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Board hears 2-1-1 Connecting Point presentation; asks staff to coordinate follow-up and cost estimate
Summary
Representatives from Nevada Sierra Connecting Point briefed the board on 2-1-1 services and disaster support; supervisors asked staff to convene local stakeholders and requested a cost estimate for activating 2-1-1 in Sierra County.
Representatives from Nevada Sierra Connecting Point (Connecting Point) described their 2-1-1 information-and-referral service, emergency-call capabilities, and additional programs that could be available to Sierra County residents.
Lindsey Gordon, program manager, and Executive Director Tim Giuliani explained 2-1-1 is a 24/7 free and confidential service reachable by dialing 211 (or a backup number) and by text during business hours. They said the service provides information and referrals, crisis intervention warm transfers, follow-up for seniors and people in crisis, coordinated-entry homelessness intake, CalFresh/Medi-Cal help, disaster-ready materials, PSPS care coordination, travel training, and reporting tools for unmet needs. They noted the program already serves neighboring rural counties and that Plumas is joining their service area.
Nut graf: Supervisors expressed interest in a tailored rollout for Sierra County (disaster-only activation and referral services were discussed) and asked Connecting Point and county staff to coordinate a follow-up meeting with local stakeholders to scope services and to prepare a cost estimate; Connecting Point staff said the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) switching/activation cost to turn on a 2-1-1 short code had been about $8,000 in a neighboring county, a one-time expense the board would need to consider.
Board direction: Supervisors asked Connecting Point to send printed materials and the slide deck to county staff and asked staff to convene a stakeholder group (including Office of Emergency Services, social services, nonprofits and supervisors) to determine which 2-1-1 functions to request and whether grant or OES funding might cover initial CPUC/telecom costs. The board asked for a recommendation and potential cost-sharing options at the next meeting in two weeks.
Ending: Connecting Point will send a materials packet; staff will schedule a stakeholder meeting and return recommendations (and a CPUC-cost estimate) to the board for a possible action item at the next meeting.
