§752. Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the council shall include but not be limited to the following:

(1) To assist in the development of state plans to include the establishment of goals and priorities for meeting the needs of persons with developmental disabilities.

(2) To review programs and policies that affect persons with developmental disabilities, identify gaps and barriers to services, and assist in prevention of duplicative programs and services.

(3) To promote public understanding of the needs and contributions of persons with developmental disabilities.

(4) To develop, maintain, and disseminate information models, findings, conclusions, and recommendations to enhance assistance and opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities.

(5) To collaborate with the Louisiana Protection and Advocacy System.

(6) To collaborate with the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service.

(7) To promote legislation to improve services to persons with developmental disabilities and monitor the passage and implementation of legislation affecting persons with developmental disabilities.

(8) To monitor the provision of services to persons with developmental disabilities.

(9) To provide funding to state and local agencies to demonstrate innovative ways to enhance the independence, productivity, and integration into the community of persons with developmental disabilities.

(10) To develop a council plan annually which contains goals and objectives for the council.

(11) To monitor and evaluate at least annually the implementation of the council's plan.

(12) To report regularly to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the governor, the legislature, and other state agencies and organizations on the progress of programs for persons with developmental disabilities.

(13) To enhance coordination among public and private agencies by conducting studies and developing model policies and procedures.

(14) To train persons with developmental disabilities, family members, and personnel, to obtain access to or to provide services and other assistance, including specialized services, or special adaptations of generic services for persons with developmental disabilities and their families.

(15) To develop and monitor implementation of the Community and Family Support System plan (R.S. 28:821 et seq.).

(16) To administer the federal Developmental Disabilities Act in the state.

(17) The council shall implement the state plan by conducting and supporting advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities such as those described below:

(a) The council may support and conduct outreach activities to identify individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who otherwise might not come to the attention of the council and assist and enable the individuals and families to obtain services, individualized support, and other forms of assistance, including access to special adaptation of generic community services or specialized services.

(b) The council may support and conduct training for persons who are individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and personnel, including professionals, paraprofessionals, students, volunteers, and other community members, to enable such persons to obtain access to, or to provide, community services, individualized support, and other forms of assistance, including special adaptation of generic community services or specialized services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. To the extent that the council supports or conducts training activities under this Subparagraph, such activities shall contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this Chapter.

(c) The council may support and conduct technical assistance activities to assist public and private entities to contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this Chapter.

(d) The council may support and conduct activities to assist neighborhoods and communities to respond positively to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families:

(i) By encouraging local networks to provide informal and formal supports.

(ii) Through education.

(iii) By enabling neighborhoods and communities to offer such individuals and their families access to and use of services, resources, and opportunities.

(e) The council may support and conduct activities to promote interagency collaboration and coordination to better serve, support, assist, or advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

(f) The council may support and conduct activities to enhance coordination of services with:

(i) Other councils, entities, or committees, authorized by federal or state law concerning individuals with disabilities, such as the state interagency coordinating council established under Subtitle (C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq., the State Rehabilitation Council and the Statewide Independent Living Council established under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq., the state mental health planning council established under Subtitle (B) of Title XIX of the Public Health Service Act , 42 U.S.C. 300x-1 et seq., and the activities authorized under Section 101 or 102 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, 29 U.S.C. 3011, 3012, and entities carrying out other similar councils, entities, or committees.

(ii) Parent training and information centers under Part (D) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., and other entities carrying out federally funded projects that assist parents of children with disabilities.

(iii) Other groups interested in advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities to benefit individuals with disabilities.

(g) The council may support and conduct activities to eliminate barriers to access and use of community services by individuals with developmental disabilities, enhance systems design and redesign, and enhance citizen participation to address issues identified in the state plan.

(h) The council may support and conduct activities to educate the public about the capabilities, preferences, and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and to develop and support coalitions that support the policy agenda of the council, including training in self-advocacy, education of policymakers, and citizen leadership skills.

(i) The council may support and conduct activities to provide information to policymakers by supporting and conducting studies and analysis, gathering information, and developing and disseminating model policies and procedures, information, approaches, strategies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The council may provide the information directly to federal, state, and local policymakers, including congress, the federal executive branch, the governors, state legislatures, and state agencies, in order to increase the ability of such policymakers to offer opportunities and to enhance or adapt generic services to meet the needs of, or provide specialized services to, individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

(j) The council may support and conduct, on a time-limited basis, activities to demonstrate new approaches to serving individuals with developmental disabilities that are a part of an overall strategy for systemic change. The strategy may involve the education of policymakers and the public about how to deliver effectively, to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, services, supports, and assistance that contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this Chapter. The council may carry out the provisions of this Subparagraph by supporting and conducting demonstration activities through sources of funding other than funding provided under this Chapter, and by assisting entities conducting demonstration activities to develop strategies for securing funding from other sources.

(k) The council may support and conduct other advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities to promote the development of a coordinated, consumer and family-centered, consumer and family-directed, comprehensive system of community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this Chapter.

Added by Acts 1982, No. 528, §1. Acts 1984, No. 350, §1, eff. Sept. 1, 1984; Acts 1989, No. 378, §1; Acts 1989, No. 515, §1, eff. July 1, 1989; Acts 1995, No. 369, §1; Acts 2001, No. 638, §1, eff. June 22, 2001.