The council shall have the following duties and authority:

(1) To define the roles and responsibilities of all participating departments.

(2) To adopt rules for the internal operation of the council.

(3) To recommend to the lead agency the appointment of additional members to serve on the council as deemed necessary and appropriate.

(4) To develop a long-range plan, reviewed semiannually, for a comprehensive countywide system of care, which, to the extent practical, is derived from scientific based research and nationally recognized best practices. The council shall provide a copy of the plan and a detailed summary of any progress toward implementation of the plan to the lead agency annually. The plan should include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

a. The elimination of barriers to identifying and reporting elder abuse, such as duplicative or fragmented policies which may require modification.

b. The development of a coordinated program of services for victims of elder abuse, to include the identification, intervention, prevention, and prosecution of the crime of elder abuse.

c. A comprehensive fiscal review and analysis with recommendations for county spending on programs and services for elder abuse prevention.

d. The identification of annual action steps toward implementation.

(5) To ensure council collaboration, public participation, and mutual sharing of information to facilitate policy decisions and the implementation of a plan for a comprehensive countywide system of care to those at risk for elder abuse.