[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8520 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8520
To facilitate nationwide accessibility and coordination of 211 services
in order to provide information and referral to all individuals in the
United States for health and human services needs, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 27, 2026
Mr. McGarvey (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Correa, Mr. Garcia of
California, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Sykes, Mr. Frost, and Mr. Morelle)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To facilitate nationwide accessibility and coordination of 211 services
in order to provide information and referral to all individuals in the
United States for health and human services needs, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Human-Services Emergency Logistics
Program Act of 2026'' or the ``HELP Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. STRENGTHENING NATIONWIDE ACCESSIBILITY AND COORDINATION OF 211
SERVICES FOR INFORMATION AND REFERRAL FOR HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program
for the following purposes:
(1) To increase the capacity of 211 services in the States,
to ensure 211 services are directly accessible to all
individuals in each State.
(2) To increase coordination between 211, 988, and 911
service providers.
(3) To increase awareness and use of 211 services by the
public.
(b) Administration.--In carrying out the program under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall select one administering agency to assist the
Secretary in implementing such program.
(c) Allotments.--
(1) In general.--For the purpose specified in subsection
(a)(1), the Secretary shall, using funds made available under
section 6 and in consultation with the administering agency,
determine the amount to be made available for grants to
qualified 211 service entities in each State.
(2) Formula.--The Secretary shall develop a formula for
determining the total amount to be allotted for each State for
the grants referred to in paragraph (1). Such formula shall be
based on population, population density, poverty rate, and
other evidence-based predictive data related to the needs in
the State for, and access to, health and human services.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTERING AGENCY.
(a) Eligibility.--An entity is eligible to be selected as the
administering agency under this section if such entity is an
organization that--
(1) is described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of
such Code;
(2) has experience working with, and providing technical
assistance to, 211 service providers;
(3) has established relationships with local, community-
based organizations in each State; and
(4) has experience in disaster response and Federal grants
management (and the infrastructure required to manage such
grants).
(b) Duties of Administering Agency.--The duties of the
administering agency shall be--
(1) with respect to the purpose specified in section
2(a)(1)--
(A) to advise the Secretary on, and make
recommendations to, the Secretary with respect to State
allotments from amounts made available under section 6,
including the amount of each State allotment;
(B) to determine the amount of funding, on a State-
by-State basis, using the amount of each such State
allotment, to be made available to each of the
qualified 211 service entities in such State; and
(C) to award grants to such qualified 211 service
entities in each State under section 4;
(2) beginning with calendar year 2026 and not less
frequently than once every 5 calendar years thereafter, to
submit to the Secretary an evaluation of the network of 211
service providers throughout the United States that is
conducted in accordance with subsection (d);
(3) beginning with calendar year 2026 and each calendar
year thereafter, to submit to the Secretary the report under
subsection (d);
(4) with respect to the purpose specified in section
2(a)(2), to increase coordination among 211 service providers,
911 service providers, 988 service providers, and other
entities providing similar services; and
(5) with respect to the purpose specified in section
2(a)(3), to develop and implement a public awareness campaign
that--
(A) educates the public with respect to the
purpose, function, and use of 211 services; and
(B) ensures consistent messaging and branding
across 211 service providers.
(c) Shared Data Platforms.--The administering agency may use funds
reserved under section 6 to support shared data platforms, including
with respect to the integration or sharing of 211 resource and service-
level data.
(d) Application.--An eligible entity seeking to be selected as the
administering agency under this section shall submit to the Secretary
an application not less frequently than once every 10 years, at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require, including the following:
(1) How the eligible entity intends to--
(A) meet the goal of ensuring that every individual
in the United States with phone or internet service can
connect to 211 services at no charge; and
(B) meet the goal of ensuring availability,
throughout each State, of 211 information and referral
services with respect to health and human services.
