PRINTER'S NO. 1269
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
211
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY BLOOM, DiGIROLAMO, WARD, LONGIETTI, DAVIS,
MILLARD, ZIMMERMAN, MACKENZIE, NEILSON, R. BROWN, WATSON,
KAUFFMAN, HILL-EVANS, PHILLIPS-HILL, HARKINS AND KAUFER,
APRIL 7, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, APRIL 7, 2017
AN ACT
Providing for a grant program for a Statewide 2-1-1 system and
imposing duties on the Department of Human Services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Statewide 2-
1-1 System Grant Program Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Human Services of the
Commonwealth.
"Program." The Statewide 2-1-1 System Grant Program
established by this act.
"Statewide 2-1-1 system." A communication system that
provides health and human service assistance, through the
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dissemination of information about applicable programs and
services provided by government and private and nonprofit
organizations in local communities, to residents throughout this
Commonwealth using the three-digit dialing code of 2-1-1.
Section 3. Statewide 2-1-1 System Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Statewide 2-1-1 System Grant Program
is established in the department. The purpose of the program
shall be to provide a grant to a qualified applicant for the
development, implementation, operation and support of a
Statewide 2-1-1 system from funds appropriated or made available
to the department for that purpose.
(b) Duty of department.--The department shall develop and
implement a procedure to award a grant to a qualified applicant
for a Statewide 2-1-1 system. The grant shall be used for the
following purposes:
(1) To provide Statewide 2-1-1 system services 24 hours
each day throughout this Commonwealth, including to regions
of this Commonwealth that do not have access to a provider of
2-1-1 system services as of the effective date of this
section.
(2) To expand access to 2-1-1 system services and the
database to a 2-1-1 system through text-to-chat, mobile
application and a publicly accessible Internet website.
(3) To permit the disbursement of funds, with the
approval of the department, to regional providers of 2-1-1
system services for satisfying 2-1-1 quality assurance
standards used by similar programs in other states.
(4) For any other purpose deemed appropriate by the
department for carrying out the provisions of this act.
Section 4. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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