30:6E-5 Functions, duties of office.

5. a. The office shall serve as the single point of entry within State government for persons with disabilities who are seeking assistance and who do not meet the requirements for disability-specific programs currently located in the department or another agency of State government. The office shall operate a toll-free telephone service to provide a comprehensive information and referral system for persons with disabilities and their families and those who serve and advocate for them, as well as members of the general public, and shall periodically publish a Statewide directory of disability services.

b. The office shall operate as the State-level coordinating body between all agencies of State government providing services to persons with disabilities and shall serve as a locus within State government for the interests of persons with disabilities and their families.

c. The office shall serve as the primary liaison within State government to the county offices for the disabled and shall provide technical assistance to the county offices and seek to establish an electronic network which connects it to each of the county offices. In addition, the director shall work with those counties which do not maintain an office for the disabled to establish such an office and shall seek federal, foundation and other grant funding to establish or enhance county offices for the disabled.

d. The office shall administer the personal assistance services program established pursuant to the "Personal Assistance Services Act," P.L.1987, c.350 (C.30:4G-13 et seq.) and seek to coordinate all other publicly funded programs which provide personal assistance or other home-based services to persons with disabilities. The office shall also operate such State, federal or foundation-funded demonstration programs as may be determined by the commissioner.

e. The commissioner shall establish an advisory and policy development board to make recommendations to the director on policy and operations of the office. The membership of the board shall reflect a broad spectrum of disabilities and shall include representation from among the following: persons with disabilities, family members of persons with disabilities, service providers and organizations or agencies which advocate for persons with disabilities. The members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

L.1999,c.91,s.5.