Austin 3-1-1 was initially established in 2001 to manage non-emergency calls to help reduce the number of calls routed to 9-1-1. The organization has since evolved into a vital resource for connecting residents with various city departments. Over time, the service has expanded to handle a variety of service requests, from public safety and code enforcement issues to transportation-related concerns.
"We handle over 200 different types of service requests. We focus on providing uncomplicated access to city services and information, making it easy for residents to get the help they need," senior public information specialist Marisa Campbell said.
While Austin 3-1-1 offers a broad range of services, it plays a key role in connecting residents with the appropriate city departments that are responsible for resolving the issues.
“We are the hub that takes the service requests and connects them to the correct city department, and then that department investigates and handles the issue. We streamline the process and keep everything organized, but we don’t go out and fix the problems ourselves,” Campbell said.
Each department that works with Austin 3-1-1 has a service level agreement in place, which outlines how quickly they will respond to and resolve service requests. This helps ensure that residents know what to expect when they submit a service request, while also allowing Austin 3-1-1 to manage expectations and provide timely updates.
As Austin continues to grow and diversify, Austin 3-1-1 has worked hard to remain accessible to all residents. For example, 20% of Austin 3-1-1 ambassadors are available for Spanish language assistance.
One of the key features of the service is its multilingual support. A portion of the Austin 3-1-1 staff is bilingual in English and Spanish and they also use a service for multilingual support, called the LanguageLine. The LanguageLine, which offers interpretation assistance in over 200 languages, allows non-English speakers to easily access services in their preferred language.
"We offer multilingual support when residents call 3-1-1, to ensure all residents can access our services," Campbell said. "All a resident needs to do is request the language they speak, and we’ll connect them to someone who can assist with interpreting when submitting their service request. This ensures we can assist our diverse community and remove any language barriers that might prevent residents from getting the help they need."
Along with multilingual support when calling 3-1-1, the Austin 311 mobile app significantly enhances accessibility and convenience for residents to submit a service request.
“We are currently working on implementing Spanish on the mobile app, and we hope to have it available to residents later next year,” Campbell said.
As the city grows, the number and types of requests have evolved, and Austin 3-1-1 has adapted accordingly. Austin 3-1-1 has a team of business process specialists that work closely with departments to track trends and emerging issues, ensuring that the service remains responsive to the needs of Austin’s ever-expanding population.
Austin 3-1-1 continues to play a crucial role in making Austin a more connected, efficient and inclusive city. By serving as a reliable point of contact for residents and streamlining the flow of service requests, it helps ensure that Austin remains a city where every resident can access the services they need, no matter their background.
Getting in touch with Austin 3-1-1 is simple and can be done through several channels.
Residents can call 3-1-1 within city limits or 512-974-2000 if they are outside the city. Service requests can also be submitted online via the Austin 3-1-1 website or app.
To stay up to date with the latest updates and news about Austin 3-1-1, follow their Facebook, X and Instagram.
To explore the wide range of city services and access educational resources, visit the Austin 3-1-1 website.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Chloe Chapel with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
