AB473: Bill Text

LRB-3529/1

DAK:kmg:rs

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Assembly BILL 473

August 15, 2001 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care.

AB473,1,2 An Act relating to: requiring the creation of a task force to develop a plan for the state centers for the developmentally disabled.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill is explained in the Note provided by the joint legislative council in the bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the joint legislative council's special committee on developmental disabilities. The bill requires the department of health and family services to create a task force charged to develop a plan for the state centers for the developmentally disabled. The task force must include representatives from the following stakeholder groups and agencies:

1. The department of health and family services.

2. The department of veterans affairs.

3. The department of corrections.

4. The governor's office.

5. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and other labor groups.

6. Parents or guardians of current state center residents.

7. Former and current state center residents.

8. Advocates for persons with developmental disabilities.

9. The board member of an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded.

10. Organizations that provide services to person with developmental disabilities in the community.

11. County departments that provide services to persons with developmental disabilities.

The task force is charged with developing a plan to do all of the following:

1. Specify the future role of the state centers for the developmentally disabled, and the state, in providing services for persons with developmental disabilities.

2. Maximize the potential for independent living in the most appropriate setting for each person residing in the state centers, according to the person's wishes.

3. Define and recommend changes in the role of one or more of the state centers, to functions other than as centers for the developmentally disabled.

4. Ensure the provision of quality community-based services for persons who can be relocated from the state centers.

5. Provide for transitional employment opportunities and services for existing staff of the state centers, in the event that one or more of the state centers closes or take on new functions.

AB473, s. 1 Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions; health and family services.

AB473,2,2 (1) State centers task force.

AB473,2,9 (a) The department of health and family services shall create a task force that shall develop a plan for the state centers for the developmentally disabled. The plan, which shall be completed by September 1, 2002, shall include any recommended statutory language changes needed to implement the plan. The department shall submit this recommended statutory language to the department of administration as part of the department of health and family services' 2003-05 biennial budget request and to the legislature. The plan shall do the following:

AB473,2,12 1. Specify the future role of the state and the state centers for the developmentally disabled in providing services for persons with developmental disabilities.

AB473,2,15 2. Attempt to maximize the potential for independent living in the most appropriate setting for each person residing in the state centers for the developmentally disabled, according to the person's wishes.

AB473,3,3 3. Define and recommend changes in the role of one or more of the state centers for the developmentally disabled, including functioning other than as a state center for the developmentally disabled.

AB473,3,5 4. Ensure the provision of quality community-based services for persons who are able to be relocated from the state centers.

AB473,3,8 5. Provide for transitional employment opportunities and services for existing staff of the state centers for the developmentally disabled, in the event that one or more of the state centers close or are assigned new functions.

AB473,3,11 (b) The department of health and family services shall appoint the membership of the task force described in paragraph (a). The task force shall include representatives of all of the following:

AB473,3,12 1. The department of health and family services.

AB473,3,13 2. The department of veterans affairs.

AB473,3,14 3. The department of corrections.

AB473,3,15 4. The governor's office.

AB473,3,17 5. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and other labor unions.

AB473,3,19 6. Parents or guardians of current residents of the state centers for the developmentally disabled.

AB473,3,21 7. Former and current residents of the state centers for the developmentally disabled.

AB473,3,22 8. Advocates for persons with developmental disabilities.

AB473,3,24 9. A member of the board of an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded.

AB473,4,2 10. Organizations that provide services to persons with developmental disabilities in the community.

AB473,4,4 11. County departments that provide services to persons with developmental disabilities.

AB473,4,5 (End)