(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, an agency or organization shall be approved by 2-1-1 Maryland as a 2-1-1 Maryland call center in order to provide 2-1-1 services in the State.
(b) When approving a 2-1-1 service provider, 2-1-1 Maryland shall consider:
(1) The ability of the proposed 2-1-1 service provider to meet the national 2-1-1 standards recommended by:
(i) The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems and adopted by the National 2-1-1 Collaborative; or
(ii) An equivalent entity;
(2) The financial stability of the proposed 2-1-1 service provider;
(3) Any community support for the proposed 2-1-1 service provider;
(4) Any experience that the proposed 2-1-1 service provider has with other information and referral services;
(5) The degree to which the county in which the proposed call center is to be located has dedicated substantial resources to the establishment of a single telephone source for non-emergency inquiries regarding county services; and
(6) Any other criteria that 2-1-1 Maryland considers appropriate.
(c) If an agency of the State that provides health and human services establishes a public information telephone line or hotline, the agency shall consult with 2-1-1 Maryland about using the 2-1-1 system to provide public access to information.