75-1101. 211 Information and Referral Network; Public Service Commission; award grant; application; eligibility; use; 211 Cash Fund; created; use; investment.

(1) For purposes of this section, 211 Information and Referral Network means a statewide information and referral network providing information to the public regarding disaster and emergency response and health and human services provided by public and private entities throughout the state.

(2) The Public Service Commission shall award a grant annually to a 211 Information and Referral Network which submits an application and meets the requirements of this section. The amount of each grant shall be three hundred thousand dollars.

(3) To be eligible for a grant, the 211 Information and Referral Network shall update the information and referral services on the network at least annually, shall geographically index the services to provide information on a county-by-county basis, and shall be accredited as meeting the standards for service delivery and quality by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems or a similar organization approved by the commission.

(4) The grant may be used to establish a web site which includes links to providers of health and human services, the name, address, and telephone number of any organization listed on the web site, a description of the type of services provided by the organization, and other information to educate the public about the health and human services available on a geographic basis. The grant may also be used to provide access to the network twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, through telephone access and web site access.

(5) There is hereby created the 211 Cash Fund. The fund shall be used solely for the purpose of providing grants pursuant to this section and associated administrative costs. All money received by the Public Service Commission for such grants shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to such fund. Any money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.

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