PRINTER'S NO. 1513
No. 1211 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, AFFLERBACH, BODACK, O'PAKE, WILLIAMS, STOUT, KUKOVICH, WOZNIAK, STAPLETON, TARTAGLIONE, KASUNIC, BELL, WAGNER, HART, COSTA, MURPHY, SCHWARTZ, BELAN, MADIGAN AND MELLOW, NOVEMBER 25, 1997
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, NOVEMBER 25, 1997
AN ACT 1 Relating to the delivery of services and programs to persons 2 with disabilities; conferring powers and duties on the 3 Department of Public Welfare and the Statewide Independent 4 Living Council; establishing an office of disability 5 services; providing for powers and duties of regional 6 agencies; and providing for funding of disability services 7 programs. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS 9 Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions 10 Section 101. Short title. 11 Section 102. Legislative policy and declaration. 12 Section 103. Definitions. 13 Chapter 3. Office of Disability Services 14 Section 301. Creation of office. 15 Section 302. Powers and duties of office. 16 Section 303. Power to contract. 17 Section 304. Powers and duties of council. 18 Section 305. Powers and duties of regional agencies. 19 Chapter 5. Miscellaneous Provisions
1 Section 501. Funding. 2 Section 502. Severability. 3 Section 503. Effective date. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 101. Short title. 7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Comprehensive 8 Services for Persons with Disabilities Act. 9 Section 102. Legislative policy and declaration. 10 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows: 11 (1) Persons with disabilities and their families should 12 have access to the full range of services including equal 13 access to all services provided for persons without 14 disabilities, as well as specialized services that meet the 15 unique needs of persons with disabilities. 16 (2) Persons with disabilities and their families have 17 traditionally been underserved. They have often been denied 18 access to services available to the community at large and 19 have been denied specialized services necessary to their 20 health, well-being, independence and advancement. 21 (3) Persons who could live and work in the community 22 have been forced to live in institutions at State expense due 23 to inadequate funding for community support services. The 24 result is a loss both to these individuals and to this 25 Commonwealth as a whole. 26 (4) While laws of this Commonwealth have provided 27 services for persons with mental illness and mental 28 retardation and for older Pennsylvanians, they have until now 29 provided for few and limited services to persons with other 30 disabilities. 19970S1211B1513 - 2 -
1 (5) While services currently being provided to older 2 Pennsylvanians, to those with mental retardation or mental 3 illness, or to those being served by other systems should not 4 be duplicated, the State must ensure that all persons with 5 disabilities whose disability-related needs are not being met 6 by existing systems receive needed services. 7 (6) A State level office is needed to enable persons 8 with disabilities and their families to have access to 9 services, to coordinate those services that are available, to 10 improve inadequate programs and to develop new ones. 11 (7) Services should be provided in a manner that 12 promotes independent living, enables people to obtain and 13 maintain employment and supports people in their homes and 14 communities. 15 (8) Persons with disabilities and their families should 16 have the opportunity to choose and direct the services 17 provided to them, and the community of persons with 18 disabilities should direct the development and operation of 19 the service delivery system. 20 (9) An increased availability of community support 21 services will enable people with disabilities to be more 22 independent and productive, to remain in their homes and 23 communities and to more fully exercise their rights and 24 responsibilities as citizens. 25 Section 103. Definitions. 26 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 27 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 28 context clearly indicates otherwise: 29 "Consumer control." A condition under which power and 30 authority over services are vested in individuals with 19970S1211B1513 - 3 -
1 disabilities and if applied to an organization or program means 2 that 51% or more of the governing body, management and staff are 3 individuals with disabilities. 4 "Council." The Statewide Independent Living Council 5 established under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93- 6 112, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.). 7 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the 8 Commonwealth. 9 "Disability services." Services provided to persons with 10 disabilities to enhance their ability to live or work 11 independently and to pursue their rights and responsibilities as 12 citizens. 13 "Functional limitations." Those which affect one or more of 14 the following activities of daily living: 15 (1) mobility; 16 (2) communication; 17 (3) self-care; 18 (4) work; 19 (5) recreation; or 20 (6) independent living. 21 "Long-term." Likely to be of lifelong or extended duration. 22 "Office." The Office of Disability Services created in 23 section 301. 24 "Persons with a disability." Children or adults who have a 25 severe chronic condition resulting in substantial functional 26 limitation which is attributable to a mental, physical or 27 sensory impairment or a combination of mental, physical and 28 sensory impairments and is likely to continue indefinitely. 29 "Regional agencies." Private nonprofit, consumer-controlled 30 corporations governed by a board of directors who have a 19970S1211B1513 - 4 -
1 demonstrated commitment to the declarations set forth in section 2 102 and which meet the eligibility criteria established by the 3 Department of Public Welfare and the Statewide Independent 4 Living Council with input from the existing provider network. 5 When warranted, there shall be a preference for existing 6 agencies. 7 "Secretary." The Secretary of Public Welfare of the 8 Commonwealth. 9 CHAPTER 3 10 OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES 11 Section 301. Creation of office. 12 The Office of Disability Services is hereby created within 13 the department. The office shall be administered by a deputy 14 secretary empowered to carry out the powers conferred and duties 15 imposed by this act. 16 Section 302. Powers and duties of office. 17 The office shall have the power and its duty shall be to: 18 (1) Assure that all citizens of this Commonwealth who 19 have disabilities and their families have access to adequate 20 and coordinated quality consumer-controlled disability 21 services. 22 (2) Establish interagency agreements and working 23 relationships with other governmental bodies and public and 24 private agencies in order to accomplish objectives, 25 including, but not limited to: 26 (i) assuring access of persons with disabilities to 27 the full range of services; 28 (ii) assuring access of persons with disabilities to 29 all services provided for persons without disabilities, 30 both within and outside the department; 19970S1211B1513 - 5 -
