PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Note

 

  Part heading added by L 1983, c 122, §3.

 

§333E-1  Findings and purpose.  Thelegislature finds that:

(1)  The State of Hawaii has a responsibility toprovide support and services for individuals with developmental disabilities inorder to support them in living self-determined lives according to section 333F‑8;

(2)  Several departments of the State are responsiblefor various support and services to individuals with developmentaldisabilities;

(3)  Lack of coordination among the services andplanning activities of the various departments of the State results in gaps inthe spectrum of needed services, duplication of services, lack of clarity inresponsibility for services, and poorly articulated inter-agency programs, therebyreducing the quality of programs for individuals with developmentaldisabilities;

(4)  Because of specific mandates of the departments,it is essential that a body responsible for coordinating services and planningfor individuals with developmental disabilities be established outside thedepartments responsible for support and services;

(5)  There exists within the state department ofhealth for administrative purposes only, a state council on developmentaldisabilities appointed by the governor and mandated by federal legislation,supported in large part by federal moneys and required by federal law toprovide advocacy, capacity building, systemic change, planning, andcoordinating activities, promoting interagency collaboration, and enhancing coordinationto better serve individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;

(6)  The purpose of this chapter is to establish thestate council on developmental disabilities as the state agency responsible forcoordinating services to individuals with developmental disabilities in Hawaii;

(7)  Community participation is a major goal of theState, thus state and county agencies should adopt policies and regulationswhich will support individuals and their families to fully participate in theircommunities; and

(8)  Family support is another major goal of the Statein providing families of children with disabilities the support servicesnecessary to support the family; to enable families of children withdisabilities to nurture and enjoy their children at home; to enable families ofchildren with disabilities to make informed choices and decisions regarding thenature of support, resources, services, and other assistance made available tothe families; and to support family caregivers of adults with disabilities. [L1975, c 198, §1; am L 1979, c 180, pt of §1; am L 1980, c 239, §1; am L 1987, c339, §4; am L 2001, c 175, §1]