VIII. Assignment of Proceeding
Susan P. Kennedy is the Assigned Commissioner and Timothy J. Sullivan is the assigned ALJ in this proceeding.
1. The FCC's Third Report and Order and Order for Reconsideration, FCC 00-256, In the Matter of the Petition buy the United States Department of Transportation for Assignment of an Abbreviated dialing Code (N11) to Access Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Services Nationwide, NSD-L-24; In the Matter of the Request by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, United Way of America, United Way 2-1-1 (Atlanta, Georgia), United Way of Connecticut, Florida Alliance of Information and Referral Services, Inc. and Texas I&R Network for Assignment of 2-1-1 Dialing Code, NSD-L-98-80; and in the Matter of the Us of N11 Codes and Other Abbreviated Dialing Arrangements, CC Docket 92-104, released July 31, 2000 ("N11 Third Report and Order"), assigned the 2-1-1 dialing code to I&R providers.
2. The FCC's N11 Third Report and Order allows states to continue to make local assignments that do not conflict with national assignments.
3. The FCC's N11 Third Report and Order requires that all carriers discontinue the use of 2-1-1 dialing that is incompatible with the new 2-1-1 dialing service.
4. The FCC's N11 Third Report and Order requires that all carriers provide 2-1-1 origination services in a service area in which 2-1-1 abbreviated dialing has been implemented at the request of an entity seeking to use 2-1-1 for Information and Referral Services. The use of the 2-1-1 dialing code has the potential to provide Californians with easy access to information concerning child care services, housing assistance, physical and mental health resources, aging and hospice services, educational and other programs.
5. California Public Utilities Code § 701 provides that the Commission may do all things that are "necessary and convenient" in the supervision and regulation of public utilities. Such information is not currently available through the 9-1-1 emergency code or the 3-1-1 police non-emergency code.
6. Pursuant to the FCC's Third Report and Order and pursuant to the Commission's broad authority to regulate public utilities, the Commission has determined that it will implement 2-1-1 dialing in California.
7. The standards and application procedures established for I&R providers in Appendix A meet the public interest because they ensure the selection of qualified service providers and link California's I&R providers to a national professional community. Furthermore, the FCC directed that "states will be allowed to continue to make local assignments that do not conflict with our national assignments."89
8. Appendix A establishes procedures that will assist in maintaining and improving I&R services.
9. No carrier or consumer group voiced any objections to these proposed guidelines and application package.
10. The Workshop Report concluded that each I&R provider should serve the entire area of a county or form consortia to serve multiple counties.
11. The Workshop Report concluded that a network architecture in which 2-1-1 dialing directs a call to a single "800" (or 8YY) number appears to be simpler and faster to implement than other options.
12. The Workshop Report recommends that the Commission not mandate a particular 2-1-1 routing option since it is unclear whether another option would prove less expensive in the long term.
13. The Workshop Report finds that 2-1-1 calls should be able to terminate either at a county I&R provider or at a Regional Technical Center, which would then complete the routing of the call to a specific I&R provider.
14. The Workshop Report finds that the universal availability of 2-1-1 service will require switch translations to ensure the proper routing of calls originating on a local network.
15. The Workshop Report finds that the Commission should allow those local exchange carriers providing switch translation services to recover their costs.
16. The Workshop Report recommends that the Commission not set deadlines for 2-1-1 implementation, but should require periodic status reports.
17. CAIRS has a preference for the variable routing of calls, enabling a switch to terminate local calls directly and to hand off other calls to an 8YY number.
18. Because of the likely rollout of services at different times throughout the state, the Workshop Report recommends that the CPUC "actively monitor 2-1-1 implementation by requiring periodic status reports and establishing milestones for implementation.
19. A LEC can handle an 8YY call that originates and terminates in the same LATA.
20. Because of the current design of the telecommunications network, it is not cost-effective to require the routing of calls based on a strict adherence to county or other political boundaries. This result occurs because telecommunications exchanges do not necessarily follow county or other political boundaries.
21. In California, 2-1-1 calls can originate on the phones served by incumbent LECs, by competitive local carriers on facilities leased from ILECs, by CLCs using their own lines, by "smart" payphones housing small computers, or by "dumb" payphones using ILEC services.90
22. For all calls placed to 2-1-1 service providers, the initial switch receiving the call (or intelligent payphone) will determine how to route it.
23. In no case, however, will it be possible to route calls strictly by county because a LECs central office frequently provides telecommunications services that straddle a county's boundaries.