1 (iii) advocating for consumer control in disability- 2 related services; and 3 (iv) coordinating the delivery of nonduplicative 4 disability services to persons with disabilities who are 5 also eligible for services from the Office of Mental 6 Health, the Office of Mental Retardation, the Office of 7 Deaf and Hearing Impaired, the Department of Aging, the 8 Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, the Office of 9 Vocational Rehabilitation or any other governmental 10 agency. The office shall cooperate with and not duplicate 11 the services of these government agencies. 12 (3) Receive Federal, State and other available funding 13 and administer programs of disability services, including the 14 attendant care program, the community services program for 15 people with physical disabilities, which programs shall be 16 transferred from their current offices, and other new 17 programs as may be appropriate to serve the purposes of this 18 act. Other existing programs shall not be transferred to the 19 office without further administrative or legislative action. 20 (4) Designate no fewer than 15 but no more than 30 21 regional agencies to serve as the points of application or 22 referral for disability services. With respect to this power 23 to designate regional agencies, the office shall: 24 (i) contract with the regional agencies to carry 25 out, either directly or by subcontract, programs 26 administered by the office; 27 (ii) monitor regional agencies' compliance with 28 their contracts, which shall include standards for 29 quality assurance, with the office; and 30 (iii) provide training and technical assistance to 19970S1211B1513 - 6 -
1 the regional agencies with which the office has 2 contracted. 3 (5) Develop and annually update, in conjunction with the 4 council, a five-year plan for the provision of services under 5 this act to maximize the use of available funding and to 6 develop needed services. 7 (6) In conjunction with the council, identify gaps in 8 disability services and funding shortages and report this 9 information annually to the secretary and to the General 10 Assembly. 11 (7) Act as a system advocate to expand the availability 12 of disability services and access to generic services. 13 (8) Plan for Statewide improvements in services for 14 persons with disabilities and their families. 15 (9) Develop, within one year of the effective date of 16 this act, and enforce all program requirements and 17 regulations necessary and appropriate for the proper 18 accomplishment of the duties imposed by this act. Development 19 of program requirements and regulations shall be accomplished 20 with the advice of the council. 21 Section 303. Power to contract. 22 The department, through the office, may contract with 23 Statewide disability-related organizations to carry out the 24 provisions of this act, provided the contracts place control 25 over contract activities under the direction of individuals with 26 disabilities. 27 Section 304. Powers and duties of council. 28 (a) Enumeration.--The council shall have the power and duty 29 to: 30 (1) Advise the department in the development of all 19970S1211B1513 - 7 -
1 plans, policies and regulations issued by the office. 2 (2) Jointly develop and submit, in conjunction with the 3 department, the five-year plan required by this act. 4 (3) Meet at least quarterly, as required by the act of 5 December 12, 1994 (P.L.1023, No.139), known as the 6 Independent Living Services Act. 7 (b) Expenses of members.--The members shall receive no 8 payment for their services. Members who are not employees of 9 State government shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in 10 the course of their official duties from funds appropriated for 11 the general government operations of the department. 12 Section 305. Powers and duties of regional agencies. 13 Regional agencies under contract with the office shall have 14 the power and duty to: 15 (1) Serve as points of application or referral for 16 disability services and ensure that all persons with 17 disabilities have access to and an opportunity to participate 18 in the services and functions of their regional agency. 19 (2) Provide, either directly or by subcontract with 20 service providers, disability services necessary for the 21 programs administered by the office. Contracts shall be with 22 existing service providers whenever appropriate. 23 (3) Provide referral services to individuals with 24 disabilities whose particular needs can be met in the 25 community or through other government agencies. 26 (4) Identify gaps and funding shortages in local 27 disability services and funding shortages to such services 28 and report this information to the office on a quarterly 29 basis. 30 (5) Act as an advocate for persons with disabilities. 19970S1211B1513 - 8 -
1 (6) Provide technical assistance to service providers. 2 CHAPTER 5 3 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 4 Section 501. Funding. 5 Programs of disability services under this act shall use 6 Federal funds where possible. The department shall apply for and 7 use, subject to specific appropriation by the General Assembly, 8 all Federal and State funds which become available to carry out 9 disability services under this act. The department shall utilize 10 any private funds for disability services which become available 11 to carry out disability services under this act. 12 Section 502. Severability. 13 The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of 14 this act or its application to any person or circumstance is 15 held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions 16 or applications of this act which can be given effect without 17 the invalid provision or application. 18 Section 503. Effective date. 19 This act shall take effect in 60 days. I29L67WMB/19970S1211B1513 - 9 -