(2) Information about the manner in which the entity will--
(A) select qualified 211 service entities to
receive a grant (or subgrant) under this Act;
(B) develop, sustain, and evaluate the 211 services
provided in the United States and work to ensure
sufficient 211 service provider capacity for answering
and responding to calls to 211;
(C) provide for increased coordination between 211,
911, and 988 systems and other entities providing
similar services to divert calls to mental health and
human services responders who can assist individuals
and link individuals with voluntary, community-based
services, as appropriate; and
(D) use annual 211 operational data to inform the
eligible entity's approach to assessing the program and
establishing oversight metrics.
(3) A certification that the entity will take all steps
necessary to ensure that all activities and information
provided by the qualified 211 service entities receiving grants
(or eligible 211 service provider receiving a subgrant)
pursuant to this Act will be directly accessible for purposes
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101
et seq.), section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794d), and part 1194 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations (or any successor regulations).
(e) Evaluation and Reports.--
(1) Evaluation.--
(A) In general.--The administering agency shall
award a contract to an independent entity to conduct
the evaluation specified in subsection (b)(2).
(B) Content.--The evaluation under subsection
(b)(2) shall address--
(i) barriers to access to 211 services;
(ii) effectiveness of 211 services at
connecting individuals to needed health and
human services;
(iii) the effectiveness of collaborations
among 211, 988, and 911 systems, and other
entities providing similar services;
(iv) the comprehensiveness of the
information in the 211 databases;
(v) public awareness of 211 services; and
(vi) user satisfaction with 211 services.
(2) Report.--The administering agency shall submit to the
Secretary a report on the program carried out under this
section, with information disaggregated by State and by each
eligible 211 service provider, which shall--
(A) describe the activities or services funded
through a grant by each qualified 211 service entity
receiving such a grant (or each eligible 211 service
provider receiving a subgrant);
(B) assess the effectiveness of such activities and
services in making available, to all residents of the
State, 211 services for information and referrals with
respect to health and human services;
(C) assess the effectiveness of collaboration with
resource and referral entities and service providers;
and
(D) describe the services to which individuals were
referred by eligible 211 service providers receiving
funding under this Act and any efforts to track the
effectiveness of such referrals.
SEC. 4. GRANTS TO 211 SERVICE ENTITIES TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
(a) In General.--The administering agency shall make grants to
qualified 211 service entities in a State to expand the availability
and accessibility of 211 services in the State.
(b) Use of Funds.--The administering agency shall, as a condition
on the receipt of funding under this Act, ensure that any qualified 211
service entity selected by the administering agency to receive a grant
using such funds, only use such grant for--
(1) the provision of 211 services via voice, short message
service, or other messaging, internet, or other communication
methods, including--
(A) the operation and maintenance of 211 contact
centers;
(B) increasing public awareness of 211 services in
the State in collaboration with 911 and 988 services
and other entities providing similar services;
(C) coordination of the State's 211 services,
including the collection, accessibility, and display of
information through information and referral databases;
(D) the conduct of statewide and regional planning
for the provision of 211 services; and
(E) any activities necessary to ensure that 211
services are directly accessible, consistent with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12101 et seq.), section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), and part 1194 of title 36,
Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor
regulations);
(2) the start-up costs of extending 211 services to
unserved areas, including costs of software and hardware
upgrades and telecommunications and internet costs;
(3) administrative costs, such as staffing, training, and
activities related to accreditation;
(4) infrastructure costs, including internet hosting and
site development and maintenance for an information and
referral database and the development and maintenance of cloud-
based data and messaging capacity;
(5) the evaluation of 211 service provider activities and
capacity;
(6) increasing coordination and collaboration--
(A) among 211 services within the State;
(B) with local 911 and 988 service providers; and
(C) with shared data platforms, including with
respect to the integration or sharing of resource and
service-level data;
(7) the preparation and submission of reports under State
reporting requirements and to the administering agency for
purposes of section 3(b)(4);
(8) innovations that support service delivery; and
(9) carrying out such other activities determined to be
appropriate by the administering agency.
(c) Selection.--
(1) In general.--
(A) State 211 networks.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), the administering agency shall award
the State allocation determined under section 3(b)(1)
to the eligible State 211 network in each State.