24. Unlike the payphone situation, there is no FCC mandate for eliminating this use of 2-1-1 by wireless carriers at this time, and the Scoping Memo limited the scope of this proceeding to wireline carriers.
25. Absent the implementation of 2-1-1 calling in a specific area, it is not necessary to require payphone providers to discontinue use of this number.
26. CAIRS, on behalf of I&R providers, has indicated that I&R providers will pay reasonable costs for implementing 2-1-1 dialing on the network switches of local exchange carriers.
27. The Commission has in place procedures to protect information that is competitively sensitive.
28. The FCC has ordered all local carriers to provide 2-1-1 origination service in an area implementing 2-1-1 access to I&R providers at their request. This is necessary to insure that all 2-1-1 calls will be routed properly.
29. I&R providers are willing to pay the reasonable costs of 2-1-1 call origination service.
30. Routing 2-1-1 calls to an 8YY number offers a simple way of completing 2-1-1 calls.
31. The Commission need not order incumbent local exchange carriers to offer 2-1-1 call origination services using a specific form of network architecture.
32. There is a preexisting arrangement that compensates payphone operators for originating 8YY calls.
33. It is possible for intelligent or "smart" payphones to route 2-1-1 calls to an 8YY number at no charge to the calling party.
34. The advice letter process of General Order 96-a offers a way of insuring that the prices charged by local exchange carriers for 2-1-1 switch translation services are reasonable.
35. The review process for applications by I&R providers described herein offers a reasonable way of insuring that those providing 2-1-1 I&R services in a particular service area will do so in a way that serves the public interest.
1. It is reasonable to grant the "Motion of the California Alliance of Information and Referral Services and the 2-1-1 Statewide Steering Committee (CAIRS) to Include Preliminary Network Architecture Proposals in the Record" as a reference document.
2. The provision of I&R services in California via 2-1-1 dialing is in the public interest.
3. It is reasonable to require an information and referral service provider(s) who seeks to be the provider certified by the Commission to receive 2-1-1 calls in a particular area, to submit an application letter with a completed Service Provider Application Package and a service rollout plan to the Executive Director for Commission review, and to serve this advice letter on affected incumbent local exchange carriers and on the parties to this proceeding.
4. It is reasonable to require each I&R provider or each integrated group of I&R providers or Regional Technical Center to either serve the area of an entire county or to form consortia to serve multiple counties.
5. It is reasonable to let I&R providers and incumbent local exchange carriers (ILEC) work cooperatively to design a 2-1-1 routing service that best meets their mutual needs.
6. It is reasonable that 2-1-1 calls should terminate either at a county I&R provider or at a Regional Technical Center, which would then complete the routing of the calls to a specific I&R provider.
7. It is reasonable for local exchange carriers to recover the costs for the switch translation services that 2-1-1 dialing requires.
8. It is reasonable for the Commission to require cost information from Pacific and Verizon to justify any proposed rates for 2-1-1 switch translation services.
9. It is reasonable to permit the Small Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers to either provide cost information demonstrating the reasonableness of their charges for switch translation services or to charge the same rates as Pacific or Verizon.
10. It is reasonable to permit other local exchange carriers to use 8YY call routing to provide 2-1-1 call origination service.
11. It is reasonable to permit payphone providers to translate a 2-1-1 call into an 8YY call for both routing and billing.
12. It is not in the public interest to charge twice for the use of 2-1-1 service from payphones, once as an 8YY call and once as a local call.
13. It is reasonable to charge I&R providers for the costs of routing a 2-1-1 call.
14. The Commission will not require wireless carriers to provide 2-1-1 call origination service at this time because of the FCC's current consideration of a petition by wireless carriers to use 2-1-1 for wireless information.
15. In implementing 2-1-1 service in a particular territory, it is reasonable to require all local exchange carriers and payphone operators to route these calls.
16. It is reasonable to establish milestones as well as deadlines to spur the implementation of 2-1-1 calling service.
17. It is reasonable to require that payphone providers discontinue incompatible uses of 2-1-1 calling in conjunction with the roll out of 2-1-1 calling in a particular region.
18. It is reasonable to set a milestone of six months for the Commission's review of a request by an I&R provider or a regional technical center to provide 2-1-1 service in a particular area.
19. It is reasonable to set a deadline of four months following the filing of a request by an I&R provider to offer 2-1-1 service for the incumbent local exchange carriers to file an advice letter to offer the needed switch translation services.
