Community Supports
Information, assistance & referral
In 1999, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and other agencies conducted a series of regional planning forums. The need for increased information and referral was voiced at every local planning forum in Texas.
In 2001, the same series of forums asked the question, "What issues still exist or need improvement?" Access to program and service information was a common response to this question in most of the forums. The Commission has responded to this need by creating an Enterprise Strategy dedicated to Information and Referral. The strategy, as stated in the 2003-2008 HHS Coordinated Strategic Plan, is to "continue to improve the availability of information about services by implementing the statewide information and referral system and providing agency outreach and education".
In 1999, the Texas Legislature (76th Session) passed Senate Bill 374 that required the Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC), Texas Department of Human Services, the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the Texas Department on Aging, and other health and human service agencies to work together to assist communities in developing, at their request, comprehensive, community-based support and service-delivery systems to help clients obtain the full range of long-term services and supports available in their communities.
AAAs have taken a leadership role in this area, mobilizing broad-based planning initiatives for access and assistance in their individual regions. Their efforts have been supported through technical support from HHSC and other health and human service agencies.
The Texas Information and Referral Network (TIRN) ) is an established network of state, regional, and local organizations working together in a public-private partnership to collect and share community resource information across Texas . The TIRN consists of 25 geographically dispersed, community-based area information centers (AICs) that provide statewide access to information on health and human services. Many of the AICs are housed within the AAAs and Council of Governments (COGs).
In Texas , the 2-1-1 system includes governmental resources, as well as other public and private services available in the community. Through 2-1-1, agency staff increases their knowledge about programs available through other agencies. The system also allows service providers to pool resources and brings visibility to information and referral initiatives. The telecommunications infrastructure has been designed to support a 2-1-1 system wherein a small, rural AIC with limited resources has the same robust capacity to respond to 2-1-1 calls as a larger, metropolitan AIC. Thus, the 2-1-1 system allows for resource sharing among AICs to deliver the most cost-effective and efficient system. Texas is providing a model for the nation in statewide development of the public/private partnership of 2-1-1.
The 2-1-1 system was designed to provide consumers a simple, easy-to-remember number to call when they need help accessing health and human services. A central number allows consumers to find the services they need with fewer calls. The 2-1-1 resource also ensures that consumers are directed immediately to the appropriate service contact, or are referred to an information and referral specialist. Furthermore, the 2-1-1 service is accessible 24 hours a day.
Communities in Texas agree on the need for agencies and organizations
to create plans to:
1) utilize a consistent protocol, including common intake and
referral forms;
2) be sensitive to client confidentiality as information is shared across
organizations;
3) use similar technology across agencies to support sharing of information
such as client intake, referrals, assessments, and other forms of client management;
4) utilize ongoing resources to support technology adaptations, targeted
staff training, and specialized staffing.
Updated: November 2, 2007
