A statewide Family Empowerment and Disability Council composed of the executive directors for the Family Empowerment Centers on Disability shall be established. Membership on the Family Empowerment and Disability Council may also include the Executive Director or representative from the Family Resource Centers, funded by the Department of Developmental Services, and from the parent centers funded by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.). The department shall contract with an outside entity experienced with developing a statewide technical assistance disability network. A base amount of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) shall be made available, from the annual appropriation made for the Family Empowerment Centers, to support the work of the council. The Family Empowerment and Disability Council shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

(a) Provide central coordination of training and information dissemination, content, and materials for Family Empowerment Centers on Disability.

(b) Develop a technical assistance system and activities in accordance with a plan developed in conjunction with the directors of the Family Empowerment Centers on Disability.

(c) Ensure that a periodic assessment and evaluation of the service delivery and management of each Family Empowerment Center on Disability conducted by Family Empowerment Center on Disability directors and includes on the assessment and evaluation team at least one parent advocate from another region. The goal shall be to improve center management and the quality and efficiency of services delivered.

(d) Assist each center to build its capacity to serve its geographic region.

(e) Develop uniform tracking and data collection systems, which are not duplicative and interface with existing special education data systems, to be utilized by each Family Empowerment Center on Disability.

(f) Establish outcome-based evaluation procedures and processes to be used by the State Department of Education.

(g) Conduct media outreach and other public education efforts to promote the goals of the Family Empowerment Centers on Disability.

(h) Support and coordinate system change advocacy efforts at the local, state, and national level.

(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 690, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002.)