51.5-112 - Powers and duties of Department.
§ 51.5-112. Powers and duties of Department.
The Department shall have the following powers and duties:
1. To develop a program to inform persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing andthe public of opportunities available for persons who are deaf orhard-of-hearing to fulfill their needs and solve certain problems throughexisting state and local services and to make available such otherinformation as would be of value to families, professionals and othercitizens working or involved in the deafness field;
2. To promote a framework for consultation and cooperation among the stateagencies and institutions serving persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing;
3. To aid in the provision of technical assistance and training within theCommonwealth in order to support efforts to initiate or improve programs andservices for persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing;
4. To evaluate state programs that deliver services to persons who are deafor hard-of-hearing to determine their effectiveness and to makerecommendations to the appropriate government officials concerning the futurefinancial support and continuation of such programs and the establishment ofthe new ones;
5. To monitor state programs delivering services to persons who are deaf orhard-of-hearing to determine the extent to which services promised ormandated are delivered;
6. To make appropriate recommendations for legislative changes to theGovernor and General Assembly and to follow and evaluate federal legislationhaving a potential impact upon persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing wholive in the Commonwealth;
7. To cooperate with schools for the deaf as provided in Chapter 19 (§22.1-346 et seq.) of Title 22.1 insofar as may be practicable;
8. To operate a program of technology assistance and services to encourageindependence of persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech impaired,including the distribution of devices for the deaf and support of messagerelay services, through grants, contracts and other means, including asliding fee scale where appropriate; and
9. To adopt such regulations, consistent with this chapter, as may benecessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this chapter and other lawsof the Commonwealth administered by the Director or the Department. Suchregulations shall be binding on all officers, agents, and employees engagedin implementing the provisions of this chapter.
(1972, c. 543, § 63.1-85.4; 1977, c. 668; 1983, c. 440; 1984, cc. 670, 734;1988, c. 93; 1996, c. 471; 2002, c. 747.)