§ 40.1-21-4 - Powers and duties of director of mental health, retardation and hospitals.
SECTION 40.1-21-4
§ 40.1-21-4 Powers and duties of directorof mental health, retardation and hospitals. – (a) The director of mental health, retardation, and hospitals shall beresponsible for planning and developing a complete, comprehensive, andintegrated statewide program for the developmentally disabled for theimplementation of the program; and for the coordination of the efforts of thedepartment of mental health, retardation, and hospitals with those of otherstate departments and agencies, municipal governments as well as the federalgovernment and private agencies concerned with and providing services for thedevelopmentally disabled.
(b) The director shall be responsible for the administrationand operation of all state operated community and residential facilitiesestablished for the diagnosis, care, and training of the developmentallydisabled. The director shall be responsible for establishing standards inconformance with generally accepted professional thought and for providingtechnical assistance to all state supported and licensed habilitative,developmental, residential and other facilities for the developmentallydisabled, and exercise the requisite surveillance and inspection to insurecompliance with standards. Provided, however, that none of the foregoing shallbe applicable to any of the facilities wholly within the control of any otherdepartment of state government.
(c) The director of mental health, retardation, and hospitalsshall stimulate research by public and private agencies, institutions of higherlearning, and hospitals, in the interest of the elimination and amelioration ofdevelopmental disabilities, and care and training of the developmentallydisabled.
(d) The director shall be responsible for the development ofcriteria as to the eligibility for admittance of any developmentally disabledperson for residential care in any department supported and licensedresidential facility or agency.
(e) The director of mental health, retardation, and hospitalsmay transfer retarded persons from one state residential facility to anotherwhen deemed necessary or desirable for their better care and welfare.
(f) The director of mental health, retardation, and hospitalsshall make grants-in-aid and otherwise provide financial assistance to thevarious communities and private nonprofit agencies, in amounts which willenable all developmentally disabled adults to receive developmental and otherservices appropriate to their individual needs.
(g) The director shall coordinate all planning for theconstruction of facilities for the developmentally disabled, and theexpenditure of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the state forthis purpose.