NY A07381

Establishes the 2-1-1 essential community services hotline system under the oversight of the Office of Children and Family Services, designating 2-1-1 New York (the nonprofit designated by the Public Service Commission in 2010) to operate the system

Requires 2-1-1 to be available statewide 24/7 with language assistance for non-English speakers, providing referrals for basic needs (food, housing, utilities), health insurance programs, behavioral health services, job training, childcare, and support for older adults and persons with disabilities

Mandates 2-1-1 call centers maintain annually validated databases of community providers, offer access via telephone, text, and internet, and coordinate with the 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline and 9-1-1 emergency services

Requires community resource specialists to be accredited by Inform USA and trained in professional information and referral quality indicators

Directs the Office of Children and Family Services to submit annual reports to the governor and legislative leaders beginning April 1st following the effective date, tracking total assistance requests by region, categories of services requested, average response times, and call abandonment rates