The Department shall be administered by a full-time Director appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. The Director, who shall report to the Mayor, shall be qualified by experience and training to carry out the purposes of this chapter. In addition to such other duties as may be lawfully imposed, the Director shall:

(1) Serve as the chief executive officer of the Department, organizing the Department for its efficient operation, including creating offices within the Department as necessary, and exercising any other powers necessary and appropriate to implement the provisions of the law;

(2) Hire, retain, and terminate such personnel as appropriate to perform the functions of the Department consistent with Chapter 6 of Title 1;

(3) Establish, through contracts and memoranda of agreement or understandings with governmental bodies, public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations, systems of care for adults, and for children, youth, and their families, as well as for other identified priority populations;

(4) Establish priorities for the delivery of mental health services and mental health supports, and develop plans for the operation and coordination of core services agencies and other providers, so as to encourage the development and expansion of preventive, rehabilitative, and consultative mental health services and mental health supports with an emphasis on continuity of care;

(5) In accordance with Chapter 5 of Title 2, issue and enforce all rules and regulations necessary and appropriate to the proper accomplishment of the mental health duties and functions imposed by this chapter;

(6) Execute contracts on behalf of the Department;

(7) Coordinate with the activities of the State Mental Health Planning Council, established pursuant to section 1914 of the Public Health Service Act, approved July 10, 1992 (106 Stat. 382; 42 U.S.C. § 300x-3) and Mayor’s Order 88-261, effective December 14, 1988; and

(8)(A) Publish an annual plan describing how the Department intends to provide or arrange for systems of care for adults and for children, youth, and their families and to serve the needs of priority populations; and

(B) In developing the annual plan, hold public forums in the community to solicit the input of residents of the District with regard to the need for present or additional mental health services and mental health supports.

(Dec. 18, 2001, D.C. Law 14-56, § 105, 48 DCR 7674.)

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 5 of Department of Mental Health Establishment Emergency Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-55, May 2, 2001, 48 DCR 4390).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 5 of Department of Mental Health Establishment Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-101, July 23, 2001, 48 DCR 7123).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 105 of Mental Health Service Delivery Reform Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-144, October 23, 2001, 48 DCR 9947).

For temporary (225 day) addition of section, see § 5 of Department of Mental Health Establishment Temporary Amendment Act of 2001 (D.C. Law 14-51, October 30, 2001, law notification 48 DCR 10807).

Establishment—District of Columbia State Mental Health Planning Council, see Mayor’s Order 2011-147, August 30, 2011 ( 58 DCR 7984).