The state council, established pursuant to the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-402 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15001 et seq.)), shall do all of the following:
(a)
Serve as an advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and, through council members, staff, consultants, and contractors and grantees, conduct advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities.
(b)
Develop and implement the state plan in accordance with requirements issued by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, monitor and evaluate the implementation of this plan, and submit reports as the United States Secretary of Health and
Human Services may reasonably request. The state council may review and comment on other plans and programs in the state affecting individuals with developmental disabilities.
(c)
Serve as the official agency responsible for planning the provision of the federal funds allotted to the state under Public Law 106-402 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15001 et seq.), by conducting and supporting advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities. The council may itself conduct these activities and may provide grant funding to local agencies in compliance with applicable state and federal law, for those same purposes.
(d)
Prepare and approve a budget, for the use of amounts paid to the state to hire any staff and to obtain the services of any professional, technical, or clerical personnel consistent with state and federal law, as the council determines to be necessary to carry out its
functions.
(e)
To the extent that resources are available, implement the state plan by conducting activities including, but not limited to, all of the activities specified in paragraphs (1) to (11), inclusive.
(1)
Encouraging and assisting in the establishment or strengthening of self-advocacy organizations led by individuals with developmental disabilities.
(2)
Supporting and conducting geographically based outreach activities to identify individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who otherwise might not come to the attention of the council and 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.
(3)
Supporting and conducting training for persons who are individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and personnel, including professionals, paraprofessionals, students, volunteers, and other community members, to enable those 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.
(4)
Supporting and conducting technical assistance activities to assist public and private entities to contribute to the objectives of the state plan.
(5)
Supporting and conducting activities to assist neighborhoods and communities to respond positively to individuals with developmental disabilities and their
families.
(6)
Supporting and conducting activities to promote interagency collaboration and coordination at the state and local levels to better serve, support, assist, or advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
(7)
Coordinating with related councils, committees, and programs to enhance coordination of services.
(8)
Supporting and conducting activities to eliminate barriers to access and use of community services by individuals with disabilities, enhance systems design and redesign, and enhance citizen participation to address issues identified in the state plan.
(9)
Supporting and conducting activities to educate the public about the capabilities, preferences, and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities
and their families, and to develop and support coalitions that support the policy agenda of the council, including training in self-advocacy, education of policymakers, and citizen leadership roles.
(10)
Supporting and conducting 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 Congress of the United States, the federal executive branch, the Governor, the Legislature, and state agencies in order to increase the abilities of those policymakers to offer opportunities and enhance or adapt generic services to meet the needs of, or provide specialized services to, individuals with developmental disabilities and their
families.
(11)
Supporting, on a time-limited basis, activities to demonstrate new approaches to serving individuals with developmental disabilities that are a part of an overall strategy for systemic change.
(f)
Prepare an annual written report of its activities, its recommendations, and an evaluation of the efficiency of the administration of this division to the Governor and the Legislature. This report shall include both the statewide and regional activities of the state council. This report shall be submitted to the Legislature in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(g)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, the state council shall not engage in the administration of the day-to-day operation of service programs identified in the state plan, nor in the financial management and accounting
of funds.