(a) There is created the statewide planning and policy council for the department of mental health and substance abuse services to assist in planning a comprehensive array of high quality prevention, early intervention, treatment, and habilitation services and supports and to advise the department on policy, budget requests, and developing and evaluating services and supports.

(b)

(1) The statewide planning and policy council shall be composed of not less than eleven (11) members, not including ex officio members. The governor shall appoint the chair of the council. The speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint one (1) legislator as a member of the council. The commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services shall serve, ex officio, as secretary to the council and, if the chair is not present at a meeting, shall designate a member to serve as chair for the meeting. The governor is ex officio a member of the council and may appoint representatives of state agencies as ex officio members of the council.

(2) The commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services shall appoint five (5) members to represent mental health, of which, two (2) shall be service recipients or members of families of service recipients, one (1) shall be a representative for children, one (1) shall be a mental health service provider, and one (1) shall represent others affected by mental health issues. Additionally, the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services shall appoint one (1) representative for elderly service recipients, one (1) representative for military veteran recipients, and at least one (1) at-large representative. The commissioner may make additional appointments of advocates to represent children and persons affected by substance abuse.

(3) At least a majority of the council's membership shall consist of current or former service recipients and members of service recipient families.

(c) The members of the statewide planning and policy council shall receive no compensation, but shall receive their actual traveling expenses for attendance at meetings of the council. All reimbursement for travel expenses shall be in conformity with the comprehensive travel rules.

(d) The statewide planning and policy council shall meet quarterly at a place designated by the chair and may meet more often upon the call of the chair or a majority of the members.

(e) Terms on the council shall be three (3) years except that the chair and members appointed by the speakers shall have terms of two (2) years. Vacancies of the council shall be filled by appointment for unexpired terms only.

(f) The appointing authority may remove a member for failure to attend at least one half (½) of the scheduled meetings in any one (1) year period or for other good cause.