20. It is reasonable to require competitive local exchange carriers providing service in an area implementing 2-1-1 calling to file an advice letter to offer the needed switch translation services within 30 days of the filing by the incumbent local exchange carriers.
21. It is reasonable to require local exchange carriers to file advice letters to offer the switch translation services needed for 2-1-1 service in compliance with the procedures of General Order 96-a.
22. It is reasonable to require that payphone service providers eliminate non-conforming uses of 2-1-1 dialing in the area over which 2-1-1 I&R services will be provided at the time that the 2-1-1 service is implemented.
23. Since implementing a 2-1-1 I&R service will pose new challenges, it is reasonable to adopt a combination of milestones and deadlines to guide implementation.
24. It is reasonable for incumbent local exchange carriers to offer 2-1-1 origination services via a tariff, an individual case basis tariff, or a contract.
25. It is reasonable to anticipate that the Commission can complete its review of the qualifications of an I&R service provider in approximately six months.
26. The Commission should review and approve the advice letters filed by local exchange carriers in accordance with the procedures of General Order 96-a.
27. It is reasonable to expect that carriers will offer 2-1-1 origination service approximately nine months after the initial filing by an informational and referral provider requesting certification by the Commission.
28. It is reasonable to expect that 2-1-1 I&R services will be available within nine months of the initial filing by an I&R provider.
29. It is reasonable to set a deadline of one year from the date the Commission issues the approvals needed to provide 2-1-1 service within which the I&R provider should initiate service. Absent further Commission action granting extensions to the 2-1-1 I&R providers, failure to implement the 2-1-1 service should result in forfeiture of the authority to offer this service.
30. The Commission should take those regulatory actions necessary to assist in the provision of I&R services in California via 2-1-1 dialing.
31. The guidelines in Appendix A recommended for Commission review of I&R service providers seeking to use 2-1-1 dialing are reasonable and in the public interest.
32. Pursuant to FCC regulations, all carriers providing local telephone service in an area where an I&R provider is offering 2-1-1 service shall provide 2-1-1 call origination service at reasonable rates.
33. It is reasonable to require Pacific and Verizon to provide cost information to enable the Commission to determine whether the rates they propose for 2-1-1 origination service are reasonable.
34. Payphone providers should discontinue non-conforming uses of 2-1-1 simultaneous with the use of this number to provide I&R services in a particular service territory.
35. In lieu of the submission of cost data, it is reasonable to permit the Small Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers to offer 2-1-1 origination service at the rates offered by Pacific or Verizon. The Small Local Exchange Carriers may concur in Pacific's or Verizon's rates and/or tariffs. Such carriers may simply make advice letter filings offering to provide service at Pacific's or Verizon's rates.
36. I&R providers should implement 2-1-1 service within a year of the Commission's taking all the regulatory actions needed to authorize the service in a particular territory.
IT IS ORDERED that:
1. The "Motion of the California Alliance of Information and Referral Services and the 2-1-1 Statewide Steering Committee (CAIRS) to Include Preliminary Network Architecture Proposals in the Record" is granted and the network architecture proposals are included in the record as reference documents.
2. Information and Referral (I&R) providers seeking authority to provide 2-1-1 service or to establish Regional Technical Centers for routing 2-1-1 calls to I&R service providers in California shall submit a letter to the Executive Director of the Commission approximately nine months before they plan to commence service. The letter shall contain the information detailed in the Service Provider Application Package in Appendix A, shall include a service rollout plan, and shall demonstrate compliance with the guidelines contained in Appendix A to this decision, along with letters of endorsement from community groups as described in Appendix A. The I&R providers shall serve this application letter on the parties to this proceeding on the same day as its submission to the Commission. The Commission shall publish a notice of this letter in its Daily Calendar. We establish a milestone of six months from the initial filing of this application letter for action by the Commission via a resolution resolving any issues. This application letter should be served on the appropriate incumbent local exchange carriers and on all parties to this proceeding.
3. Within four months of the filing of a letter by I&R providers or a regional technical center seeking to initiate 2-1-1 service, the incumbent local exchange carriers serving the territory over which the 2-1-1 service will be offered shall file advice letters to provide the 2-1-1 switch translation services required. If the Pacific Bell Telephone Company (Pacific) or Verizon California, Inc. (Verizon) serve the territory over which the 2-1-1 service will be offered, the serving carrier (or carriers) shall file advice letters proposing general tariffs, tariffs developed on an individual case basis, or contracts to make the requested service available. Pacific and Verizon shall file cost-support information demonstrating the reasonableness of the prices charged. The services shall be available no later than six months from the filing of the advice letter. These carriers shall coordinate the start of 2-1-1 service with the I&R providers. These advice letters are subject to the regulatory process described in General Order 96-a.
