359.11—What activities must each recipient carry out under this program?
Each recipient, whether administering a project separately under this part or in coordination with other activities supported under title II of the Act, shall—
(a)
Establish a multidisciplinary system of providing rehabilitation services specifically designed to meet the special needs of individuals with spinal cord injuries, including emergency medical services, acute care, vocational and other rehabilitation services, community and job placement, and long-term community follow up and health maintenance. The system must be established on an appropriate geographical basis that reflects patterns of patient flow, and must be administered in close coordination with similar programs of the Veterans Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and other public and private agencies and institutions where appropriate;
(b)
Demonstrate and evaluate both the service and cost benefits of a regional service system to those individuals with spinal cord injuries who might be served within that system;
(c)
Establish within the system a rehabilitation research environment for the achievement of new knowledge leading to the reduction and treatment of complications arising from spinal cord injury and the development of new techniques of medical management and rehabilitation;
(d)
Demonstrate and evaluate the development and application of improved methods and equipment essential to the care, management, and rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injury;
(e)
Demonstrate methods of community outreach and education for individuals with spinal cord injury in areas such as housing, transportation, recreation, employment, and other community activities; and
(g)
Participate as directed by the Secretary in national studies of the benefits of a spinal cord injury service system by contributing to a national database and by other means as required by the Secretary.