(1) As provided in subsection (2) of this section, the state department shall submit written program evaluations to the health and environment committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee, and to the health and human services committee of the senate, or any successor committee, concerning home- and community-based services provided to children with autism pursuant to this part 8. The state department shall determine the appropriate process and procedures for conducting the evaluation, including procedures to protect a program participant's individually identifying information.

(2) (a) On or before June 1, 2013, the state department's evaluation shall include, at a minimum, information concerning:

(I) The number of eligible children receiving services or who have received services under the waiver program;

(II) The average and median age of eligible children when they begin receiving services and the average length of time that children receive services; and

(III) The average cost of services provided to an eligible child.

(b) On or before June 1, 2014, the state department's evaluation shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the design and implementation of the ongoing evaluation process pursuant to section 25.5-6-804 (8).

(c) (I) On or before June 1, 2015, and every June 1 thereafter, the state department's evaluation shall include an evaluation of eligible children's care plans and evaluations conducted at the beginning and ending of services, as well as ongoing evaluations during the course of services, to determine whether home- and community-based services provided pursuant to this part 8 are effective in meeting the goals of the waiver program, which goals include, but are not limited to:

(A) Serving the children most vulnerable to institutionalization without the services provided pursuant to this part 8;

(B) Keeping children out of institutions; and

(C) Demonstrating improvement in the child's expressive and receptive communication, adaptive skills, such as dressing and toileting, and a reduction in the severity of the child's maladaptive behavior, including self-injurious or aggressive behavior and tantrums, through the use of standardized and norm-referenced assessments.

(II) The state department may contract with an independent program evaluator with expertise in reviewing treatment progress reports, individual evaluations, and medical records for purposes of conducting the evaluation pursuant to this paragraph (c) concerning the effectiveness of the home- and community-based services provided pursuant to this part 8.