or if deemed appropriate.
- Any agency that no longer meets the inclusion criteria may be removed from the database.
Guidelines for Database Review
Disclaimer
211 First Call for Help may exclude or remove agencies from its resource database for any reason. Inclusion in the 211 Database does not imply endorsement, and omission does not indicate disapproval. 211 neither guarantees nor makes any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in its resource database. 211 disclaims all responsibility and liability that may be asserted or claimed to result from or arise from reliance upon the information and procedures presented in the database. 211 reserves the right to edit for brevity any information to meet format, guidelines, and space requirements.
