The Board shall have the following powers and duties:
1. To advise the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and Governor on issues and problems of interest to persons with disabilities and on such other matters as either the Secretary or the Governor may request;
2. Beginning July 1, 2017, to submit an annual report to the Governor, through the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, that provides an in-depth assessment of at least two major service areas for people with disabilities, to be determined by the Board, that (i) includes a description of critical issues and trend analyses, (ii) identifies the needs of persons with developmental and related disabilities, (iii) evaluates the effectiveness of services provided by state-supported programs, and (iv) makes programmatic and fiscal recommendations for improving services and supports. Once every four years, the Board shall make available to the public all the service areas it intends to review over the following four years and shall ensure that each of these service areas is reviewed at least once within such period.
3. To serve as the State Council on Developmental Disabilities for the administration of certain federal public health and welfare laws as provided in 42 U.S.C. § 15001;
4. To perform all duties and exercise all powers designated by federal law for such state councils on developmental disabilities, including the responsibility for planning activities on behalf of all developmentally disabled persons in the Commonwealth; for receiving, accounting for and disbursing federal funds; for developing and approving the state plan; and for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of such plan for the provision of services and facilities for persons with developmental disabilities;
5. To be responsible for obtaining information and data from within the Commonwealth, and from time to time, but not less than annually, to review and evaluate the state plan and submit such state plan, and revisions thereto, to the Governor and to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services;
6. To hire and supervise the Director of the Board and prescribe his duties, including:
a. Hiring such staff and obtaining the service of such professional, technical, and clerical personnel necessary to carry out the Board's powers and duties; and
b. Accepting gifts and grants on behalf of the Commonwealth, in furtherance of the purpose of this Board.
1985, c. 421, § 51.01-33; 1990, c. 458; 1992, c. 627; 1995, c. 34; 2009, c. 516; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2015, c. 523; 2016, c. 219.