4. All other incumbent local carriers serving a territory over which the 2-1-1 service will be offered shall provide the needed switch translation service, but may either concur in the price terms offered by Pacific or Verizon or submit their own cost support information. This filing shall follow that of Pacific or Verizon by no more than 30 days. The services shall be available no later than six months from the filing of the advice letter. All carriers shall coordinate the start of 2-1-1 service with the I&R providers. These advice letters are subject to the regulatory process described in General Order 96-a.
5. Those implementing 2-1-1 service shall obtain an 8YY phone number that payphone operators and competitive local exchange carriers may use to direct calls to the I&R provider.
6. The providers of payphone services in an area in which 2-1-1 service will be offered shall end all non-conforming uses of 2-1-1 service within six months of their filing. Payphone service providers may route and bill the 2-1-1 calls as 8YY calls using the number secured by the I&R provider.
7. Within one month of the filing of an advice letter by incumbent local exchange carriers to offer 2-1-1 switch translation services in a specific area, each competitive local carrier providing services in the affected areas shall submit an advice letter, under General Order 96-a, demonstrating that it will offer 2-1-1 switch translation service at a reasonable rate to I&R providers on a timetable consistent with their rollout plans. Competitive local carriers may elect to implement 2-1-1 call origination using only 8YY routing. The services shall be available no later than six months from the filing of the advice letter. These carriers shall coordinate the start of 2-1-1 service with the I&R providers.
8. Consistent with the goal of coordinating the start of 2-1-1 service, we establish a milestone of six months following the last advice letter filings for the completion of Commission reviews under General Order 96-a and Resolution M-4801 as modified by D.02-02-049.
9. Within one month of the filing of an advice letter by incumbent local exchange carriers to offer 2-1-1 switch translation services in a specific area, each competitive local carrier providing services in the affected areas shall submit an advice letter, under General Order 96-a, demonstrating that it will offer 2-1-1 switch translation service at a reasonable rate to I&R providers on a timetable consistent with their rollout plans. Competitive local carriers may elect to implement 2-1-1 call origination using only 8YY routing. The services shall be available no later than six months from the filing of the advice letter. These carriers shall coordinate the start of 2-1-1 service with the I&R providers.
10. If an I&R provider fails to implement 2-1-1 dialing within a year after the Commission takes all the actions needed to offer 2-1-1 service, then, barring further Commission action, the certification of the I&R provider shall lapse so that another I&R provider may offer service in a particular service territory.
This order is effective today.
Dated February 13, 2003, at San Francisco, California.
MICHAEL R. PEEVEY
President
CARL W. WOOD
LORETTA M. LYNCH
GEOFFREY F. BROWN
SUSAN P. KENNEDY
Commissioners
APPENDIX A
GUIDELINES
for
CPUC STAFF REVIEW
2-1-1 CALIFORNIA
SERVICE PROVIDER APPLICATION
Proposed application review guidelines for CPUC staff
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
Section 1 - Organizational Structure, Background, and Experience
Review for required attachments: 3- year budget; audited financial statements.
1.1 If the application includes a collaboration of Information and Referral (I&R) service providers, all service providers must be identified and all must apply at the same time.
1.2 The minimum service delivery area is the county. Organizations may serve one county or a group of counties.
1.3 Previous experience providing information and referral services is not required. However, such experience, especially within the proposed service area, supports the knowledge and relationships necessary to create good working relationships with direct service providers. Additionally, experience within the proposed service area may enhance an organization's ability to advocate on behalf of a client. In the absence of relevant agency history/experience, the experience of key staff should be given greater weight. All other aspects of the application being equal, organizations with previous I & R history should be given greater weight; organizations with experience providing services within the proposed service area should be given greater weight.
1.6 The application requests information regarding key manager's experience. In addition to the history and experience established at the agency level, it is important that the management staff experience indicate some history in providing information and referral services.
1.7/1.8 Once established in a community, it is important that 2-1-1 service continue without interruption. The organization's budget and financial reports should demonstrate a solvent organization with appropriate budgetary planning to support 2-1-1.
Section 2 - Terms and Conditions of Service
No attachments required; narrative length - 2 pages.
