1-1 By: Gutierrez (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief) H.C.R. No. 109 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2001; 1-3 April 19, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Business and Commerce; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Texans in need of information about and referrals to 1-8 health and human services programs face a difficult task given the 1-9 state's size and the vast number of federal, state, and local 1-10 health and human services providers; their challenge will only 1-11 increase as the state's population continues to grow and change 1-12 demographically; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Many Texans would benefit from a centralized, 1-14 comprehensive, statewide link to health and human services programs 1-15 for seniors, people with disabilities, victims of crimes, people in 1-16 the military and their dependents, children and youth, and other 1-17 target populations, as well as to comprehensive programs that serve 1-18 the entire community; and 1-19 WHEREAS, State policymakers must look to public and private 1-20 partnerships to maximize the impact of the financial resources 1-21 invested in health and human services programs and to address the 1-22 needs of the people of Texas in an efficient and timely manner; and 1-23 WHEREAS, 2-1-1 is a free, easy-to-remember statewide 1-24 abbreviated telephone number that connects callers to an 1-25 information and referral service that makes critical connections 1-26 between those in need and appropriate community-based organizations 1-27 and government agencies; and 1-28 WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission has designated 1-29 2-1-1 for universal access to health and human services information 1-30 and referral, and nearly every other state is pursuing or exploring 1-31 2-1-1 implementation; and 1-32 WHEREAS, The 2-1-1 initiative in Texas is truly a public and 1-33 private partnership; approximately $5 million in private donations 1-34 have been contributed to the system through local United Ways and 1-35 other organizations; and 1-36 WHEREAS, Texas has the programs and infrastructure in place 1-37 to implement a 2-1-1 system; organizations providing support to the 1-38 2-1-1 initiative include the Texas Health and Human Services 1-39 Commission Information and Referral Network, Area Information 1-40 Centers, which are linked to every community in Texas, local 1-41 communities that support the initiative through private donations, 1-42 and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which has proposed 1-43 rules under consideration relating to the implementation of the 1-44 2-1-1 program; now, therefore, be it 1-45 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-46 hereby declare support for the establishment of a statewide 2-1-1 1-47 information and referral telephone network so that the people of 1-48 Texas may be efficiently and effectively linked with needed health 1-49 and human services information and assistance. 1-50 * * * * *