A. Each facility shall establish a residents' advisory council. The administrator shall designate a member of the facility staff to coordinate the establishment of, and render assistance to, said council.

B. The composition of the residents' advisory council shall be specified by Department regulation, but no employee or affiliate of a facility shall be a member of any such council.

C. The residents' advisory council shall meet at least once each month with the staff coordinator who shall provide assistance to said council in preparing and disseminating a report of each meeting as specified by the regulations to all residents, the administrator, and the staff.

D. Records of the residents' advisory council meetings shall be maintained in the office of the administrator.

E. The residents' advisory council shall communicate to the administrator the opinions and concerns of the residents. The council shall review procedures for implementing residents' rights, facility responsibilities and make recommendations for changes or additions which will strengthen the facility's policies and procedures as they affect residents' rights and facility responsibilities.

F. The residents' advisory council shall be forum for:

1. Obtaining and disseminating information;

2. Soliciting and adopting recommendations for facility programming and improvements; and

3. Early identification and recommendation of orderly resolution of problems.

G. The residents' advisory council may present complaints as provided in Section 1-1924 of this title on behalf of a resident to the Department.

Laws 1980, c. 241, § 22, eff. Oct. 1, 1980; Laws 1981, c. 182, § 6.