2.1 In this section the applicant essentially agrees to provide services as the terms/conditions indicate.
2.2 The request for or acceptance of fees or compensation of any kind for referrals made by the 2-1-1 service provider should be prohibited. The possibility exists that a service provider may not provide information concerning all the appropriate services if it accepts compensation for referrals. This prohibition applies to the 2-1-1 service provider itself and not to specialized information services to which a 2-1-1 caller may be referred.
2.3 There must be no charge to callers for 2-1-1 service beyond charges for local or measured rate service. No inter or intra LATA toll charges should apply to 2-1-1 calls. There should be no charge for referrals. No paid advertising or "commercials" should be heard on the phone lines or viewed via Internet if the 2-1-1 provider offers such a service. Monies accepted for advertising could influence the types or specific referrals offered.
2.4 2-1-1 service requires that a live person answer the phones 24 hours, 7 days a week. Taped information is not an acceptable alternative. An answering service, albeit "live", is also not an acceptable alternative because answering service operators are not trained information and referral professionals. The 2-1-1 provider in any county may contract with another information and referral service provider to provide after-hours coverage. The contracted organization must have access to the local provider's database in order to provide accurate and appropriate referrals.
Section 3 is the organization's opportunity to present information about its service delivery strategy. Section 4 demonstrates community support in the form of endorsements from impacted service providers. Section 4 should assist the Commission to validate whether the applicant(s) has made an accurate representation in Section 3.
Section 3 - AIRS Standards
No attachments required; narrative maximum 5 pages
The field of Information and Referral has delivered critical information services to people with need for more than two decades. During this maturation process the Alliance of Information and Referral (AIRS), the national professional organization of information and referral service providers, in conjunction with its members, has codified best practices for the field. The standards are published in the "AIRS Standards," a professional guide for information and referral service delivery. The standards were first published in 1973 and have been revised four times; the latest edition was published in 2000. The following requirements are drawn from the AIRS 2000 Standards.
The "Standards" are organized to address the four major components of Information and Referral/2-1-1 service: 1) Service Delivery - getting the information to the individual; 2) the Resource Database - a listing of agencies and programs; the source from which the referrals are drawn; 3) Reports and Measures - the results of which allow an agency to evaluate its service and modify as needed; and, 4) Cooperative Relationships - important to the development and/or maintenance of a coordinated system to deliver health and human services.
Information and Referral service is a composite of these four components. All specific criteria in each of the four areas must be met to obtain 2-1-1 designation.
3.1 Service Delivery Standards
For 2-1-1 designation, agencies must demonstrate in their narrative how they meet the itemized standards for service delivery. The following background information should be considered when reviewing the applicant's narrative for service delivery standards. Information and Referral/2-1-1 exists to assist individuals to navigate the fragmented and confusing landscape of the various health and human service delivery systems. It must offer enough assistance to help an individual access these services. Often this is more than simply the address and telephone number of a service provider. Therefore a range of service levels must be available and provided based on the individual need. Individuals need accurate, pertinent information about the availability of services and the eligibility requirements for health and human services in order to determine if they qualify for the service. Finally, individuals must feel confident that information given to the I & R service provider will be held in strict confidence otherwise those with needs such as substance abuse services, or anger management, for example, may well decide not to call for help.
3.2 Information and Referral Resource File Standards
The resource file standards provide minimum guidelines to ensure that there will be a body of information sufficient to support the needs of the individuals calling for help. The criteria specifically provide for verification of data on a regular basis to ensure the accuracy of information provided to callers; a consistently applied process for including or excluding agencies so that clients and the general public will be aware of the database scope and/or limitations; and a common set of data elements to ensure standardization of information from listing to listing. The standards also call for services to be indexed in a manner that creates easy access to appropriate services and programs listed in the database. Taken together these standards should result in the availability of accurate, up-to-date, and consistent information.
· Review the applicant's narrative to determine if they have written inclusion/exclusion criteria sufficient to guide the content of the resource database.
· Review the narrative to determine if they uniformly collect agency data.
· Identify the indexing tool used; if it is not the AIRS/Info Line Taxonomy, there should be plans to convert the database to that Taxonomy.
· Review the stated update procedure - it should be conducted annually at a minimum.
3.3 Information and Referral Disaster Standards
Review the narrative for the existence of a disaster plan, notation of pre and post disaster resources.
3.4 Information and Referral Reports and Measures Standards
An indirect result of Information and Referral/2-1-1 service delivery is the collection of data relating to community needs. This information, while extremely important in understanding an agency's service population, is also critically important to funders and planners within a service community. The reports and measures standards ensure that the 2-1-1 designee has the infrastructure necessary to aggregate and report on service needs.
