30:1AA-8 Duties of council, staff.

8. It shall be the duty of the council and its staff to:

a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

b. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

d. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

e. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

f. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

g. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

h. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

i. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

j. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

k. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

l. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.54).

m. Serve as an advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and conduct or support programs, projects and activities which carry out the mandate of advocacy, capacity-building and systemic change, pursuant to the "Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000," Pub.L.106-402, 42 U.S.C. s.15001 et seq.;

n. At the end of each year, examine goals to determine the extent to which each goal was achieved, the needs that would require amendment of the five-year strategic State plan and customer satisfaction with council-supported or council-conducted activities;

o. Develop and implement a State plan by conducting and supporting advocacy, capacity-building and systemic-change activities, which shall contribute to the purpose set forth in section 1 of P.L.2003, c.54 (C.30:1AA-1.1) and may include:

(1) outreach activities to identify individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who otherwise might not come to the attention of the council, and to assist and enable the individuals and families to obtain services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance, including access to special adaptation of generic community services or specialized services;

(2) training for persons who are professionals, paraprofessionals, students, volunteers and other community members to enable these persons to obtain access to or to provide community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance, including special adaptation of generic community services or specialized services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;

(3) technical assistance activities to public and private entities;

(4) assistance to, or support of, activities to assist neighborhoods and communities to respond positively to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families through education, by encouraging local networks to provide informal and formal supports and by enabling neighborhoods and communities to offer the individuals and their families access to, and use of, services, resources and opportunities;

(5) activities to promote interagency collaboration, coordination and planning in order to better serve, support, assist or advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;

(6) activities to enhance coordination of services with:

(i) other councils, entities or committees authorized by federal or State law concerning individuals with disabilities, such as the State interagency coordinating council established under part C of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (20 U.S.C. s.1431 et seq.), the State Rehabilitation Council and the Statewide Independent Living Council established under the "Rehabilitation Act of 1973" (29 U.S.C. s.701 et seq.), the State mental health planning council established under part B of Title XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. s.300x-1 et seq.), councils, entities or committees concerning activities authorized under section 101 or 102 of the "Assistive Technology Act of 1998" (29 U.S.C. s.3011 or 29 U.S.C. s.3012), and any councils, entities or committees carrying out similar functions;

(ii) parent training and information centers under part D of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (20 U.S.C. s.1451 et seq.) and other entities carrying out federally funded projects that assist parents of children with disabilities; and

(iii) other groups interested in advocacy, capacity-building and systemic-change activities to benefit individuals with disabilities;

(7) activities to eliminate barriers to access and use of community services by individuals with developmental disabilities, and to enhance systems design and redesign as well as citizen participation to address issues identified in the State plan;

(8) activities to educate the public about the capabilities, preferences and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, and activities to develop and support coalitions that support the policy agenda of the council, including training in self-advocacy, education of policymakers and training in citizen leadership skills;

(9) activities to provide information to policymakers by supporting and conducting studies and analyses, gathering information, and developing and disseminating model policies and procedures, information, approaches, strategies, findings, conclusions and recommendations. The council may provide the information directly to federal, State and local policymakers, including the United States Congress, the federal executive branch of government, the Governor and the Legislature, the governors and legislatures of other states, and State agencies, in order to increase the ability of these policymakers to offer opportunities and to enhance or adapt generic services to meet the needs of, or provide specialized services to, individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;

(10) on a time-limited basis, activities to demonstrate new approaches to serving individuals with developmental disabilities, which are a part of an overall strategy for systemic change. The strategy may involve the education of policymakers and the public about how to effectively deliver services, supports and assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families; and

(11) other advocacy, capacity-building and systemic-change activities to promote the development of a coordinated, consumer- and family-centered and consumer- and family-directed comprehensive system of community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance;

p. Supervise and annually evaluate the executive director of the council;

q. Prepare and transmit an annual report to the Department of Health and Human Services, which shall contain information about the progress made by the council in achieving the purpose set forth in section 1 of P.L.2003, c.54 (C.30:1AA-1.1). The report shall be available in accessible formats and the council shall provide a description of the method by which it shall widely disseminate the report to affected constituencies and the general public; and

r. Prepare, approve and implement a budget using amounts paid to the State to fund and implement all programs, projects and activities carried out pursuant to P.L.2003, c.54 (C.30:1AA-1.1 et al.).

L.1979,c.105,s.8; amended 2003, c.54, s.9.