“Dial for Information & Referral” Updated March 2008

Presenter Barbara Bernstein Executive Director Eden I&R, Inc. 570 B Street Hayward, CA

What is 2-1-1? A free, accessible, 3 digit telephone number that enables everyone to access the vital community services that they need

What is 2-1-1? is to Critical Social Services what what is to Emergency Services

2-1-1 How is traffic on 880? Teen Al Anon Area Agency on Aging Updated recorded messages Fire Department Who do you call? Police/Fire/ Medical Emergency Traffic Conditions My child has a drinking problem I need a day program for my aging parent Help, my house is on fire!

Who Provides Services? service providers are local comprehensive Information and Referral Services that serve the entire population and operate according to national professional standards. In Alameda County, Eden I&R, Inc. was designated by the California Public Utilities Commission to be the county’s provider.

What is Information & Referral? People call an I&R agency for help accessing all kinds of health and human services including family support, disability services, legal referrals, consumer assistance, and counseling. The majority of calls to a comprehensive I&R are for basic life needs: food, shelter, and financial assistance.

Information & Referral, continued I&R calls most often require an in-depth human services assessment and referral plan linking people to one or multiple service providers. Trained Information and Referral Specialists utilize specialized human service skills to assist callers in an average of 3-6 minutes.

I can’t pay my rent My child is on drugs I want to kill myself I need to find childcare I want to volunteer Why did you call us? I’m not sure who you can call. We can’t help with that I don’t know, please hold. I’ll try to transfer you to an agency who can help We only do senior daycare We don’t serve your county. Please call back when we’re open Previously, callers got lost in the maze

2-1-1 I can’t pay my rent My child is on drugs I want to kill myself I need to find childcare I want to volunteer Suicide Prevention Hotline Child Care Resource And Referral Rental Assistance Program Volunteer Center Drug Rehabilitation Center After Implementation of , how may I help you? Yes, I can connect you with someone who can help…

2-1-1 Saves Money Cost/benefit analyses done in Texas and Nebraska show that saves money.  $1.25 Million saved in reduced nursing care placements.  $3.60 Million saved in reduced redundant I&R calls.  $220,000 saved in reduced non-emergency calls. According to the California Department of Justice, 45% of calls are for non-emergencies. Projections conclude a $1.1 billion net value savings nationwide over the next 10 years.

2-1-1 Saves Resources in the Health and Human Services System supports Public Education & Information Campaigns – No need to create a new number, is ready to help. ÝIn Toronto during the SARS scare an 800 number was created yet most callers chose to call ÝShould there be a local pandemic, can provide up-to-date emergency public health information.

Benefits for Users One call gives access to live Resource Specialists with countywide information is there 24 hours/7 days a week in multiple languages is free and confidential is fast and easy; no more wrong numbers. It’s Simple - It’s 2-1-1!

Benefits for Service Providers frees agencies to concentrate on their core competencies by handling calls that belong elsewhere is the fastest, easiest referral for a busy staff member to make refers callers to appropriate local service providers including specialized I&R’s like Senior I&A’s and Childcare R&R’s.

Benefits for Businesses & Communities Complements corporate Employee Assistance Programs. Increases employee productivity. Reduces on the job injuries. Reduces employee absences. Reduces crime in the workplace and throughout the community at large.

2-1-1’s Role after A Disaster is an easy way for people to get essential information following a natural disaster or terrorist attack. In Florida after Hurricane Charley averaged 200 calls/hour; 5,000 calls/day. In Monroe LA after Hurricane Katrina 211 received 4,000 to 6,000 calls daily.

2-1-1’s Role during the 2007 Southern California Wildfires l 130,000 calls were handled by 6 Southern California centers in the first 5 days alone. l Callers were connected to the updated information that they needed including evacuation areas, transportation, and emergency shelters. l First-responders (fire, police) were relieved of thousands of non-emergency calls. l continues to provide ongoing essential service information to fire victims (e.g., mental health, legal aid, FEMA insurance).

September 11th Aftermath In Connecticut, where has been operational since 1998: 95% of calls for non-emergency information such as mental health counseling, volunteering, and donations went to rather than an 800 number established for the same purpose.

September 11th Aftermath In New York, where service had not been implemented: Over 400 emergency hot line numbers were activated leading to confusion and frustration. After several months, when those hot lines closed, callers were left without a number to call for assistance.

2-1-1 National Initiative The Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (AIRS) and United Way of America formed the original National Coalition that secured the FCC designation of for Information & Referral in July, 2000.

