PRINTER'S NO. 4451
No. 2877 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, ARMSTRONG, BELFANTI, BOYD, CAPPELLI,
DENLINGER, FAIRCHILD, GEIST, GINGRICH, HARRIS, HENNESSEY,
HORSEY, LEACH, MANN, R. MILLER, S. MILLER, PICKETT, SCAVELLO
AND TIGUE, OCTOBER 4, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
OCTOBER 4, 2004
AN ACT
1 Providing funding for standards and for implementation of a 211
2 abbreviated dialing code for information and human services
3 referral telephone service; establishing the 211 Advisory
4 Committee; and making an appropriation.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Short title.
8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
9 211 Telephone Service Implementation Act.
10 Section 2. Legislative findings.
11 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
12 (1) The dialing code 211 is the national abbreviated
13 dialing code approved by the Federal Communications
14 Commission for access to health and human services
15 information and referral. The dialing code 211 is a
16 universally recognizable number that makes it easier to
17 connect individuals and families in need with the appropriate
1 community-based organizations and government agencies.
2 (2) The dialing code 211 proved its value in several
3 states during the recent disasters related to terrorist
4 attacks on September 11, 2001. In Atlanta, 211 handled over
5 14,000 calls in the week following the attacks. More than
6 5,000 people offered help and 9,000 people requested
7 assistance.
8 (3) In Connecticut, various state agencies and nonprofit
9 groups used 211 to coordinate services during the attacks.
10 Connecticut calls to 211 involved families looking for
11 victims; frightened children and concerned parents;
12 individuals reliving other disasters; people who escaped the
13 World Trade Center and were experiencing guilt; information
14 on terrorist suspects; mentally ill persons feeling
15 overwhelmed with disaster; location of vigils; and requests
16 for support groups.
17 (4) The dialing code 211 helps to better address long-
18 term needs of victims and their families of the September 11,
19 2001, attacks and other types of disasters.
20 (5) A study by the National Center on Addiction and
21 Substance Abuse at Columbia University and 13 states,
22 including Pennsylvania, have detected an increased demand for
23 alcohol and drug treatment since September 11, 2001.
24 (6) Research demonstrates that exposure to trauma puts
25 an individual at four to five times greater risk of substance
26 abuse and stress is considered the most common cause of
27 relapse to alcohol and drug abuse, and addiction and smoking.
28 (7) Oklahoma experienced a dramatic increase in the need
29 for treatment services in the two years following the
30 domestic terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
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1 Building on April 19, 1995. One year after the bombing, three
2 times as many residents of Oklahoma City reported increased
3 drinking. Rescue workers in Oklahoma City experienced
4 elevated rates of substance abuse, depression and suicide.
5 (8) The New York State Office of Alcoholism and
6 Substance Abuse Services reports that demand for alcohol and
7 drug treatment in New York City increased after the September
8 11, 2001, attacks.
9 (9) North Carolina, in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd
10 during September 1999, decided to embrace the dialing code
11 211 to increase people's access to health and human services.
12 Currently operational in the four largest metropolitan areas
13 of North Carolina, 211 is successfully providing quality
14 health and human service information and referral to those in
15 need.
16 (10) Over 40 states in this nation and Canada have
17 implemented or are working to implement 211 in their
18 respective jurisdictions.
19 (11) Many community groups also are viewing 211 as a
20 powerful neutral connecting point and 211 has provided help
21 to diverse populations, such as runaway children, senior
22 citizens and parents looking for child care.
23 Section 3. Definitions.
24 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
25 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
26 context clearly indicates otherwise:
27 "AIRS." The Alliance of Information and Referral Service.
28 "Applicant." A provider of information and referral services
29 that assists individuals in need of health and human services to
30 obtain assistance from appropriate providers of such services.
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1 "Committee." The 211 Advisory Committee established by this
2 act.
3 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
4 Commonwealth.
5 "211." An abbreviated dialing code approved by the Federal
6 Communications Commission for access to health and human
7 services information and referral.
