A. The Legislature makes the following findings with regard to the rights of persons with developmental or physical disabilities:

1. Persons with developmental or physical disabilities have a right to appropriate treatment, services, and habilitation for such disabilities;

2. The treatment, services, and habilitation for a person with developmental or physical disabilities should be designed to maximize the developmental potential of the person and should be provided for in the setting that is least restrictive of the person's personal liberty; and

3. All programs for persons with developmental or physical disabilities should meet standards which are designed to ensure:

a.the most favorable possible outcome for those served,

b.in the case of residential programs for persons with developmental or physical disabilities, that care is appropriate to the needs of the persons being served by such programs,

c.that the persons admitted to facilities of such programs are persons whose needs can be met through services provided by such facilities, and

d.that the facilities subject to such programs provide for the humane care of the residents of the facilities and protect their rights.

B. The Legislature declares that it is the goal of the Community Residential Living for Persons with Developmental or Physical Disabilities Act to improve the quality of life of all persons with developmental or physical disabilities and to integrate persons with developmental or physical disabilities into the mainstream of society by ensuring them the availability of community residential opportunities in the residential areas of this state. In order to implement this goal, the Community Residential Living for Persons with Developmental or Physical Disabilities Act shall be liberally construed toward that end.

Added by Laws 1987, c. 169, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 354, § 42, eff. Nov. 1, 1996.