Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 32–Senator Titus

 

April 11, 2001

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Referred to Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations

 

SUMMARY—Directs Legislative Commission to conduct interim study concerning Nevada’s program for providing services to persons with disabilities. (BDR R‑937)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Senate Concurrent RESOLUTION—Directing the Legislative Commission to conduct an interim study concerning Nevada’s program for providing services to persons with disabilities.

 

1-1     Whereas, The State of Nevada ranks 51st among all of the states and

1-2  the District of Columbia in providing per capita support services for

1-3  persons with disabilities, as published in The State of the States in

1-4  Developmental Disabilities, 2000 Study Summary by the University of

1-5  Illinois at Chicago; and

1-6     Whereas, Persons with disabilities represent approximately 13 percent

1-7  of Nevada’s population; and

1-8     Whereas, There is an enormous fragmentation of services provided to

1-9  persons with disabilities in this state, with programs scattered across state

1-10  government—the Aging Services Division and the Division of Mental

1-11  Health and Developmental Services of the Department of Human

1-12  Resources, and the Rehabilitation Division of the Department of

1-13  Employment, Training and Rehabilitation—and dozens of other state,

1-14  county and local programs; and

1-15     Whereas, One agency providing services to persons with disabilities

1-16  may not be aware of the services provided by another agency, resulting in

1-17  the duplication of services; and

1-18     Whereas, The Governor, in his recent State of the State Address before

1-19  this body, urged the creation of an Office of Disability Resources to

1-20  combine the many existing services in one location and develop a long

1-21  range plan to better provide services to persons of all ages who have

1-22  disabilities; now, therefore, be it

1-23     Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

1-24  Concurring, That the Legislative Commission is hereby directed to

1-25  appoint a committee, consisting of four members of the Senate and four

1-26  members of the Assembly, to conduct an interim study of Nevada’s

1-27  program for providing services to persons with disabilities; and be it

1-28  further

2-1     Resolved, That the committee shall review the state’s compliance with

2-2  and the impact of federal initiatives, such as the Americans with

2-3  Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the

2-4  Workforce Investment Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Ticket to Work and

2-5  Work Incentives Improvement Act, the Medicaid Act, the Protection and

2-6  Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act, the Developmental Disabilities

2-7  Act, and all federal block grants to the state; and be it further

2-8     Resolved, That the committee shall conduct a full review of the

2-9  current system in Nevada which delivers services to persons with

2-10  disabilities, including, employment, social services, medical and personal

2-11  assistance, education, public transportation, handicapped parking, housing,

2-12  child care and respite services, and the state laws relating to persons with

2-13  disabilities; and be it further

2-14     Resolved, That the committee shall examine the possible options to

2-15  improve the delivery of those services to maximize resources, consolidate

2-16  duplicating and overlapping services, expand community-based services,

2-17  increase consumer choice, input and review, increase outcomes per cost of

2-18  service, unify advocacy and appeal processes, and increase cooperation

2-19  between state and local programs and community providers; and be it

2-20  further

2-21     Resolved, That the study must also include an in-depth examination of

2-22  the coordination of the various services offered to persons with disabilities

2-23  in this state to ensure that a full range of services is provided to such

2-24  persons, that available funding is used to its maximum advantage and that

2-25  services provided by the state are coordinated with community services

2-26  that are available through such organizations as the United Way and

2-27  Opportunity Village for Retarded Citizens; and be it further

2-28     Resolved, That the committee shall also explore the feasibility of

2-29  establishing a single state agency to coordinate services provided to

2-30  persons with disabilities including careful study and substantial public

2-31  input on a wide range of related issues to ensure that no interrelated

2-32  services are overlooked; and be it further

2-33     Resolved, That any recommended legislation proposed by the

2-34  committee must be approved by a majority of the members of the Senate

2-35  and a majority of the members of the Assembly appointed to the

2-36  committee; and be it further

2-37     Resolved, That the Legislative Commission shall submit a report of

2-38  the results of the study and any recommendations for legislation to the

2-39  72nd session of the Nevada Legislature.

 

2-40  H