Calling for 2-1-1 Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to award a grant to each State to carry out a program for making available throughout that State the 2-1-1 telephone service for information and referral on human services. Requires a participating State to ensure that at least 50 percent of the resources of the program funded by the grant will be derived from other sources. Requires a State seeking a grant to carry out its activities through a lead entity to be known as a 2-1-1 Collaborative.
Requires grant amounts to be used solely to make available to a State 2-1-1 telephone service for community information and referral on human services, including telephone connections between families and individuals seeking services and the service providers.
Requires grant recipients to: (1) abide by the Key Standards for 2-1-1 Centers; and (2) collaborate with human service organizations to provide an exhaustive database of services with which to provide information or referral to individuals utilizing the 2-1-1 service.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1630 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1630
To facilitate nationwide availability of 2-1-1 telephone service for
information and referral on human services, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 17, 2003
Mrs. Clinton (for herself, Mrs. Dole, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Bennett, Mr.
Bingaman, Mrs. Murray, and Ms. Landrieu) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To facilitate nationwide availability of 2-1-1 telephone service for
information and referral on human services, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Calling for 2-1-1 Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Federal Communications Commission has assigned 2-1-
1 as the national telephone number for telephone service for
information and referral on human services, declaring that 2-1-
1 best satisfies the public interest in allotting the limited
resource of this abbreviated number. In 2005, the Commission
will assess the widespread utilization of the 2-1-1 telephone
number and evaluate whether to continue the assignment of that
telephone number for that service.
(2) The number ``2-1-1'' is an easy-to-remember telephone
number that facilitates critical connections between
individuals and families seeking services, volunteer
opportunities, or both and appropriate human service agencies,
including community-based and faith-based organizations and
government agencies.
(3) There are more than 820,000 nonprofit organizations in
the United States. Individuals and families often find it
difficult to navigate through a complex and ever-growing maze
of human service agencies and programs, spending inordinate
amounts of time trying to identify an agency or program that
provides a service that may be immediately or urgently required
and often abandoning the search from frustration or a lack of
quality information.
(4) At the Federal, State, and local levels, government
funding supports well-intentioned programs that are not fully
utilized because of a lack of access to and information on such
programs by the public. Program administrators have indicated
that there is a need for a simple way to connect those eligible
for programs with available program resources. 2-1-1 telephone
service will reduce the number of inappropriate calls to
government offices by directing consumers to the appropriate
human services agency, resulting in a more effective use of
government services.
(5) Many families need information on government and not-
for-profit services that address domestic violence, support
adequate and stable housing, alleviate hunger, and provide for
high-quality day care, afterschool activities, summer
activities, job training and assistance, elder care, and
disaster recovery.
(6) Individuals often need support, services, or both when
suffering emotional distress, having suicidal thoughts or
behavior, contemplating violence, or using drugs or alcohol.
(7) Americans desire to volunteer and become involved in
their communities. This desire, together with a desire to
donate to organizations which provide human services, are among
the reasons to contact a center which provides information and
referral on volunteer opportunities and human services.
(8) Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, an
estimated 400 telephone hotlines were established in New York,
New York, for various funds and services, creating a confusing
network for victims and volunteers to navigate. A Comptroller
General report on charitable aid following the terrorist
attacks found that ``families of victims generally believed
they had to navigate a maze of service providers in the early
months'' and that ``good information about and easy access to
available assistance could help survivors in the recovery
process''.
(9) The 107th Congress recognized the importance of 2-1-1
telephone service in community preparedness and response by
including use of that telephone number for public information
as an allowable use of funds under grants for preparedness and
response to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies
under section 319C-1 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 247d-3a), as added by section 131 of the Public Health
Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002
(Public Law 107-188).
(10) While 20 percent of the population has access to 2-1-1
telephone service in 21 States, inadequate funding prevents
access to that telephone service throughout each of the States.
2-1-1 telephone service is currently available statewide only
in Connecticut and Hawaii.
(11) Rapid deployment nationwide of 2-1-1 telephone service
as a means of access to information about and referral on human
services requires collaboration among State governments,
comprehensive and specialized information and referral centers,
human service organizations and service providers, emergency
management and homeland security officials, telephone
companies, and other relevant entities.
(12) 2-1-1 telephone service facilitates the availability
of a single repository where comprehensive data on all
community services is collected, maintained, and updated
regularly, reducing costs and duplication of efforts. The
reliable data provided through 2-1-1 telephone service helps to
better assess the needs of our communities and to immediately
mobilize resources toward those needs.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO FACILITATE NATIONWIDE AVAILABILITY OF 2-1-1 SERVICE
FOR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL ON HUMAN SERVICES.
(a) Grants Required.--The Secretary of Commerce shall award a grant
to each State to carry out a program for the purpose of making
available throughout such State 2-1-1 telephone service for information
and referral on human services.
(b) Grant To Be Available for Each State.--In awarding grants under
this section, the Secretary shall develop a formula for allocating
grant amounts among the States so that a grant may be awarded to each
State seeking a grant.
(c) Requirement on Share of Activities.--
(1) Requirement.--A State may not be awarded a grant under
this section unless the State ensures that at least 50 percent
of the resources of the program funded by the grant will be
derived from other sources.
(2) In-kind contributions.--The requirement in paragraph
(1) may be satisfied by in-kind contributions of goods or
services.
