(a) The Board of Developmental Disabilities Services is designated as the single state agency for the purpose of full participation under any federal act requiring the designation of a single state agency concerning planning, formulation, and implementation of programs, construction and operation of facilities, financing of facilities and programs, or otherwise pertaining to the obtaining and rendition of mental retardation services. However, this shall not be construed as depriving other public agencies of jurisdiction over or the right to plan for and control and operate programs that pertain to mental retardation services but which fall within the primary jurisdiction of other public agencies such as programs administered by the Arkansas School for the Deaf, Arkansas School for the Blind, State Board of Career Education, State Board of Education, Department of Health, and the Department of Human Services.

(b) The Board of Developmental Disabilities Services is authorized to coordinate the planning and implementation of mental retardation programs and institutional and community activities of all public agencies. However, this shall not be construed as depriving other public agencies of jurisdiction over or the right to plan for and control and operate programs that pertain to mental retardation services but which fall within the primary jurisdiction of other public agencies such as programs administered by the Arkansas School for the Deaf, Arkansas School for the Blind, State Board of Career Education, State Board of Education, Department of Health, and the Department of Human Services.

(c) Effective planning and coordination is essential to the public interest. In order to achieve this to the fullest extent possible, the Board of Developmental Disabilities Services is authorized to establish and promulgate regulations fixing standards for mental retardation programs and activities and to evaluate mental retardation programs and activities of public agencies.