8 Section 4. Duties of department.
9 The department shall approve grants to applicants that
10 satisfy the eligibility requirements of this act. The grants
11 shall be used to implement and administer 211 service to the
12 citizens of this Commonwealth.
13 Section 5. Eligibility requirements.
14 An applicant shall:
15 (1) Ensure the provision of 24-hour coverage, year-round
16 telephone information and referral service.
17 (2) Provide a written plan that details procedures to
18 assure appropriate anonymity and confidentiality for 211
19 callers and data.
20 (3) Submit a written plan to meet the following
21 standards within three years of the effective date of this
22 act:
23 (i) Ascribe to the AIRS or national Standards for
24 Information and Referral.
25 (ii) Have a plan in place to become or be accredited
26 by AIRS or national Standards for Information and
27 Referral.
28 (iii) Utilize certified information and referral
29 specialists and resource specialists.
30 (iv) Demonstrate cooperative relationships with
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1 specialized information and referral providers, crisis
2 centers, 911 and 311 providers, where applicable.
3 (v) Have means of tracking call volume, number of
4 abandoned calls, average speed of answering and average
5 call length.
6 (vi) Have computerized information and referral
7 database with client collection capability.
8 (vii) Use the AIRS/InfoLine taxonomy.
9 (viii) Have the ability to publicize 211 services
10 and educate the public on an ongoing basis.
11 (ix) Provide TTY and multilingual accessibility
12 either onsite or access to live translation.
13 (x) Have the ability to develop linkages through
14 protocol with appropriate clearinghouse agencies that may
15 be able to provide services such as volunteer or donation
16 management.
17 (xi) Ensure quality of service and inquirer
18 satisfaction through appropriate follow up.
19 Section 6. Areas with multiple providers.
20 Within any region of this Commonwealth where more than one
21 information and referral provider will offer 211 services, the
22 department shall require 211 centers to have a written plan to
23 provide the following:
24 (1) An agreed-upon plan to work in tandem to ensure 211
25 service to all areas of this Commonwealth or region.
26 (2) Ability to share resource data information.
27 (3) Ability to track and share information on client
28 needs and unmet needs.
29 (4) A common means of measuring outcomes for the
30 operation of a call center.
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1 (5) An agreed-upon means of communicating with the
2 community represented by the call center on requests for
3 assistance, perceived gaps and barriers to service.
4 Section 7. Request for proposals.
5 The department shall issue grants through a request for
6 proposal process administered by the Department of Community and
7 Economic Development. No grant from this appropriation may
8 exceed 33% of total implementation cost.
9 Section 8. 211 Advisory Committee.
10 (a) Establishment.--The 211 Advisory Committee is hereby
11 established.
12 (b) Membership.--Members of the committee shall be appointed
13 by the Governor. The committee shall have at least 12 members
14 and be composed of critical stakeholders, including business,
15 law enforcement, private sector benefactors, local government,
16 Statewide nonprofits and information and referral experts.
17 (c) Collaboration.--The duties of the committee may occur by
18 coordinating existing Commonwealth resources. The committee
19 shall work in collaboration with the Department of Aging, the
20 Department of Health, the Department of Community and Economic
21 Development, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the
22 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the Pennsylvania
23 State Police.
24 (d) Duties.--The committee shall:
25 (1) Adopt and oversee a plan to implement standards in
26 sections 5 and 6.
27 (2) Assure that funding is linked to standards.
28 (3) Provide necessary technical assistance.
29 (4) Assist in the establishment of a long-range plan to
30 assure that every Pennsylvanian has access to 211.
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1 (e) Staffing.--The Department of Public Welfare shall
2 provide adequate staff to assist the committee with its duties.
3 Section 9. Appropriation.
4 The sum of $10,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the
5 Department of Public Welfare for the purpose of administering
6 this act.
7 Section 10. Effective date.
8 This act shall take effect immediately.
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