Public Act 93-0613

HB0429 Enrolled                      LRB093 07198 RCE 07353 b

    AN ACT concerning human services.

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

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

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

    Section 10.  Human Services 211 Collaboration Board.
    (a)  The   Human  Services  211  Collaboration  Board  is
established to implement  a  non-emergency  telephone  number
that  will  provide human services information concerning the
availability of  governmental  and  non-profit  services  and
provide  referrals  to  human  services  agencies,  which may
include referral to an appropriate web site.  The Board shall
consist of 8 members appointed by the Governor.  The Governor
shall appoint one representative of  each  of  the  following
Offices  and Departments as a member of the Board: the Office
of the  Governor,  the  Department  of  Human  Services,  the
Department  of  Public  Aid, the Department of Public Health,
the  Department  of  Children  and   Family   Services,   the
Department  on  Aging, the Department of Employment Security,
and the Illinois  Commerce  Commission.  The  Governor  shall
designate  one  of the members as Chairperson. Members of the
Board shall serve 3-year terms  and  may  be  reappointed  to
serve additional terms.
    (b)  The  Board shall establish standards consistent with
the standards established by the National  211  Collaborative
and  the  Alliance  of  Information  and Referral Systems for
providing information about and referrals to  human  services
agencies  to  211 callers.  The standards shall prescribe the
technology or manner of delivering 211 calls  and  shall  not
exceed  any  requirements  for 211 systems set by the Federal
Communications Commission. The standards shall be  consistent
with   the   Americans   with   Disabilities   Act,  ensuring
accessibility for  users  of  Teletypewriters  for  the  Deaf
(TTY).

    Section 15.  Pilot project.
    (a)  The   Board  shall  establish  a  pilot  project  to
implement 211 as a human services  information  and  referral
number.   The  Board  may  award not less than 3 and not more
than 6 grants to calling areas in various geographical  areas
of  the  State  in  order  to establish pilot 211 systems.  A
calling area may not be awarded more  than  one  grant  under
this Section.
    (b)  The  Board  shall establish eligibility criteria for
the grants awarded under this Section.
    The criteria shall:
         (1)  Require 211 providers to submit a  request  for
    proposal to the Board based upon the standards adopted by
    the Board.
         (2)  Require 211 providers to submit signed, written
    documentation  of  agreements  with  other human services
    providers  and  local  governmental  agencies  reflecting
    collaboration within the calling area.
         (3)  Require 211 providers  to  submit  evidence  of
    their ability to provide funding.
    The  Board  shall  award  the  grants  based  upon  a 211
provider's documented ability to serve the  selected  calling
area  with  high  quality  general  information  and referral
services at a competitive cost.
    Section 20.  Reports. The Board shall annually report  to
the  Department  of  Human  Services,  the  Governor, and the
General Assembly on the use of 211 services in Illinois.

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

Effective Date: 11/18/03