2018 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 28 - Mental Health
RS 28:824 - Community and Family Support System plan
§824. Community and Family Support System plan
A. The Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council shall develop a plan to implement a Community and Family Support System in accordance with the principles contained in this Chapter. The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health shall allocate funds from existing resources to provide staff support to the council for the development of the plan. The council may appoint an advisory committee as necessary to assist in the development of the plan. The advisory committee shall include representation of parents of children or adults now residing in an intermediate care facility for people with developmental disabilities.
B. The plan shall address the following issues:
(1) Budgetary recommendations with specific emphasis on cost effectiveness in providing services to those who qualify.
(2) Eligibility criteria.
(3) Methods of service provision.
(4) Sliding fee scale.
(5) Application procedures.
(6) Service coordination system.
(7) Performance indicators that will measure the effectiveness of the Community and Family Support System.
C. The plan shall be coordinated with any plans established pursuant to the provisions of the Developmental Disability Law (R.S. 28:451.1 et seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 108-446), the Comprehensive Mental Health Plan Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-660), and with other activities of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council (R.S. 28:750 et seq.).
D. The council shall submit the plan to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services by August 1, 1990. The secretaries shall review and approve the plan and submit it for review and approval to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare and submit the plan to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget by September 1, 1990. Any changes made in the plan by the secretaries shall be so indicated.
E. The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, with any necessary cooperation from the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, shall begin implementation of the Community and Family Support System plan by July 1, 1991.
F. The council shall monitor the implementation of the plan, and shall report its findings annually to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, for review and approval, and to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services until the plan is fully implemented.
G. The plan shall provide for full implementation of the Community and Family Support System by July 1, 1993.
H. The council shall submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the plan and its implementation to the House Committee on Health and Welfare, for review and approval, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, for review and approval, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, and the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services prior to the convening of the 1998 Regular Session of the Legislature.
I. The Louisiana Department of Health may provide a system of community and family supports.
(1) The family support system shall be provided to children with developmental disabilities and their families. Counseling or educational services defined in R.S. 28:822 shall be available weekdays, weekends, and nights to accommodate varying family schedules. Such a system includes:
(a) Cash subsidy for families of children with severe developmental disabilities.
(b) System of service coordination.
(c) Family support services as defined in R.S. 28:822.
(d) A designated entry agency.
(2) The community support system shall be provided to adults with severe disabilities age eighteen and over and whose disability was manifested before age fifty-five. Such a system includes the community supports as defined in R.S. 28:822.
J. Methods to assure the quality of community and family support services include:
(1) Regional and state advisory councils.
(a) Purpose.
(i) Advise state agencies on policy issues that arise relevant to the community and family support system.
(ii) Set priorities.
(iii) Review program effectiveness and make recommendations on implementation.
(b) Council members shall be appointed by the developmental disabilities council chairperson in consultation with the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.
(c) Terms of office and council composition shall be defined in regulations.
(d) Remuneration.
(i) Council members will serve on a voluntary basis without payment for their services.
(ii) Council members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with division of administration regulations.
(2) An annual external evaluation based upon consumer satisfaction and performance indicators.
(3) Persons applying for or receiving services shall have access to an appeals process which shall be defined in regulations.
K. Purchases of equipment for clients of the Louisiana Department of Health who are eligible for services under the system of community and family supports shall be exempt from state purchasing requirements and state property control regulations.
L. The Louisiana Department of Health shall promulgate rules and regulations for the community and family support system.
Acts 1989, No. 378, §1; Acts 1991, No. 1011, §1; Acts 2006, No. 163, §1; Acts 2010, No. 939, §3, eff. July 1, 2010; Acts 2012, No. 811, §8, eff. July 1, 2012.
