A panel discussion on the creation of 211 LA County (formerly known as INFO LINE of Los Angeles) - the largest information and referral service in the nation. . . Panelists: . Frances Feldman, Sara Turnbull Matta, Marj Nichols, Toby Osos, Marj Wyatt, Esther Gillies. Interview Topics (01:08) -- Panel Introductions. (02:45) -- The founding of Info Line . (05:25) -- Study for Community Chest . (06:45) -- The importance of Social Service Exchange. (09:00) -- The importance of confidentiality . (10:11) -- Start-up of Welfare Information Service call center . (12:06) -- Distribution of first agency directory in 1945 . (12:55) -- The emphasis of mental health . (14:50) -- Short Doyle Act Formerly the Hume Act & the creation of the Department of Mental Health . (18:15) -- More on the 1945 Study of the Community Chest . (19:50) -- The board of the Welfare Information Service . (21:22) -- The formation of the Information and Referral Federation of LA County . (23:50) -- Study published to document the extent to which referral services were being provided . (29:13) -- The need for a central agency providing 24/7 service . (32:15) -- Costs of getting toll-free access for entire county . (34:50) -- Sandra Day O'Connor was the incorporating lawyer . (36:00) -- United Way of America National Report on referral services . (37:20) -- Los Angeles impact on national services . (39:15) -- Importance of the relationship between the public and the private sector . (39:45) -- The introduction of automated data processing in the information referral process . (42:00) -- Funding and budget for Info Line . (43:20) -- The rarity of county ownership . (45:20) -- Child Care Information Service Committee in Pasadena. (49:15) -- Support of telephone company . (50:30) -- Current staff and languages used at Info Line . (53:00) -- Volume of calls and measurement of dropped calls . (55:00) -- Answering calls for First Five . (57:30) -- Limitations and separate services for specializations such as Domestic Violence and Suicide Prevention . (01:00:45) -- Change in technology including 211 and Internet . (01:06:00) -- Limitations of statewide coverage. (01:08:00) -- Importance of taxonomy . (01:09:10) -- Budgetary issues and lack of volunteers . (01:10:25) -- Need for federal mandate for services like Info Line . (01:14:13) -- California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA) and the importance of archiving the history of social work . . Part 2: Interview with Julio Puchalt, Associate Director InfoLine . Interviewer: Esther Gillies, LCSW. Date: May 20, 2011. . (01:22:50) - Puchalt's early years with Info Line. (01:25:19) -- History of the transition from United Way Information and Referral Service to Info Line (211). (01:26:00) -- TRI Unit -- Telephone Referral Information Unit . (01:28:25) -- Study of Information and Referral Service and the Telephone Referral Information Unit revealed duplication of services -- led to the creation of Info Line in 1981. (01:29:50) -- Info Line's evolution of becoming a national leader in information and referral services. (01:30:40) -- Development of specialized lines such as Elder Abuse Hotline. (01:32:00) -- The Parenting Help Line with First 5 LA Commission . (01:33:30) -- Partnerships and funding . (01:35:45) -- Info Line usage and volume of calls . (01:38:20) -- Breakdown of caller gender, ethnicity and language . (01:39:30) -- The impact of technology . (01:40:45) -- Volatile nature of information -- need for accuracy verification . (01:41:50) -- Taxonomy of Human Services -- Categories . (01:43:20) -- Typical Info Line call procedure . (01:45:15) -- Current staffing as of 2011 . (01:45:45) -- Georgia Sales --Taxonomy Development . (01:46:25) -- Transition to 211 system Info Line (211) Panel Discussion. Led by Richard Thor. Panelists: Frances Feldman, Sara Turnbull Matta, Marj Nichols, Toby Osos, Marj Wyatt, Esther Gillies. Date of discussion: 8-6-08. Length of discussion: 1 hour and 32 minutes. DVD containing discussion. Part 2: (1:22:50) Interview with Julio Puchalt, Associate Director InfoLine. Interviewer: Esther Gillies, LCSW. Date: 5-20-11. Length of discussion: 20 minutes