National 2-1-1Coalition Members Administration on Aging Alliance of Information & Referral Systems American Library Association American Association of Suicidology American Red Cross Contact USA National Association of Childcare Resource &Referral Agencies

National Coalition, continued National Association of Community Action Agencies National Association of Area Agencies on Aging National Association of State Units on Aging National Information Center for Children & Youth with Disabilities National Mental Health Association Points of Light Foundation United Way of America

Current Sites The first service was begun in 1997 in Atlanta, Georgia. INFOLINE of Connecticut followed in There are currently over 206 operational Centers in 41 states (plus Washington DC & Puerto Rico) serving over 198 million people.

2-1-1 serves more than 198 million Americans (over 75% of the U.S. Population) 206 active systems in 41 states ( as of March 2008) Map October 2006

Status of in California CAIRS and the Statewide Steering Committee submitted a Petition to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in August, The CPUC issued a Rule governing implementation of on February 13 th, Seventeen (19) California counties are providing services to over 84% of California residents. On 7/1/07 Eden I&R launched Alameda County’s service.

CPUC Standards for There will be one “system” per county that will... provide service in accordance with the professional standards of information & referral; have a local presence and a local commitment; demonstrate significant support of local stakeholders; offer comprehensive 24-hour, multilingual services; provide effective access to people with disabilities; have the capacity and willingness to coordinate with local and state emergency/disaster service systems; use common resource information standards; collect and share common service need/usage and client demographic data.

Eden I&R’s Role Eden I&R was designated by the CPUC as the first Northern California provider on December 4, As a Board member of CAIRS, Eden I&R has assisted in the launch of services throughout California. Alameda County was in “test mode” from 11/06 thru 6/07; with an official launch date of 7/1/07.

Eden I&R’s Role Continued Eden I&R has more than 32 years of experience serving persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. Eden I&R participates in disaster preparedness through Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disaster, the Alameda County Office of Emergency Services, and Calif. Golden Guardian.

Eden I&R’s Role Continued Multicultural, multilingual staff assess callers needs and give referrals from an information base of over 1350 human service programs As a past provider of statewide translation services, Eden I&R has experience in operating a critical service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving over 330,000 callers annually.

Funding Nationally On a federal level, bipartisan Senate and House legislators co-sponsored the “Calling for Act”(S211; HR896) to authorize $150 Million for nationwide 2-1-1implementation.

2-1-1 Funding in California The following have funded initial statewide planning activities including technical and legal consulting for the CPUC filing:  The California Endowment  The Community Technology Foundation of California (Bay Area)  The Julius Sumner Miller Foundation  The Weingart Foundation

Long-Term Funding throughout California is being considered for a phone surcharge like and the California Relay Service (7-1-1). Funding through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is being pursued.

2-1-1 Funding on the Local Level I&R’s have traditionally been funded by multiple funders. Counties throughout California have developed funding partnerships with stakeholders including local government, the business community, and charitable foundations. The funding picture for each county is unique.

Eden I&R’s Initial Advisory Board Chambers of Commerce Chambers of Commerce Community Based Organizations Community Based Organizations Corporations Corporations Criminal Justice System Criminal Justice System Disaster Relief Organizations Disaster Relief Organizations Educational System Educational System Elected Officials Elected Officials Private and Public Foundations Private and Public Foundations

Local Funding Sources Eden I&R obtained planning, start-up and/or current funding from:  Alameda County and ALL 14 Cities  United Way of the Bay Area, Walter and Elise Haas Fund, SF Foundation, First 5/Every Child Counts, Community Technology Foundation  Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Kaiser Permanente, The San Francisco Foundation, Eden Township Healthcare District, KB Home, WD Foundation, and Safeway  In-Kind/Barter: AT&T The Real Yellow Pages, East Bay Business Times

Alameda County Funding Alameda County’s Fair & Equitable Funding Partnership Plan includes (in round figures):  $500,000County Departments  $500,00014 Cities ( by % of population )  $300,000Foundations/Corporations

2-1-1 Alameda County Based upon nationwide and Eden I&R’s data, Alameda County’s service is projected to handle over 140,000 calls annually (1 in 10 residents calling each year). During the first 6 months of operation, handled over 19, 170 calls. 80% of the unduplicated callers were female; 21% were disabled; and most callers needed some type of housing assistance (e.g., emergency shelter, subsidized housing, residential care facilities) Dispatchers can now reduce non-emergency calls with the ability to transfer inappropriate calls more quickly and efficiently to

2-1-1 Helps everyone in the community, while targeting the most at-risk populations including: older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, non-English speakers, families and low-income people.

Information Resources Contact: Barbara Bernstein Executive Director Eden I&R, Inc.  Telephone:(510) , ext. 8   Agency: Statewide 2-1-1: National 2-1-1: