093_HB0429

 
                                     LRB093 07198 RCE 07353 b

 1        AN ACT concerning human services.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 1.  Short title.  This Act may be  cited  as  the
 5    Human Services 211 Collaboration Board Act.

 6        Section 5.  Definition.  In this Act.
 7        "Board" means the Human Services 211 Collaboration Board.
 8        "Calling area" means a 3-digit area code.
 9        "In-kind   support"  means  non-cash  goods  or  services
10    received at an established fair market value.

11        Section 10.  Human Services 211 Collaboration Board.
12        (a)  The  Human  Services  211  Collaboration  Board   is
13    established  to implement a statewide non-emergency telephone
14    number  that  will   provide   human   services   information
15    concerning  the  availability  of governmental and non-profit
16    services and provide referrals to  human  services  agencies.
17    The  Board  shall  consist  of  16  members  appointed by the
18    Governor.  The Governor shall appoint one  representative  of
19    each  of the following Offices and Departments as a member of
20    the Board: the Office of  the  Governor,  the  Department  of
21    Human  Services, the Department of Public Aid, the Department
22    of Public Health,  the  Department  of  Children  and  Family
23    Services,   the   Department  on  Aging,  the  Department  of
24    Employment Security, and the  Illinois  Commerce  Commission.
25    The Governor shall appoint one representative of  each of the
26    following  organizations  to  the  Board:  the  United Way of
27    Illinois, the Illinois Alliance of Information  and  Referral
28    Systems, and the Illinois Telecommunications Association. The
29    Governor  shall  appoint  one  representative  of each of the
30    following  non-profit  human  services   agencies:   Catholic
 
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 1    Charities,    Jewish   Federation/Jewish   United   Fund   of
 2    Metropolitan Chicago, Lutheran Social Services  of  Illinois,
 3    Voices  for Illinois Children, and Work Welfare and Families.
 4    The  Governor  shall  designate  one  of   the   members   as
 5    Chairperson.  Members  of  the Board shall serve 3-year terms
 6    and may be reappointed to serve additional terms.
 7        (b)  The Board shall establish standards consistent  with
 8    the  standards  established by the National 211 Collaborative
 9    and the Alliance of  Information  and  Referral  Systems  for
10    providing  information  about and referrals to human services
11    agencies to 211 callers.  The standards shall  prescribe  the
12    technology  or  manner  of delivering 211 calls and shall not
13    exceed any requirements for 211 systems set  by  the  Federal
14    Communications Commission.

15        Section 15.  Pilot project.
16        (a)  The   Board  shall  establish  a  pilot  project  to
17    implement 211 as a human services  information  and  referral
18    number.   The  Board  may  award not less than 3 and not more
19    than 6 grants to calling areas in various geographical  areas
20    of  the  State  in  order  to establish pilot 211 systems.  A
21    calling area may not be awarded more  than  one  grant  under
22    this Section.
23        (b)  The  Board  shall establish eligibility criteria for
24    the grants awarded under this Section.
25        The criteria shall:
26             (1)  Require 211 providers to submit a  request  for
27        proposal to the Board based upon the standards adopted by
28        the Board.
29             (2)  Require 211 providers to submit signed, written
30        documentation of agreements  with  other  human  services
31        providers  and  local  governmental  agencies  reflecting
32        collaboration within the calling area.
33             (3)  Require  211  providers  to  submit evidence of
 
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 1        their ability to match the financial support  granted  by
 2        the  State.   The  211 provider's match shall not be less
 3        than 50% of the grant.  No more than 25% of the match may
 4        be from in-kind support.
 5        The Board  shall  award  the  grants  based  upon  a  211
 6    provider's  documented  ability to serve the selected calling
 7    area with  high  quality  general  information  and  referral
 8    services at a competitive cost.

 9        Section  20.  Reports. The Board shall annually report to
10    the Illinois  Commerce  Commission,  the  Governor,  and  the
11    General Assembly on the use of 211 services in Illinois.

12        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
13    becoming law.