DELAWARE STATE SENATE

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 162

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 7910, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 7910. Advisory Council to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services.

(c) The Advisory Council to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services is composed of 7 17 members who are appointed by the Governor. Membership is comprised as follows:

(1) Seven members who represent families, service recipients, and self-advocates in the developmental disabilities community and currently receive services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services.

(2) Five members who represent a cross section of service providers in the developmental disabilities community and currently operate in the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services system, including from any of the following:

a. Residential service providers.

b. Day habilitation service providers.

c. Employment service providers.

d. Clinical service providers.

e. Behavioral or mental health service providers.

(3) Five members who are professional advocates representing individuals with disabilities and represent each of the following:

a. Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council.

b. State Council for Persons with Disabilities.

c. Disabilities Law Program at Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.

d. The Arc of Delaware.

e. Center for Disabilities Studies at University of Delaware.

(f) The Council shall annually elect a chair from among its members. The chair or vice chair must be an individual with a developmental disability.

SYNOPSIS

This Act is a result of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services Task Force ("the Task Force"), which was created under Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 62 and extended by House Bill No. 345, both of the 150th General Assembly. This Act fulfills 2 of the Task Force's many recommendations, by requiring that the chair or vice chair of the Advisory Council to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services be an individual with a developmental disability, and amending the Advisory Council membership to include the following:

- 7 representatives of families, service recipients, and self-advocates who currently receive services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services.

- 5 representatives of a cross section of service providers in the developmental disabilities community who currently operate within the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services system, including residential service providers, day habilitation service providers, employment service providers, clinical service providers, behavioral or mental health service providers.

- 5 professional advocates, representing the following organizations: Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council, State Council for Persons with Disabilities, Disabilities Law Program at Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc., The Arc of Delaware, and Center for Disabilities Studies at University of Delaware.

Author: Senator Hansen