ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 390

(II) UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND - FIRST CALL FOR HELP;

(III) FREDERICK COUNTY HOTLINE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
OF FREDERICK COUNTY; AND

(IV) LIFE CRISIS CENTER, INC.
24-1102.

(A)     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

(1)      RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF A STATEWIDE INFORMATION AND
REFERRAL SYSTEM FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES;

(2)      RECOGNIZES THAT AN INTEGRATED TELEPHONE SYSTEM WOULD
PROVIDE A SINGLE SOURCE FOR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TO HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES, COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS, AND CRISIS INFORMATION AND
COULD BE ACCESSED TOLL FREE FROM ANYWHERE IN MARYLAND, 24 HOURS A DAY,
365 DAYS A YEAR;

(3)      ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE THREE-DIGIT NUMBER, 2-1-1, IS A
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND APPLIED TELEPHONE NUMBER WHICH MAY BE USED
FOR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL AND ELIMINATES DELAYS CAUSED BY LACK OF
FAMILIARITY WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE NUMBERS AND BY
UNDERSTANDABLE CONFUSION IN CIRCUMSTANCES OF CRISIS; AND

(4)      RECOGNIZES A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR AN EASY TO REMEMBER,
EASY TO USE TELEPHONE NUMBER THAT WILL ENABLE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED TO BE
DIRECTED TO AVAILABLE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

(B)     THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBTITLE ARE TO:

(1)      ESTABLISH THE THREE-DIGIT NUMBER, 2-1-1, AS THE PRIMARY
INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES IN THE STATE; AND

(2)      ESTABLISH A BOARD TO OVERSEE THE PILOT PROGRAMS AND STUDY
THE ORDERLY INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION OF A STATEWIDE
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REFERRAL SYSTEM IN THE STATE.

24-1103.

(A)  THERE IS A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REFERRAL BOARD IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE.

(B)  (1) THE BOARD CONSISTS OF 15 17 MEMBERS.
(2) OF THE 15 17 MEMBERS:

(I)  ONE MEMBER SHALL REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE;

(II)  ONE MEMBER SHALL REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN RESOURCES;

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