(a) There are in the department a division or office devoted to carrying out the provisions of this division pertaining to the services to the blind and another division or office devoted to carrying out the public social services to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. The divisions or offices shall each be headed by a chief, one who is a trained social worker experienced in work for the blind, the other a trained social worker or counselor experienced in work for the deaf and hard of hearing or a person experienced in administering a deaf or hard-of-hearing services program. The duties of the division for the blind and its chief shall be confined to carrying out the provisions of this division pertaining to services to the blind. The duties of the division or office for the deaf and hard of hearing shall be confined to carrying out the provision of public social services to the deaf and hard of hearing. Blindness, deafness, or being hard of hearing shall not be grounds to disqualify a person from holding the position of chief of the office or division. The divisions or offices shall not be made a part of any other division, office, or subdivision of the department. The chiefs of the divisions or offices shall be directly responsible to the director.

(b) The director through the divisions or offices may provide consultative services to county personnel administering services to the blind, deaf, or hard of hearing which shall include, but not be limited to, information concerning the various aspects of blindness, deafness, and being hard of hearing and its problems and implications, the rehabilitative potential of the blind, deaf, and hard of hearing, public and private services available, employment opportunities for blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons, and concepts in counseling blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 561, Sec. 278. (AB 1516) Effective January 1, 2018.)