[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 198 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 198

Expressing support for the designation of May 7 as National Information 
                       and Referral Services Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2009

Mr. Terry submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of May 7 as National Information 
                       and Referral Services Day.

Whereas information and referral (I&R) services link the consumer with a need or 
        problem with the most appropriate service that can address that need or 
        solve that problem;
Whereas quality I&R services are the keystone point of entry to the entire human 
        services structure delivery system;
Whereas I&R services have been recognized in Federal legislation for more than 
        35 years since the 1973 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act of 
        1965 and subsequently included the establishment of the national 
        Eldercare Locator and the development of the Aging and Disability 
        Resource Center;
Whereas the United States is currently served by information and referral 
        through 2-1-1 programs, aging I&R services, Aging and Disability 
        Resource Centers, child care resource and referral services, military 
        family centers, and other specialty I&R services;
Whereas informed individuals who understand the variety of services available 
        are better equipped to make decisions;
Whereas in 1997, the National 2-1-1 Initiative was established with the United 
        Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, creating the first 24-hour telephone 
        information and referral service using the easy-to-remember 2-1-1 
        dialing code for access;
Whereas in 2000, the Federal Communications Commission reserved the 2-1-1 
        dialing code for community information and referral services, intended 
        as an easy-to-remember and universally recognizable number that would 
        act as a vital connection between individuals and families in need and 
        appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies, 
        including in times of disaster;
Whereas the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems has been providing 
        professional standards and credentialing programs for those operating 
        I&R services;
Whereas expanding access to information about and referrals to services provides 
        individuals with lower-cost and safer options for managing their needs, 
        and is likely to reduce confusion, frustration, and inaccessibility to 
        services; and
Whereas requests for assistance through Information and Referral and 2-1-1's 
        have increased across the country due to the economic crisis: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of a National 
        Information and Referral Services Day to raise public awareness 
        about the existence and importance of information and referral 
        services available to all Americans and to more effectively 
        target these services to reach those most in need;
            (2) supports activities in communities across the Nation 
        involving schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and 
        other entities to ensure information and referral services are 
        part of everyday life, including emergency preparedness; and
            (3) reaffirms the importance of clear and consistent 
        professional standards to govern every aspect of quality 
        information and referral services.
                                 <all>