Richard Lapratt
Executive Director, 211
United Way of Metro Chicago
With more than twenty years of experience in the non-profit sector, Richard LaPratt has worked in both management and consulting capacities in several states (Michigan, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois). Over the past two decades, Mr. LaPratt has overseen more than 500 employees at eight different 211 Contact Centers covering a combined population of more than 35 million people.
As part of the 211 system in South Carolina alone, Mr. LaPratt was responsible for more than $12 million in state contracts, including the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS), Medicaid Intake services, State Clinic Appointment Handling for all Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Clinics, as well as overseeing the Department of Social Services (DSS) SNAP Intake project, in addition to United Way’s 211 system, handling more than 3.3 million contacts per annum.
Mr. LaPratt has assisted 211 contact centers in meeting the needs of their populations during regular periods as well as during disasters. His work encompassed operations in the impacted communities in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005), H1N1 (2009), Deep Impact Oil Spill (2009), Hurricane Isaac (2012), the SC Flooding Event (2015), Hurricane Matthew (2016), as well as the most recent COVID-19 Epidemic (2020-present), and the localized flooding events in the City of Chicago (July 2023) and Suburban Cook County (Sept 2023).
In the past twenty years, he has completed nine successful AIRS/Inform USA Accreditations for multiple centers in several states (FL, LA, and PA). While his expertise is in AIRS/Inform USA Accreditation, Mr. LaPratt also achieved accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology for VIA LINK in New Orleans, receiving several “best practices” ratings for their work with individuals in crisis. Mr. LaPratt has also served as an AIRS Accreditation Site Reviewer, as well as a trained ASIST Crisis Specialist.
For the past two years, Mr. LaPratt has served as the Executive Director for 211 Metro Chicago, where they have handled more than 420,000 contacts, as well as expanded their services to include disaster referrals and homelessness prevention intake services.
As part of the 211 system in South Carolina alone, Mr. LaPratt was responsible for more than $12 million in state contracts, including the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS), Medicaid Intake services, State Clinic Appointment Handling for all Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Clinics, as well as overseeing the Department of Social Services (DSS) SNAP Intake project, in addition to United Way’s 211 system, handling more than 3.3 million contacts per annum.
Mr. LaPratt has assisted 211 contact centers in meeting the needs of their populations during regular periods as well as during disasters. His work encompassed operations in the impacted communities in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005), H1N1 (2009), Deep Impact Oil Spill (2009), Hurricane Isaac (2012), the SC Flooding Event (2015), Hurricane Matthew (2016), as well as the most recent COVID-19 Epidemic (2020-present), and the localized flooding events in the City of Chicago (July 2023) and Suburban Cook County (Sept 2023).
In the past twenty years, he has completed nine successful AIRS/Inform USA Accreditations for multiple centers in several states (FL, LA, and PA). While his expertise is in AIRS/Inform USA Accreditation, Mr. LaPratt also achieved accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology for VIA LINK in New Orleans, receiving several “best practices” ratings for their work with individuals in crisis. Mr. LaPratt has also served as an AIRS Accreditation Site Reviewer, as well as a trained ASIST Crisis Specialist.
For the past two years, Mr. LaPratt has served as the Executive Director for 211 Metro Chicago, where they have handled more than 420,000 contacts, as well as expanded their services to include disaster referrals and homelessness prevention intake services.
