Oregon 211

Early Planning: At the October 2000 conference of the Northwest Alliance of Information and Referral Systems a small group of Oregon I&R providers met to discuss 211 implementation. The group agreed to:

• Develop a mission statement and guiding principles for the group.
• Form sub-committees to address specific issues: telecommunications, databases and software, funding, and guidelines.
• Meet in other areas of the state to increase participation and involve stakeholders. Success would be dependent on building a broad coalition.

Over the next year a website was developed at OR211.org and the Oregon 211 Coalition was formed. A steering committee was established with key state and nonprofit organizations including United Ways of Oregon, State Departments of Human Services, Corrections, and Housing & Community Services, Community Action Directors of Oregon, NW-AIRS, Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network, 911 Managers Association, and the Oregon Telecommunications Association.

Structure & Development: Key funding was secured early in 2002 in a partnership grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Over the next two years funding supported the completion of a statewide business plan and the support of a full-time project manager, George Grosch. Additional funding from United Way of America, United Way of Oregon, and the state Department of Housing & Community Services sustained that work. Contracts with Ruby Communications provided key technical analysis about next steps required to begin negotiations with Oregon's telecommunications providers.

The organization voted to incorporate as a nonprofit organization in early 2004. A major grant proposal was submitted to the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust that summer, with 211info in Portland serving as lead partner. This grant would sustain the development work and provide the backbone for the statewide telephony structure. In early 2005, MJ Murdock declined to fund OR211, and growth temporarily slowed.

Implementation Begins: The first call center in the state, 211info, began answering 211 calls in May 2004. Additional regional developments and business planning moved ahead in Lane County, Deschutes County, and Southern Oregon, supported by technical assistance from staff.

Key Developments - 2005: Legislation was approved in Salem providing a structure for Oregon to receive federal 211 funding when it becomes available. House Bill 3443 was signed by Governor Ted Kulongoski in July 2005. The act designates Oregon Emergency Management as the state agency that will oversee the development and implementation of 211 in Oregon. It mandates a standards-based statewide database and the designation of call centers based on AIRS standards.

Key Developments - 2006: The OR211 Board of Directors has approved an Application to be a 211 Call Center, the document that identifies the minimum criteria required for a call center to provide 211 services in Oregon. This tool will serve as the mechanism by which recommendations can be made to OEM for providers to receive designation as an approved 211 call center. The Board is also pursuing new grant funding to provide technical assistance to sustain statewide implementation.

Key Developments - 2007: Telephone switching was completed by all Oregon telephone service providers making 2-1-1 dialing available on all "land line" phones. A networked statewide telephone software system now has the capacity to direct local calls in communities where a 2-1-1 call center exists. Negotiations continue with cell phone service providers to make 2-1-1 available to all cell phone customers as well.