(B) Exception.--If the administering agency
determines there is no eligible State 211 network in a
State, the administering agency shall award grants from
the State allotment determined under section 3(b)(1)
directly to all eligible 211 service providers in such
State.
(2) Considerations.--In awarding grants to all eligible 211
service providers in a State under paragraph (1)(B), the
administering agency shall consider--
(A) the ability of the 211 service provider seeking
the grant to carry out activities in furtherance of the
provision of 211 services;
(B) the extent to which the award of the grant will
facilitate equitable geographic distribution of grants
to ensure that rural communities have access to 211
services; and
(C) the extent to which the award of the grant will
further the goals of--
(i) making available 211 services to all
individuals in a State via voice, short message
service, or other messaging, internet, or other
communication methods; and
(ii) increasing the provision of community
information and referral with respect to health
and human services, among individuals,
families, agencies seeking such services and
the providers of such services.
(3) Conditions.--The administering agency shall ensure that
each qualified 211 service entity submits an application and
agrees, as a condition on the receipt of funds under this
section--
(A) in making 211 services available, to the
maximum extent practicable, to--
(i) abide by the most recently issued
version of the Inform USA Standards and Quality
Indicators for Professional Information and
Referral or a comparable set of standards;
(ii) collaborate with public and private
organizations that provide health and human
services and existing national, regional, and
local information and referral systems to
provide an exhaustive and comprehensive
database of services that is maintained and
updated on a consistent basis from which to
provide information or referrals to individuals
using 211 services; and
(iii) ensure State-level coordination
across all 211 service providers in such State;
and
(B) to provide matching funds, in the form of cash
or in-kind contributions, from non-Federal sources in
an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the
amount of funds received by the entity under this
section.
(d) Administrative Costs for Certain States.--In the case of a
State described in subsection (c)(1)(B), the administering agency may
use, of the amount of the allocation determined for such State under
section 2(c), an amount determined by the administering agency
necessary to cover additional administrative expenses incurred by the
administering agency resulting from the lack of an eligible State 211
network in such State.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) 211 service.--The term ``211 service'' means providing
individuals with information and referrals, via voice
telephone, text telephone, short message service, text,
internet phone, or other communication methods, with respect to
health and human services and referrals to agencies providing
health and human services.
(2) Eligible 211 service provider.--The term ``eligible 211
service provider'' means a provider of 211 services that--
(A) is a nonprofit or governmental entity;
(B) has the capability (directly or through
contract with another entity) to provide such services
via phone at no charge to the consumer; and
(C) has access to the applicable State or local 211
dialing code.
(3) Qualified 211 service entity.--The term ``qualified 211
service entity'' means--
(A) an eligible State 211 network; and
(B) in the case of a State described in section
4(c)(1)(B), an eligible 211 service provider.
(4) Eligible state 211 network.--The term ``eligible State
211 network'' means a nonprofit entity that--
(A) represents all eligible 211 service providers
in a State; and
(B) provides coordination or infrastructure for
providers of 211 services, including--
(i) acting as a fiscal agent for State 211
funding; or
(ii) supporting information and referral
databases, phone systems, dashboards, web
access, or text and website chat tools.
(5) Health and human services.--The term ``health and human
services'' means services provided with respect to homelessness
and housing supports, veterans resources, food assistance,
disaster response and recovery resources, workforce
development, community health resources, mental health
resources, caregiving resources, domestic violence resources,
and other health and human service needs, that--
(A) assist individuals in becoming more self-
sufficient, in preventing dependency, and in
strengthening family relationships;
(B) address social determinants of health;
(C) support personal and social development; or
(D) help ensure the health and well-being of
individuals, families, and communities.
(6) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms ``Indian
Tribe'' and ``Tribal organization'' have the meanings given
such terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(7) State.--The term ``State'' means the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or an Indian
Tribe or Tribal organization.
SEC. 6. FUNDING.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $250,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2032, to remain available until expended.
(b) Reservation.--Of the amount made available under paragraph (1)
to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve not
more than 10 percent for administrative and coordinating activities by
the administering agency (including the expenditures referred to in
section 4(d)).
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