Minimally, the data collected and reported should include number of calls organized by service need, referrals made and/or lack of available referrals; and geographic location of caller (by city or zip code.)
3.5 Cooperative Relationships
As indicated by Section 4, cooperative relationships form the backbone of Information and Referral/2-1-1 services to a community. Cooperation among agencies within service jurisdictions (one or more counties) is important to ensure that callers who may need to be referred or "handed off" to a second helping resource are well served. Child care information and referral services offer a good example of these cooperative relationships. To minimize funding of redundant services, most I & R service providers refer to other, specialized I & R service providers. Comprehensive information and Referral service providers refer to the specialized child care information and referral services rather than maintaining this specific information. Thus when an individual with child care needs contacts the comprehensive Information and Referral service provider, that provider will conference or transfer the caller to a child care information service in the same service area. A good working relationship between the comprehensive information and referral service provider (the 2-1-1 service provider) and the specialized service provider (the child care information service) creates the network necessary to be sure the caller receives the information needed with just one call.
3.6 Other Organizational Standards
These remaining criteria address general administrative needs to ensure that the Information and Referral/2-1-1 program is responsibly managed.
Section 4 - Demonstrated Community Support
Letters of Support/Endorsement required - 15 letter maximum
Review this section of the application for breadth and scope of community support. Support from organizations that serve a large number of people may be given greater weight than support letters from smaller organizations. Support from public and non-profit service providers may be given greater weight than those from individuals or for profit businesses because I&R service has traditionally been provided on a non-profit basis in California.
2-1-1 California
Service Provider Application Package
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
Instructions to the applicant:
You may apply as an individual organization or a collaborative. If you are applying as a collaborative, all members of the collaborative must be identified, and information regarding these organizations provided at the same time. One agency must be identified as the lead agency for the collaborative. The lead agency will be the sole recipient unless it is manifest that another collaborator's contribution is necessary for the successful operation of the enterprise in which case the essential parties must have a written agreement detailing their relationship, commitment, and approach to dispute resolution. You must provide a response to all sections and sub-sections. You must provide all the attachments requested.
The application for 2-1-1 Service is organized in four sections:
Section 1 Organizational Structure, Background and Experience
This section establishes the organizational requirements for 2-1-1 service providers. You must meet the stated requirements to qualify for consideration as a 2-1-1 service provider. Your narrative should describe how you meet the stated requirements.
Section 2 Terms and Conditions of Service
This section sets forth the terms and conditions of service. You must provide services as described in this section. You must agree to the stated terms and provide a brief narrative describing how you will meet the service conditions required. For example, section 2.2 requires that 2-1-1 service will be provided by "live operators 24 hours a day..." In response to this requirement, your narrative could indicate how you plan to staff the service to provide the 24-hour coverage.
Section 3 AIRS Standards
This section identifies service delivery standards. These standards are based on the Alliance of Information and Referral Services national standards published in 2000. For your reference, a summary of the standards are available through the AIRS.org website. Your narrative should describe how you currently meet or intend to meet the service delivery standards. For example, Section 3.2.4 requires that the database of providers "be updated at least annually." Your narrative should provide information regarding how this annual update is accomplished.
Section 4 Community Support
There can be only one 2-1-1 provider per county or groups of counties. This section requires that you demonstrate broad community support for your organization as the local 2-1-1 provider. You should include letters of support from agencies in each of the service categories identified on the form provided. Do not include more than one support letter in each of the categories or more than a total of 15 letters.
Sections 1, 2 and 3 require narrative response. Your responses should be organized in a manner consistent with the layout of the application. Each narrative has a page limit. Pages in excess of those required will not be read or considered. Some sections require attachments. Identify and include these attachments as part of your complete application package.
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
SECTION 1
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE
This section of the application requires that the applicant provide a summary of relevant information to indicate its ability to perform required basic Information and Referral services for a designated community. The information will be used to evaluate organizational capacity.
1.1 Provide the name, address, and contact name for the organization. Provide the names and address and contact name for all collaborators or partners.
1.2 Provide documentation that indicates the organizational category of your organization, e.g., corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, profit or non-profit organization, governmental agency or any combination thereof. Also provide a list of all individuals that comprise the governance or ownership or collaborators of your organization.
1.3 State the number of years of experience the applicant has had providing information and referrals services, the types of services performed and the communities in which they were performed.
