Initiative Overview

BC 211 Initiative

Presented by:

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What we will cover:

1. What is 211

2. Progress to date & current status

3. What next, and how does this involve you?

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What is 211?

The 211 service is an integrated telephone and web system of help for information about community services.

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Distinct Yet Complementary

211 Community information & referral

311 Municipal gov’t services & police non-emergency

411 Directory assistance

511 Canada: reserved but not assigned. US: traffic information

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Distinct Yet Complementary

611 Telephone repair assistance

711 Message relay service

811 Telecommunications service providers’ business offices (Canada). US: contractors & others to call before conducting excavation activities

911 Emergency services

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Who would call 211:

•A senior citizen wanting home care support to live independently.

•A recent immigrant needing language & employment training.

•A family searching for child care services in their community or close to work.

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Who would call 211:

•A concerned neighbour trying to help a friend in an abusive relationship.

•A family trying to find services for their son with a newly diagnosed illness.

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Canada’s 211 Initiative Goal

To ensure that one-third of Canadians in at least five provinces have access to 211 by 2008, and to extend 211 to all Canadians by 2011.

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The 211 Success Story

• 211 serves over 55% of the US population--163 million people—through 187 active systems in 38 states (including 14 states with 100% coverage) plus Puerto Rico.

• 211 system serves 15% of the Canadian population through centres in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Niagara and Simcoe.

• In early 2006, Quebec City will commence service, becoming the world’s first 211 centre operating primarily in French.

• By the end of 2006, Canada’s first province-wide 211 service is expected to be up and running in Nova Scotia.

2-1-1 serves approximately 163 million Americans - over 55% of the US population; 187 active 2-1-1 systems covering all or part of 38 states (including 13 states with 100% coverage) plus

Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

WA

OR

CA

NV

ID

MT

WY

UT

AZ

ND

SD

NE

KSCO

NM TX

OK

MN

IA

MO

AR

LAMS

AL

GA

WI

ILIN

OHPA

KY

TN NC

FL

VA

ME

NYMI

NH

MA

CT

RI

NJ MD

DE

AK

HI

WV

VT

2-1-1 Centers operating Statewide Implementation Operational phase Planning Phase

SC

http://www.211.org

DC

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PR

February 2006

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211 serves the public interest

1. Provides a cost-effective & efficient way for people to navigate the complex maze of human services agencies and programs.

2. Connects people seeking services or volunteer opportunities with appropriate community based organizations and government agencies.

3. Supports prevention & fosters self-sufficiency by making services easier to access.

4. Helps efficiently allocate resources by identifying service gaps & emerging local needs by collecting call data.

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U.S. Cost Benefit Study

• 211 would ultimately provide American taxpayers up to $1.1 billion in net value over the next 10 years.

• The benefits of 211 systems increase over time, as new, innovative uses are employed

for the number.

University of Texas Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources for United Way of America

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Canadian Cost-Benefit Study

• A Canadian 211 system would provide significant savings for individuals, government and other organizations, with total benefits exceeding total costs by a factor of more than two to one.

• A baseline scenario of 10 information centres providing around the clock service, found a net present value (NPV) of $202 M.

Deloitte for United Way Canada

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BC Cost-Benefit Study

• A provincial 211 system in BC could provide total benefits that outweighed total costs by a factor of 2.4 to 1 and a NPV of $38.9M over 10 years.

• The annual benefits, when the system has reached capacity, are expected to be $11.6M while ongoing costs to operate the system are expected to be $4.9M.

Deloitte for United Way of the Lower Mainland

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The Value of 211

A sustained $11.6M of annual social benefits from a province-wide BC 211 solution would impact individuals, organizations, and taxpayers.

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The Value of 211

To provide additional analysis, a range of annual benefits was calculated. The total annual benefits range from $11.6M to $58.8M.

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Qualitative Benefits*

Individual & I&Rs•Self Reliance•Early Intervention•Support for Homelessness Initiatives• Improved Staff Job Satisfaction•Reinforce Social Safety Net•Multi-language support

*BC 211 Business Case - Deloitte

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Qualitative Benefits*

Government• Reduced Government 1-800 Lines• Reduced Volume to Government 1-800 Lines• Reduced Calls to Politician Offices• Improved Customer Service by Government

*BC 211 Business Case - Deloitte

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Overall 211 will offer:

• Improved Service• Improved Program Reach• Proactive Service Provision• Community Building • Timely Information • 311 Alternative

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BC 211 Development Phases

1) INITIATION PHASE• Awareness/education • Partners come together 

2) COLLABORATIVE PHASE• Business Plan Development

3) PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING PHASE• Partnership agreements in place• Select viable model & develop

plan for implementation• Funding in place for

implementation

4) OPERATIONAL PHASE• Next phase plan approval

Completed

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Who is involved?

