(1)(a) There is created the State Interagency Coordinating Council.
(b) The Governor shall appoint members of the council from a list of eligible appointees provided by the council and agencies described in subsection (2) of this section and shall ensure that the membership of the council reasonably represents the population of this state.
(c) The Governor shall designate one member of the council to serve as the chairperson, or if the Governor chooses not to name a chairperson, the council may elect one of its members to serve as chairperson. However, any member of the council who represents the Department of Education may not serve as the chairperson of the council.
(2) The membership of the council shall be composed as follows:
(a) At least 20 percent of the council members shall be parents, including minority parents, of preschool children with disabilities or of children with disabilities who are 12 years of age or younger who have knowledge of or experience with programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities. At least one council member shall be a parent of an infant or toddler with a disability or of a child with a disability who is six years of age or younger.
(b) At least 20 percent of the council members shall be public or private providers of early intervention and early childhood special education services.
(c) At least one council member shall be a member of the Legislative Assembly.
(d) At least one council member shall be involved in personnel preparation.
(e) At least one council member shall represent the Department of Human Services.
(f) At least one council member shall represent the federal Head Start program.
(g) At least one council member shall represent the Child Care Division of the Employment Department.
(h) At least one council member shall represent the Department of Education.
(i) At least one council member shall represent the Department of Consumer and Business Services.
(j) At least one council member shall represent the State Commission on Children and Families.
(k) At least one council member shall represent the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center of the Oregon Health and Science University.
(L) At least one council member shall be a member of the State Advisory Council for Special Education created under ORS 343.287.
(m) At least one council member shall be a representative designated by the state coordinator for homeless education.
(n) At least one council member shall represent the state child welfare agency responsible for foster care.
(o) At least one council member shall represent the state agency responsible for children’s mental health.
(p) At least one council member shall be from the agency responsible for the state Medicaid program.
(q) The council may include other members appointed by the Governor, including but not limited to one representative from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs or, where there is no school operated or funded by the bureau, from the Indian Health Service or the tribe or tribal council.
(3) An individual appointed to represent a state agency that is involved in the provision of or payment for services for preschool children with disabilities under subsection (2)(e) and (h) to (k) of this section shall have sufficient authority to engage in making and implementing policy on behalf of the agency.
(4) The State Interagency Coordinating Council shall:
(a) Advise the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education on unmet needs in the early childhood special education and early intervention programs for preschool children with disabilities, review and comment publicly on any rules proposed by the State Board of Education and the distribution of funds for the programs and assist the state in developing and reporting data on and evaluations of the programs and services.
(b) Advise and assist the represented public agencies regarding the services and programs they provide to preschool children with disabilities and their families, including public comments on any proposed rules affecting the target population and the distribution of funds for such services, and assist each agency in developing services that reflect the overall goals for the target population as adopted by the council.
(c) Advise and assist the Department of Education and other state agencies in the development and implementation of the policies that constitute the statewide system.
(d) Assist all appropriate public agencies in achieving the full participation, coordination and cooperation for implementation of a statewide system that includes but is not limited to:
(A) Seeking information from service providers, service coordinators, parents and others about any federal, state or local policies that impede timely service delivery; and
(B) Taking steps to ensure that any policy problems identified under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph are resolved.
(e) Advise and assist the Department of Education in identifying the sources of fiscal and other support for preschool services, assigning financial responsibility to the appropriate agencies and ensuring that the provisions of interagency agreements under ORS 343.511 are carried out.
(f) Review and comment on each agency’s services and policies regarding services for preschool children with disabilities, or preschool children who are at risk of developing disabling conditions, and their families to the maximum extent possible to assure cost-effective and efficient use of resources.
(g) To the extent appropriate, assist the Department of Education in the resolution of disputes.
(h) Advise and assist the Department of Education in the preparation of applications and amendments thereto.
(i) Advise and assist the Department of Education regarding the transition of preschool children with disabilities.
(j) Prepare and submit an annual report to the Governor and to the United States Secretary of Education on the status of early intervention programs operated within this state.
(5) The council may advise appropriate agencies about integration of services for preschool children with disabilities and at-risk preschool children.
(6) Terms of office for council members shall be three years, except that:
(a) The representative from the State Advisory Council for Special Education shall serve a one-year term; and
(b) The representatives from other state agencies and the representative from the Legislative Assembly shall serve indefinite terms.
(7) Subject to approval by the Governor, the council may use federal funds appropriated for this purpose and available to the council to:
(a) Conduct hearings and forums;
(b) Reimburse nonagency council members pursuant to ORS 292.495 for attending council meetings, for performing council duties, and for necessary expenses, including child care for parent members;
(c) Pay compensation to a council member if the member is not employed or if the member must forfeit wages from other employment when performing official council business;
(d) Hire staff; and
(e) Obtain the services of such professional, technical and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out its functions.
(8) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, council members shall serve without compensation.
(9) The Department of Education shall provide clerical and administrative support, including staff, to the council to carry out the performance of the council’s function as described in this section.
(10) The council shall meet at least quarterly. The meetings shall be announced publicly and, to the extent appropriate, be open and accessible to the general public.
(11) No member of the council shall cast a vote on any matter that would provide direct financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under state law. [1993 c.409 §5 (enacted in lieu of 343.498); 1999 c.989 §24; 2001 c.900 §54; 2005 c.662 §10]
Section: Previous 343.470 343.475 343.480 343.485 343.490 343.495 343.498 343.499 343.500 343.503 343.505 343.507 343.509 343.510 343.511 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008