1.4 Provide proof of, or application for, authority to conduct business in the State of California.
1.5 Indicate the length of time in business under current business name and prior business names. If a corporation, include date of incorporation.
1.6 Provide a description of key managers' experience in the service to be provided or equivalent or similar experience of principle individuals in the applicant's organization.
1.7 Provide a proposed budget for the next three years. In the proposed budget you may want to consider the anticipated increase in your budget due to 2-1-1 service implementation as well as the projected source of the anticipated increased funding.
1.8 Provide an audited financial statement. Such statement shall be the most recent and complete audited financial statement available and for a fiscal period not more than 18 months old at the time of submission. This statement shall be by an independent, certified public accountant. In the event qualifying audited financial statements are not available, an unaudited statement along with the entity's federal income tax returns for the preceding two (2) years may be submitted.
1.8.1 New organizations may provide a proposed budget, proposed funding sources, and commitments, if any, from proposed sources.
1.8.2 If a collaboration, provide proposed budget details of commitment from principal members of the collaborative and financial statements for principal members of the collaborative. A principal member is defined as contributing/raising/otherwise responsible for more than 25% of the budgeted income or any member(s) on whose experience the collaboration is relying to demonstrate its qualifications.
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
SECTION 2
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
This section of the application sets forth the required service conditions for 2-1-1 service providers. To obtain 2-1-1 designation, all these conditions must be met. Applicants should prepare a narrative describing the organization's ability to meet the required conditions. The information provided will be used to evaluate the organization's ability to meet required service terms. The narrative should not exceed two pages.
2.1 The minimal geographic service area of 2-1-1 is a county. 2-1-1 service providers may serve one or more counties. State the county or counties the applicant intends to serve.
2.2 The 2-1-1 service provider applicant will not accept fees from referred organizations in return for referrals.
2.3 2-1-1 service must be provided at no charge to callers; it must also be free of commercials or advertising; supporters may be recognized on printed materials.
2.4 2-1-1 service will be provided by "live" call takers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
2.4.1 2-1-1 services must be provided by the applicant or
2.4.2 After hours 2-1-1 services may be provided by linkage to another organization. If service is to be provided in this manner, provide the name of the organization its phone number, and the name of the contact person. Service delivery standards (see Section 3), however, must be met at all times.
2.5 2-1-1 service must be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to all callers regardless of language or disability.
2.5.1 Provide information regarding languages available via live staff.
2.5.2 Provide information regarding interpretation/translation services.
2.5.3 Provide information regarding TTY/TDD access.
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
SECTION 3
AIRS STANDARDS
The Alliance of Information and Referral Services (AIRS), the national professional membership organization of information and referral service providers, has established standards for delivery of information and referral services. The applicant must demonstrate its understanding of these standards and agree to adhere to them in the delivery of 2-1-1 services. The applicant should provide a narrative description that illustrates how it will meet these service delivery standards. The maximum narrative length is five pages.
3.1 Information and referral service delivery standards
3.1.1 Organization staff must provide a range of information responses
3.1.1.1 Provision of simple information e.g., name, address, and telephone number of service provider.
3.1.1.2 One-to-one referrals based on assessment of the client's needs.
3.1.1.3 Advocacy and intervention as needed to increase the likelihood that people will obtain the benefits to which they are entitled.
3.1.1.4 Follow-up services to address situations where further assistance may be required.
3.1.2 Information and referrals must be accurate and pertinent to the needs presented.
3.1.3 Interactions between clients and I & R agency staff must be confidential.
3.2 Information and Referral Resource File Standards
3.2.1 The organization must have written criteria that identify what is included or excluded from the resource database.
3.2.2 The organization must have a standardized profile (resource information collection tool) that collects identified data elements regarding all agencies and/or services for which it is supplying information or to whom it is making referrals.
3.2.3 The entire database must be updated at least annually to provide for up-to-date referral information.
3.2.4 The organization must index services using the AIRS/Info Line of Los Angeles Taxonomy of human services or
3.2.5 The organization must agree to convert the resource database to Taxonomy indexing within three years.
3.3 Information and Referral Disaster Standards
3.3.1 2-1-1 service must be available in the event of a local disaster, such as an earthquake, flood, or other emergency.
3.3.2 The organization must have a disaster plan.
3.3.3 The organization must have a pre-disaster resource database.
3.3.4 If such a plan or database does not exist, provide information regarding plans to create these.
3.4 Reports and Measures Standards
3.4.1 The organization must have a data collection tool that has the capability to collect and maintain the confidentiality of inquirer data.
