11781.5. The department shall provide direction to counties and to public and private organizations serving the target populations to increase access to alcohol and other drug abuse prevention and recovery programs in all of the following ways:
(a) Assume responsibility to increase the knowledge within state agencies and the Legislature of problems affecting the target populations.
(b) Determine, compile, and disseminate information and resource needs of the counties and constituent service providers to better serve the target populations.
(c) Ensure that established state and county standards, policies, and procedures are not discriminatory and do not contribute to service accessibility barriers.
(d) Promote an understanding of ethnic and gender differences, approaches to problems, and strategies for increasing voluntary access to services by the target populations.
(e) Affirmatively coordinate with the counties for the provision of services to the target populations and to assure accountability that necessary services are actually provided.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 862, Sec. 57. Effective January 1, 2005.)