SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12
(By Senators Kessler, Oliverio, Edgell, Hunter and Sharpe)
Requesting the Public Service Commission designate "211" as the
three-digit access number for nonemergency community service
referrals throughout West Virginia.
Whereas, Many cities host numerous social service
organizations and often these services are not listed in the phone
book by service; and
Whereas, Many people in crisis, such as alcoholics and drug
addicts seeking rehabilitation or runaway teenagers seeking youth
counselors, may not call "911" and "311" numbers because they
prefer not to talk with law-enforcement officers; and
Whereas, Some people in crisis are not able to search for
phone numbers at all because they may be illiterate, non-English
speaking, elderly or incapacitated by natural disaster or other
crisis; and
Whereas, Setting aside a "211" number would give people one
number to call rather than having to call numerous agencies searching for appropriate help and would help provide services more
efficiently by using centralized community planning; and
Whereas, A "211" number would build on existing infrastructure
by allowing social service organizations joining the coalition to
utilize the joint experience of almost 1,000 Association of
Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) members and 1,400 United
Way members across the country; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Public Service
Commission designate "211" as the three-digit access number for
nonemergency community service referrals throughout West Virginia;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Public Service
Commission and to Verizon and other phone service providers in the
state.
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