(d) Lead Entity.--
(1) In general.--A State seeking a grant under this section
shall carry out this section through a lead entity meeting the
requirements of this subsection.
(2) 2-1-1 Collaborative.--An entity shall be treated as the
2-1-1 Collaborative for a State under this subsection if the
entity--
(A) exists for such purpose under State law;
(B) exists for such purpose by order of the State
public utility commission; or
(C) is a collaborative entity established by the
State for such purpose from among representatives of--
(i) an informal existing 2-1-1 statewide
collaborative, if any, in the State;
(ii) State agencies;
(iii) community-based organizations;
(iv) faith-based organizations;
(v) not-for-profit organizations;
(vi) comprehensive and specialized
information and referral providers, including
current 2-1-1 call centers;
(vii) foundations; and
(viii) businesses.
(3) Requirements for preexisting lead entities.--An entity
described by subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2) may be
treated as a lead entity under this subsection only if such
entity collaborates, to the extent practicable, with the
organizations and entities listed in subparagraph (C) of that
paragraph.
(e) Application.--
(1) In general.--The lead entity on behalf of each State
seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the
Secretary an application therefor in such form as the Secretary
shall require.
(2) Information.--An application on behalf of a State under
this subsection shall contain information as follows:
(A) Information on the program to be carried out by
the lead entity of the State in order to plan to make
available throughout the State 2-1-1 telephone service
for information and referral on human services,
including information on the manner in which the lead
entity will develop, sustain, and evaluate the program.
(B) Information on the sources of resources for the
program for purposes of meeting the requirement in
subsection (c).
(C) Any additional information that the Secretary
may require for purposes of this section.
(f) Subgrants.--
(1) Authority.--In carrying out a program to make 2-1-1
telephone service available throughout a State at no charge to
the caller, the lead entity of the State may make subgrants to
such persons or entities as the lead entity considers
appropriate for purposes of the program, including subgrants to
provide funds--
(A) for the provision of 2-1-1 telephone service;
(B) for the operation and maintenance of 2-1-1 call
centers; and
(C) for such other purposes as the 2-1-1
Collaborative considers appropriate for purposes of the
program, including planning, public awareness,
training, accreditation, and evaluation.
(2) Considerations.--In awarding a subgrant under this
subsection, a lead entity shall consider--
(A) the ability of the person or entity seeking the
subgrant to carry out activities or provide services
consistent with the program;
(B) the extent to which the award of the subgrant
will facilitate equitable geographic distribution of
subgrants under this section to ensure that rural
communities have access to 2-1-1 telephone service; and
(C) the extent to which the recipient of the
subgrant will establish and maintain cooperative
relationships with specialized information and referral
centers, crisis centers, 9-1-1 call centers, and 3-1-1
call centers, if applicable.
(g) Use of Grant and Subgrant Amounts.--
(1) In general.--Amounts awarded as grants or subgrants
under this section shall be used solely to make available 2-1-1
telephone service for community information and referral on
human services, including telephone connections between
families and individuals seeking such services and the
providers of such services.
(2) Particular matters.--In making 2-1-1 telephone service
available, the recipient of a grant or subgrant shall, to the
maximum extent practicable--
(A) abide by the Key Standards for 2-1-1 Centers as
specified in the Standards for Professional Information
and Referral Requirements for Alliance of Information
Referral Systems (AIRS) Accreditation and Operating 2-
1-1 Systems; and
(B) collaborate with human service organizations,
whether public or private, to provide an exhaustive
database of services with which to provide information
or referral to individuals utilizing 2-1-1 telephone
service.
(3) Use of funds.--Amounts of a subgrant under subsection
(e) may be used by grantees for Statewide and regional
planning, start-up costs (including costs of software and
hardware upgrades and telecommunications costs), training,
accreditation, public awareness, evaluation of activities, and
the provision of 2-1-1 telephone service.
(h) Requirement on Allocation of Grant Amounts.--Of the amounts
awarded under this section, an aggregate of not less than 10 percent
shall be allocated for evaluation, training, and technical assistance,
and for management and administration of subgrants awarded under this
section.
(i) Reports.--The lead entity of each State awarded a grant under
this section for a fiscal year shall submit to the Secretary, not later
than 60 days after the end of such fiscal year, a report on the program
funded by the grant. Each report shall--
(1) describe the program funding by the grant; and
(2) assess the effectiveness of the program in making
available throughout such State 2-1-1 telephone service for
information and referral on human services in accordance with
the provisions of this section.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Human services.--The term ``human services'' means
services as follows:
(A) Services that assist individuals in becoming
more self-sufficient, in preventing dependency, and in
strengthening family relationships.
(B) Services that support personal and social
development.
(C) Services that help ensure the health and well-
being of individuals, families, and communities.
(2) Information and referral center.--The term
``information and referral center'' means a center that--
(A) maintains a database of providers of human
services in a State or locality;
(B) assists individuals, families, and communities
in identifying, understanding, and accessing the
providers of human services and the human services
offered by the providers of such services; and
(C) tracks types of calls referred and received to
document the demands for services.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act amounts as follows:
(1) For fiscal year 2004, $200,000,000.
(2) For each of fiscal years 2005 through 2009, such sums
as may be necessary.
(b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations in subsection (a) shall remain
available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11685-11686)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line