American Samoa § 4.1303 - Territorial developmental disabilities planning council.

§ 4.1303. Territorial developmental disabilities planning council.

The territorial developmental disabilities planning council shall be placed in the Department of Human Resources for administrative purposes only and assigned the following responsibilities: (a) Planning. The territorial council shall: (1) develop, prepare, adopt, and periodically review and revise, as necessary, the territorial plan for developmentally disabled (hereinafter called the territorial plan) in conformance with federal substantive and procedural requirements therefor. The territorial council shall transmit the territorial plan to the Governor for approval, and upon approval shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Administration on Development Disabilities and any other concerned federal government department for appropriate approval. The territorial plan and revisions thereto shall be effective upon the Governor’s approval thereof. The territorial plan shall include establishment of goals and priorities of the Territory in meeting the needs of the developmentally disabled, including the establishment of priorities for the distribution of public funds for comprehensive services to the developmentally disabled within the Territory and other matters deemed necessary to achieve normalization of lives of the developmentally disabled. The territorial plan shall in addition provide for coordinated delivery and establishment of comprehensive services, facilities, and programs for the developmentally disabled; (2) review and comment upon implementation plans prepared and carried out by the various departments of the Territory in carrying out the territorial plan for the developmentally disabled; and (3) review and comment upon any other territorial plans which affect services to the developmentally disabled. (b) Coordination of services provided by departments and private agencies. The council shall: (1) identify services duplicated by departments and private agencies and coordinate and assist in the elimination of unnecessary duplication; (2) encourage efficient and coordinate use of federal, territorial, and private resources in the provision of services; (3) designate areas of responsibility for services to both public and private agencies serving developmentally disabled clients, reviewing such designations as necessary. Identify gaps in services to the developmentally disabled and coordinate responsibilities of various public or private agencies for such missing services; and (4) insure that implementation planning by the various departments is effectively coordinated and that interdepartmental programs receive the full support of all departments involved. (c) Evaluation. The council shall: (1) developmentally disabled; and (2) monitor, evaluate, and comment upon implementation plans of the various public and private agencies for the monitor all ongoing projects relating to developmental disabilities of the various public and private agencies. (d) Advocacy. The council shall: (1) advocate for the needs of the developmentally disabled before the Legislature and the public and to the Governor; and (2) act in an advisory capacity to the Governor, the Legislature, and all concerned department heads on all issues affecting the developmentally disabled. (3) Report. The council shall: (4) prepare and submit annual reports to the Governor, the Legislature, and all concerned department heads on the implementation of the territorial plan. The report presented to the Legislature shall be submitted ten days prior to the convening of the Legislature; (5) prepare and submit to the United States Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, through the Governor, any periodic reports the Secretary may reasonably request; (6) prepare other reports necessary to accomplish its duties under this chapter. (7) rules. The council shall adopt, amend, and repeal rules necessary for the implementation of this chapter.