(A) The director of developmental disabilities shall establish one or more programs for individuals under twenty-two years of age who have intensive behavioral needs, including such individuals with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The programs may include one or more medicaid waiver components that the director administers pursuant to section 5166.21 of the Revised Code. The programs may do one or more of the following:

(1) Establish models that incorporate elements common to effective intervention programs and evidence-based practices in services for children with intensive behavioral needs;

(2) Design a template for individualized education programs and individual service plans that provide consistent intervention programs and evidence-based practices for the care and treatment of children with intensive behavioral needs;

(3) Disseminate best practice guidelines for use by families of children with intensive behavioral needs and professionals working with such families;

(4) Develop a transition planning model for effectively mainstreaming school-age children with intensive behavioral needs to their public school district;

(5) Contribute to the field of early and effective identification and intervention programs for children with intensive behavioral needs by providing financial support for scholarly research and publication of clinical findings.

(B) The director of developmental disabilities shall collaborate with the medicaid director and consult with the executive director of the Ohio center for autism and low incidence and university-based programs that specialize in services for individuals with developmental disabilities when establishing programs under this section.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 158, §1, eff. 10/12/2016.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Amended by 128th General Assemblych.9, SB 79, §1, eff. 10/6/2009.

Effective Date: 2008 HB562 07-01-2008