Nov 1, 2006

Date: November 10, 2006

To: Jeri Shumate, OR211 Board Chair

From: Kay Sohl, TACS Executive Director

Re: Notes from planning meeting on November 1, 2006


I. Core Principles to Guide OR211:

Participants identified core principles to guide the 211 effort:

OR211 is needed to play role in emergencies both human service and community emergencies.

OR211 will ensure availability of 211 services in every part of the state.

OR211 system will involve multiple providers

  • develop regionally
  • may share some resources among regions or statewide
  • inter-operability is essential – integrated database

OR211 is committed to reliability, consistency, quality

  • AIRS national standards will provide statewide quality standards
  • Privacy, self determination are essential
  • Work with specialized providers
  • Ensure availability of volunteer coordination for community emergencies

II. Oregon Statutory Requirements:

The 211 Statute requires that the State OEM work with a statewide nonprofit which will:

  • Provide a Statewide database (meaning the capacity to access info from around the state- interoperability – not necessarily one database)
  • Provide a system to recommend 211 providers
  • Be financially stable
  • Confer with OEM—on funding allocation

III. Goals for OR211:

  • Promote/facilitate the development of statewide 211 coverage
  • Assist regions to develop plans and obtain funding
  • Serve as the glue to hold the 211 system together
  • Provide seed funding to help get 211 operating statewide ongoing coordinating role
  • Provide recommendations to the state on which organizations qualify as 211 providers
  • Create, develop, and maintain structure for statewide database [interoperability]
  • Statewide marketing of 211
  • Funding—shared, coordinated effort to fund regional and statewide activities
  • Establish criteria for regional and statewide efforts

Short Term Priorities for OR211

  • Get resources/support
  • Systems development
  • Strengthening regional efforts
  • Build 211 identity—stakeholders, policy makers
  • Creating integrated database
  • Figure out how to get statewide coverage
  • Define regions

Longer term goals:

  • Coordination and facilitation of fluid collaboration
  • Maintain and enhance database
  • Strengthen/build 211 identity –public awareness

IV. Staffing:

Participants agreed that professional level staffing will be needed to move forward towards short term goals. Participants envision an Executive Director type role – although the position may initially be handled through a contract. Key roles for the professional staff position would include:

  • Fund development
  • Support regional development
  • Build partner relationships
  • Provide the leadership skills usually found in an ED
  • Board development
  • Help build advisory task forces
  • Political/legislature savvy

Participants agreed that salary range would need to be from $55,000 to $70,000 (plus benefits) to attract a person with the needed skills.

Participants also envisioned providing some clerical support to assist the professional position.

Rough estimate: OR211 will need to obtain $100,000 - $125,000 per year for 2 to 3 years

Funding proposals should focus on start up and capacity building strategies. The proposal should demonstrate that investment in the proposed capacity building activities will result in the development of sustainable regional centers.

Participants envision placing the staff in an existing nonprofit organization which would provide accounting, space, phones, receptions, and possibly clerical support.

Participants determined that staff should be located in Salem or Portland and expressed an initial preference for a Salem location. Howard Klink and Priscilla Gould were asked to explore the possibility of United Way of the Columbia Willamette serving as fiscal sponsor and employer for the OR211 staff, while United Way in Salem would be ask to provide office space and support in Salem.

Participants identified OCF as their first back-up strategy in the event that the United Way plan described above proves unworkable. Howard and Priscilla will report to the board at its December meeting.

V. Strategies to Build State Support and Buy-in:

Participants identified issues and strategies that need to be addressed to build state support:

  • May need to obtain public money already in counties and state agencies
  • Need to show we are really serving rural/eastern OR
  • DHS and HCS – might be asked to put money in
  • Availability of federal match would really help
  • Might appeal for money now spent marketing government programs
  • Get Governor’s active support
  • Involve: County Commissioners, Legislators [statewide], Association of Counties

VI. Board Structure:

Participants reviewed the current Board structure requirements in the OR211 bylaws:

  • 8 members which should include but not be limited to representatives of CADO, OCADSV, and each 211 center
  • By-laws allow from 5-15 board members

Participants brainstormed ideas for the board OR211 will need in the next few years:

  • Geographic representation- reflect the entire state
  • Consider whether to include consumers and /or advocates
  • Be less specific on represented groups – use “potential partners” system
  • Individuals with relationships with business, faith communities, civic organizations and leaders
  • Members with political clout
  • Members with access to philanthropic resources

Participants identified 4 possible options for the composition of the Board, including:

Option A

1/3 211 service providers

2/3 statewide types

Option B

Make those with interest—211 providers and partners become Advisory Committee

Board would be leaders for developing OR211

15 members—Business, political, philanthropic, OEM liaison

Option C

1/3 Service providers

1/3 Business/civic/political/ Telco

1/3 consumers and advocates

Option D

Regional representation required

½ business—Telco, private sector call centers, civic, legislators, strategic partners

½ service providers and consumers [with barriers]—be sure to have state perspective

With Advisory Committee—typical task force

Conclusion: Board Composition Goal

Evolve from current mix to engaging advisors for specific projects

To eventually become:

  • ½ business/civic/philanthropic
  • ½ 211 providers and partners, statewide/consumers

VII. Tasks:

  1. Howard and Priscilla will investigate the proposed “home” for OR211 staff and recommend decision to Board in December.
  2. Explore potential funders and prepare grant applications:
    • Stephen will draft a 2 page concept paper,
    • Board members will do some on-line editing of the concept paper,
    • Leadership Team on the funding effort will involve Jeri, UW, Southern Oregon
  3. Jeri will coordinate Board activity before staff is obtained. She will organize December board meeting, including asking board members to consider who should take leadership of the board. The Board will elect a chair for 2007 at the December board meeting.
  4. OEM will provide space for December meeting.
  5. Coordinate efforts on database and regional centers –continue development before staffing
  6. Meet with OEM Director to lay out plans and working relationship
    • Find way to get liaison to OR211 at OEM identified
    • Get other state agencies to buy in with money for OEM
    • Jeri, David, Kathleen, Jonathon and Ellen will provide leadership on this effort
  7. Develop policy on number of regions and process for affiliation/designation, and create analysis on what’s already planned, propose plan for rest of the state. Wendy will draft plan for board review, drawing upon work done earlier.
  8. Database sub-committee tasks
    • Shawn will convene with participation by Len, Kathleen, Jimi, June
    • Figure out how integration will happen
    • Need to understand what’s happening at state level at DAS
    • Ellen could talk with DAS to gain understanding and support within state government
    • Recognize that ownership and money for maintenance will be key issues

VIII. Next Meeting:

9am-noon in Salem December 12th

IX. Loose ends

Participants identified loose ends which they will need to deal with at future meetings:

  • Local government contact strategy
  • Legislative session—tracking/initiating
  • Relationships between 211s and volunteer centers or other strategies for volunteer coordination for community emergencies
  • Need to decide whether OR211 will have a state position on 211s and volunteer connections for community emergency response capacity?
  • Need board member recruitment

X. Timeline for Creation of Oregon 211

Participants reviewed the history of the effort to create Oregon 211:

  • NIRA (National Information and Referral Alliance) – formed around 2000
  • NWAIRS (NW Alliance of Information and Referral Services) — formed around 2000
  • July 2000- Federal Communications Commission requires reserving 211 for I&R services
  • Oregon conversations about 211 begin —2001
  • Ad Hoc group formed to explore 211
  • OR211 Steering Committee formed—2002
  • UW Columbia-Willamette begins supports efforts to establish 211 services—2002-2003
  • Gates Foundation awards grant to help OR and WA—04
  • OR211 incorporated
  • UW of America grant to do start-up work on OR211
  • Business plan for OR211 completed
  • OR State legislation establishing 211
  • DAS adds 211#--2003
  • Statewide Summit – 2003
  • Proposal to Murdock Trust says no to OR211 proposal—January 2005
  • 4 regions identified: metro, Southern OR, Deschutes County, Lane County
  • Consider Idaho/Washington connections as best strategy for Eastern OR211 services
  • Ford Family Foundation helps Southern OR get started on 211—2005
  • OR211 Tech committee recommends software—2004
  • OR211 Board begin to settle and focus—2005-2006
  • 501(c)(3) status obtained 2006
  • 10 current Board members—all slots are representatives of organizations except for Shawn
  • $8000 obtained for 2006

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