Maine § 1411-D. - Powers and duties of department

§ 1411-D.. Powers and duties of department

In carrying out this article, the commissioner:   [PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. F, §13 (NEW).]

1.  Cooperates with other departments.  Shall cooperate with other departments, agencies and institutions, both public and private, in providing for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, in studying the problems involved and in establishing, developing and providing, in conformity with the purposes of this article, programs, facilities and services necessary or desirable;

2.  Reciprocal agreements with other states.  May enter into reciprocal agreements with other states to provide for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities who are residents of the states concerned;

3.  Community rehabilitation programs.  May establish, construct and operate community rehabilitation programs and make grants to public or other nonprofit organizations for those purposes;

4.  Vending stands and other businesses.  May supervise the operation of vending stands and other small businesses established pursuant to this article to be conducted by people with significant disabilities;

5.  Research fellowships and traineeships.  May make studies, investigations, demonstrations and reports and provide training and instruction, including the establishment and maintenance of research fellowships and traineeships, with stipends and allowances as determined necessary, in matters relating to rehabilitation;

6.  Joint project.  May share funding and administrative responsibility with another state agency in order to carry out a joint project to provide services to people with disabilities;

7.  Joint undertakings.  May enter into joint undertakings with public and private agencies to further the effectiveness of services for people with disabilities;

8.  Eligibility and priority.  Through the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which are the designated state units under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Public Law 113-128, shall determine the eligibility of individuals for rehabilitation services or evaluation and vocational services and the priority for those services in accordance with rules established by the department; and

9.  Transitional services coordination.  Through the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which are the designated state units under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Public Law 113-128, shall participate with school administrative units in transition planning for each student receiving special education services who is 16 years of age or older, or 14 years of age if determined appropriate by the student's individualized education program team, and shall assign appropriate staff as a transition contact person and as a member of the transition planning team for each student.