3.4.2 The organization's data collection tool must have the capability to collect information regarding referrals made for assessed needs and service gaps when no referrals were identified for assessed needs.
3.4.3 The organization must have a report tool that is capable of aggregating and organizing inquirer data and resource data to support internal analysis, advocacy and community planning activities.
3.5 Cooperative Relationships Standards
3.5.1 The organization must have cooperative working relationships with targeted and local I&Rs operating in the same service area. (List those agencies and include letters of support as described in Section 4.)
3.5.2 The organization must provide seamless access to 2-1-1 service throughout its service area. Callers make only one call for community service information regardless of the location within the system from which they are calling.
3.6 Other Organizational Standards
3.6.1 The organization must provide training for all aspects of the Information and Referral/2-1-1 services to paid and volunteer staff.
3.6.2 The organization must have a program to increase public awareness of information and referral/2-1-1 services, objectives, and their value to the community.
3.6.3 The organization must have an evaluation plan to identify needed program improvements.
3.6.3.1 The plan must be implemented at least annually.
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
SECTION 4
DOCUMENTATION OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT
To be designated as a 2-1-1 service provider you must demonstrate strong community support for your application. This support should come from a wide range of organizations and agencies that are stakeholders in the health and human services network in your community.
Leaders of organizations that support your application should complete the attached "Endorsement of 2-1-1 Application." Completed endorsements should be submitted with the application.
You should submit endorsements from major agencies and organizations that provide direct service or information and referral service in the proposed service area in the fields listed below where they are available. Endorsements from other types of organizations and from elected officials are also valuable.
Please cross out any organization or entity that is not available in your county or locality, even by extension from another area. Note those services that you directly provide. Check all endorsements that are attached. Do not include more than 15 endorsements or letters of support.
_ AIDS/HIV Service
_ Alcohol and Drug Service
_ Business/Labor
_ Services for Children and Families
_ Crisis/Suicide Hotline
_ Disability Service
_ Domestic Violence Service
_ Education
_ Emergency Food Provider
_ Emergency (disaster) Service
_ Employment Service
_ Health Service
_ Homeless Service
_ Library or Library System
_ Mental Health Service
_ Rape Crisis Service
_ Senior Service
_ Women's Service
_ Veterans Groups
2-1-1 California Service Provider Application
Endorsement of Applicant as 2-1-1 Service Provider
NOTE TO ENDORSER: 2-1-1 is a unique social utility. There can only be one 2-1-1 service provider in a given area. Therefore, you should only endorse one organization to be designated as the 2-1-1 service provider in the specified area. If you make multiple, competing endorsements, the last dated endorsement will supersede all others.
Instructions to endorser: _______________________________ is applying to
Name of Applicant Agency
the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to be designated as the 2-1-1 service provider for _______________________________________________.
Name of county. If less than a full county, describe specific portion.
_______________________________ is providing information to the CPUC that
Name of Applicant Agency
it has the necessary organizational capacity to provide 2-1-1 service and that it is familiar with and adheres to the professional standards for information and referral. Another essential element of its application is a demonstration of community support for its designation as the 2-1-1 service provider in its area.
2-1-1 is a unique social utility. There can only be one 2-1-1 service provider in a given area. Therefore, you should only endorse one organization to be designated as the 2-1-1 service provider in the specified area. If you make multiple, competing endorsements, the last dated endorsement will supersede all others.
The undersigned endorses _______________________________ as the
Name of Agency
organization that is best qualified to provide 2-1-1 service in the proposed service area for the following reasons: (Include a description of your relationship with the applicant organization and comments regarding your knowledge of the applicant's experience and ability to provide comprehensive information and referral services. If further space is required, attach an additional sheet.)
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City _______________________________State_______ Zip
Telephone _________________________Fax
Type of organization:
Government______ Nonprofit [501][c][3]_______ Other (specify):
Briefly describe the service(s) provided by your organization:
Area served by your organization:
Number of unduplicated clients provided service annually
Annual budget
Signature Date
(END OF APPENDIX A)
************ APPEARANCES ************ |
Monica Mc Crary
|
Mark P. Schreiber |
Kathryn A. Fugere |
Andrew Ulmer |
Elaine Duncan |
Natalie Billingsley |
Karen M. Potkul |
(END OF APPENDIX B)
89 Id., ¶ 43. 90 Note that the scope of this proceeding does not include the routing of 2-1-1 calls made by wireless providers of telephone services.
