Section 4548.

(a) Area boards shall locally assist the state council with the implementation of subtitles A and B of Title I of Public Law 106-402 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15001 et seq.).

(b) Area boards shall protect and advocate the rights of all persons in the area with developmental disabilities.

(c) Area boards shall conduct capacity building activities and provide advocacy for systemic change.

(d) (1) The area board shall have the authority to pursue legal, administrative, and other appropriate remedies to ensure the protection of the legal, civil, and service rights of persons who require services or who are receiving services in the area. In carrying out this responsibility, area boards may appoint a representative to assist the person in expressing his or her desires and in making decisions and advocating his or her needs, preferences, and choices, where the person with developmental disabilities has no parent, guardian, or conservator legally authorized to represent him or her and the person has either requested the appointment of a representative or the rights or interests of the person, as determined by the area board, will not be properly protected or advocated without the appointment of a representative.

(2) Where there is no guardian or conservator, the person's choice, if expressed, including the right to reject the assistance of a representative, shall be honored. If the person does not express a preference, the order of preference for selection of the representative shall be the person's parent, involved family member, or a volunteer selected by the area board. In establishing these preferences, it is the intent of the Legislature that parents or involved family members shall not be required to be appointed guardian or conservator in order to be selected. Unless the consumer expresses otherwise, or good cause otherwise exists, the request of the parents or involved family members to be appointed the representative shall be honored.

(3) Where appropriate pursuant to this section, the area board shall appoint a representative to advocate the rights and protect the interests of a person residing in a developmental center for whom community placement is proposed pursuant to Section 4803.

(4) The area board shall identify any evidence of the denial of these rights, shall inform the appropriate local, state, or federal officials of their findings, and shall assist these officials in eliminating all forms of discrimination against persons with developmental disabilities in housing, recreation, education, health and mental health care, employment, and other service programs available to the general population.

(e) Area boards shall conduct, or cause to be conducted, public information programs for consumers, families, professional groups, and for the general public, to increase professional and public awareness of prevention and habilitation programs, and to eliminate barriers to social integration, employment, and participation of persons with developmental disabilities in all community activities.

(f) Area boards shall encourage and assist in the establishment or strengthening of self-advocacy organizations led by individuals with developmental disabilities.

(g) (1) To the extent that resources are available, area boards shall review the policies and practices of publicly funded agencies that serve or may serve persons with developmental disabilities, to determine if the programs are meeting their obligations under local, state, and federal laws. A regional center may notify the area board when the regional center believes a publicly funded program is failing to meet its obligations in serving persons with developmental disabilities. The regional center may provide the area board with a comprehensive summary of the issues and the statute or regulation alleged to be violated. If the area board finds that the agency is not meeting its obligations, the area board shall inform the director and the managing board of the noncomplying agency, in writing, of its findings.

(2) Within 15 days, the agency shall respond, in writing, to the area board's findings. Following receipt of the agency's response, if the area board continues to find that the agency is not meeting its obligations, the area board shall pursue informal efforts to resolve the issue.

(3) If, within 30 days of implementing informal efforts to resolve the issue, the area board continues to find that the agency is not meeting its obligations under local, state, or federal statutes, the area board shall conduct a public hearing to receive testimony on its findings.

(4) If the problem has not been resolved within 30 days following the public hearing, the area board may provide the state council with its findings and may request authorization to initiate legal action. An area board shall not initiate legal action without prior authorization from the state council. However, the area board may assist any other person, agency, or organization that may pursue litigation related to the area board's findings.

(5) The executive director of the state council shall review the findings developed pursuant to this subdivision and may conduct additional factfinding investigations. The executive director shall report his or her findings to the state council within 30 days and shall recommend a course of action to be pursued by the council, the area board, or other state administrative or legislative officials.

(6) The state council shall review the report of the executive director and shall take any action it deems necessary to resolve the problem. If the state council authorizes the area board to initiate legal action, the state council shall make legal assistance available to the area board pursuant to the legal services provisions of Public Law 106-402 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15001 et seq.).

(h) Area boards shall encourage the development of needed services and supports of good quality that do not result in duplication, fragmentation of services, and unnecessary expenditures. Prior to providing additional funds for major expansion of existing programs, creation of new programs, or establishment of pilot projects to test new methodologies of service delivery for persons with developmental disabilities within an area board catchment area, the department or regional center, as appropriate, shall consult with the area board regarding the appropriateness of those program developments.

(i) In carrying out their review functions, area boards shall solicit the advice of knowledgeable professionals, consumers, and consumer representatives about problems within the service delivery system in the region. In enacting this article, it is the intent of the Legislature that the area boards not duplicate the functions assigned to other agencies that are routinely responsible for monitoring, regulating, or licensing programs for persons with developmental disabilities. Area boards may call upon these agencies for information and assistance in order to carry out their responsibilities more effectively. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, these agencies shall provide information requested by the area boards, and shall cooperate fully in complying with all reasonable requests for assistance.

(j) (1) Area boards shall remain informed about the quality of services in the area, and shall inform appropriate state and local licensing agencies of alleged fire, safety, health, or other violations of legally established standards, in any facility providing service to persons with developmental disabilities, that may be brought to the attention of the area board.

(2) If an area board receives evidence of criminal misconduct by an individual or agency funded in whole or in part with state funds under this division, the area board shall immediately inform appropriate public safety agencies about the alleged misconduct.

(k) (1) Area boards shall cooperate with county coordinating councils on developmental disabilities, other regional planning bodies, and consumer organizations in the area. Area boards shall comply with the reasonable requests of these groups and may request the assistance of the groups in carrying out area board responsibilities.

(2) The governing body of any county within the area may request that the area board study or investigate programs in the county for persons with developmental disabilities. The area board shall cooperate with county governments to the fullest extent possible within the limitations of the resources of the board.

(l) Each area board shall submit to the state council a summary of its activities and accomplishments in the previous year. The state council, in consultation with area boards, shall determine the timing of, and format for, this summary.

(m) It is the intent of the Legislature that area boards shall maintain local discretion in conducting their advocacy activities. The state council shall not direct the advocacy activities of the area boards, except when specifically authorized by law, or when necessary to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 676, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2003.)