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Collaborative Phase Achievements

Steering committeeFunding for Business PlanBusiness PlanAwarenessSupport for Partnership Phase

Section 3.1 – BC 211 Projected Call Volumes

Extensive experience with 211 across North America indicate that call volumes can be projected based upon a number of factors:

• population – the standard formula used is 8% of the population will call 211 1.3 times in a year once the system is fully operational

• adoption rate – an increasing adoption rate year over year based on phased roll out and increasing marketing and awareness

Section 3.2 Recommended Operating Model – 2 Regional Centres and optional 2 remote

centres…*

Call Centre 1Lower Mainland (ISV)

Serves Fraser & Vancouver Coastal

Pop: 2.4MCalls: 268,000

Main Site - Full Hardware

Call Centre 2Okanagan (TBD)Serves Interior BC

Pop: 733,000Calls: 76,000

Secondary Site – Full Hardware

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

BC 211 Database

Data Partners

BC 211 Database

Data Partners

WAN

Remote CentreVan Island (TBD)Serves Van Island

Pop: 740,000Calls: 77,000

Remote Site – T1 Link

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

Remote CentreVan Island (TBD)Serves Van Island

Pop: 740,000Calls: 77,000

Remote Site – T1 Link

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

Remote CentrePrince George (TBD)Serves Northern BC

Pop: 316,000Calls: 33,000

Remote Site – T1 Link

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

Remote CentrePrince George (TBD)Serves Northern BC

Pop: 316,000Calls: 33,000

Remote Site – T1 Link

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

* 8 #

PSTN

Call Routing

211 Callers

PSTN

Call Routing

211 Callers *BC 211 Final Report and Business Plan – IBM Business Consulting Services

Section 4 - Implementation Roadmap*

Four phases were identified for the development and implementation of BC 211, the first two of which have been completed.

• Phase 1 - Project Initiation Phase / October 2004 – May 2005

• Phase 2 - Collaboration Phase / June 2005 – November 2005

*BC 211 Final Report and Business Plan – IBM Business Consulting Services

Section 4 - Implementation Roadmap*

Phase 3 and 4 are scheduled to kick off in January 2006 and are contingent on the availability of new funding.

• Phase 3 - Partnership Development & Planning Phase / January 2006 – April 2006

• Phase 4 - Implementation Phase / April 2006 – July 2008

*BC 211 Final Report and Business Plan – IBM Business Consulting Services

Section 7 – Financial Projections - Summary of Cost Estimates*

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Yr 0 Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Total

Startup

1,648,00

0 980,000 282,000  - - - 2,910,000

Ongoing  1,963,934

3,552,894

4,200,241

4,501,003

4,815,547

19,033,619

Total Yearly Costs

1,648,000

2,943,934

3,834,894

4,200,241

4,501,003

4,815,547

21,943,619

Net Present Value

1,648,000

2,850,539

3,595,432

3,813,036

3,956,442

4,098,642

19,962,091

Cost per call   $15.68 $10.71 $9.25 $8.74 $8.35  

Cost per capita N/A $0.68 $0.89 $0.96 $1.02 $1.09  

*BC 211 Final Report and Business Plan – IBM Business Consulting Services

Partnership Phase ProjectBC 211 Initiative

Status Update

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BC 211 Initiative

The goal of the BC 211 Initiative is province–wide, free, and confidential, access to information about non-emergency social, health, government and community services through an effective, efficient, and sustainable 211 service.

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BC 211 Objectives

• To connect British Columbians to services

• To provide mechanism to navigate services

• To compile and maintain information

• To establish 211 as the first point of contact

• To achieve government's commitment

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BC 211 Objectives

• To promote value of social service sector in BC

• To enhance community planning

• To create economies of scale around

administration in the delivery of Information and

Referral services in British Columbia

• To meet the success criteria defined by the CRTC

• To be fully integrated in North America-wide 211

service delivery system.

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Where BC 211 Development is at Today

1) INITIATION PHASE• Awareness/education • Partners come together 

2) COLLABORATIVE PHASE• Business Plan Development

3) PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING PHASE• Partnership agreements in place• Select viable model & develop

plan for implementation• Funding in place for

implementation

4) OPERATIONAL PHASE• Next phase plan approval

Today

BC 211 - Phase Summary

Collaborative Phase(Business Plan Development)

ImplementationPhase

December2005

October2006

GovernanceOptions

Negotiation

PartnershipDevelopment Phase

FundingOptions

OperationalPhase

Go-Forward Governance(BC211 Board Directors?)

Current Governance (BC211 Steering Committee)

Informs

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How You Can Help

During the Partnership Phase, you can help by:•Copy to change as required

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To Learn More

Contact Us

Martin AddisonVice President, Organizational Planning

& OperationsPhone: (604) 268 - 1324E-mail:

martina@uwlm.ca

Mary ProdanovicManager, Organizational ProjectsPhone: (604) 268 - 1311E-mail: maryp@uwlm.ca

Links

The BC 211 Initiative: www.bc211.vcn.bc.ca

Canada: www.211.ca

America: www.211.org

(GOV’T CONTACT AS NEEDED)

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BC 211

Questions and Feedback

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BC 211

Thank you