Maine § 1413-B. - Powers and duties

§ 1413-B.. Powers and duties

To provide the following services and information to deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons, the Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened shall:   [PL 2009, c. 174, §9 (AMD).]

1.  Provide advocacy.  Provide cooperative agreements or coordinate with agencies or community resources to provide advocacy for the rights of deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons in the areas of employment, education, legal aid, health care, social services, finance, housing and other personal assistance while avoiding duplication of effort in these areas;

1-A.  Supervise vocational rehabilitation counselors for the deaf.  Provide direct supervision and oversight of vocational rehabilitation counselors who provide counseling to deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons and who are within the division of vocational rehabilitation within the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services;

2.  Statewide registry. 

3.  Information and referral.  Provide information and referral services to deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons and their families on questions related to their disorder;

4.  Develop objectives.  Develop a plan with goals and objectives for development, planning and implementation within a framework for greater cooperation and coordination among agencies and organizations now serving or having the potential to serve deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons;

5.  Community service center.  Continue to study the need to establish, maintain and fund at least one community service center where deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons and their families can receive pertinent information relating to the coordination of services that each requires;

6.  Promote accessibility.  Promote accessibility to all governmental services for residents of the State who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or late-deafened persons; and

7.  Recommendations.  Make recommendations to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor and health and human services matters with respect to modifications in existing services or establishment of additional services for deaf, hard-of-hearing and late-deafened persons and their families.