KRS 194A.624: Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders -- Administration of

funds -- Annual report -- Administrative regulations.

(1) The Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders is hereby created and shall be

attached to the Office of Autism with in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services

for administrative purposes.

(2) The Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders shall consist of the following

members appointed by the Governor:

(a) One (1) representative from the Department for Public Health;

(b) One (1) representative from the Department for Medicaid Services;

(c) One (1) representative from the Department for Community Based Services;

(d) One (1) representative from the Department of Public Advocacy;

(e) One (1) representative from the Department of Education;

(f) One (1) representative from the Department of Juvenile Justice;

(g) One (1) representative from the Department for Behavioral Health,

Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities;

(h) One (1) representative from the Office for Ch ildren with Special Health Care

Needs;

(i) One (1) parent or youth representative from the Commonwealth Council on

Developmental Disabilities;

(j) One (1) representative from the Kentucky Autism Training Center;

(k) One (1) representative from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation;

(l) One (1) representative from the University of Louisville;

(m) One (1) representative from the University of Kentucky Human Development

Institute;

(n) One (1) representative from the University of Kentucky;

(o) One (1) representative from the Center for Autism Spectrum Evaluation,

Service, and Research;

(p) One (1) representative from the Education Professional Standards Board;

(q) One (1) pediatrician representative;

(r) One (1) representative from the Weisskopf Child Evaluation Center;

(s) One (1) representative from the First Steps Program;

(t) One (1) representative from the Arc of Kentucky;

(u) The director of the Office of Autism;

(v) At least one (1) consumer representative, an ad ult with a diagnosis on the

autism spectrum; and

(w) Five (5) citizen-at-large members.

(3) The co-chairs of the Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders shall be the

representatives appointed by the Governor from the University of Kentucky and the

University of Louisville.

(4) The Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders may invite individuals who

are not members to serve on committees and workgroups.

(5) Appointed members of the Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders shall

serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in

the performance of duties in accordance with KRS 45.101 and administrative

regulations promulgated thereunder. Members of the council shall initially be

appointed to serve staggered terms and thereafter shall be appointed to serve a term

of four (4) years.

(6) The Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Personnel Cabinet, the Finance

and Administration Cabinet, and the Office of the State Budget Director shall take

all necessary actions to effectuate this section.

(7) The Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders shall be responsible for:

(a) Promoting the vision for Kentucky's services and supports to persons on the

autism spectrum and their families and advocating for improved qua lity and

evidence-based practices for persons on the autism spectrum and their

families;

(b) Promoting the early screening, identification, early intervention, and

appropriate use of evidence -based practices and standards of care for persons

on the autism spectrum across the lifespan;

(c) Strengthening state, regional, and local level collaboration and coordination

with families, self -advocates, support groups, and state agencies to further

coordinate, develop, and enhance the service delivery system for pe rsons on

the autism spectrum across the lifespan;

(d) Gathering and analyzing research and data to assess the quality and

availability of programs and services for persons on the autism spectrum and

providing recommendations on assessments, interventions, and treatment

modalities across the lifespan;

(e) Developing recommendations for:

1. Increasing participation in existing federal, state, and local programs

that serve children, youth, and adults on the autism spectrum;

2. Enhancing the current professional development and planning for future

workforce development to incorporate research and evidence -based

practices;

3. Establishing standards of care and undertaking efforts to ensure

promotion of these standards statewide; and

4. Promoting the development of services and supports to transition youth

and adults on the autism spectrum;

(f) Assessing the capacity and effecti veness of institutes of higher education in

the state toward supporting the development of the workforce for persons on

the autism spectrum;

(g) Requesting and utilizing federal, state, and private funds, including funds

from philanthropic sources;

(h) Improving procedures for ensuring accountability and measuring success of

programs that receive state, federal, and philanthropic funds;

(i) Obtaining reports and issuing progress updates on state and federally funded

services that impact the quality of Kentu cky's system of care for persons on

the autism spectrum;

(j) Completing a biennial report with the Office of Autism and submitting it to

the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Governor, and

the Legislative Research Commission. The firs t report shall be due on or

before September 30, 2017, and subsequent reports shall be due each

September 30 in odd-numbered years thereafter; and

(k) Other duties and responsibilities as designated by the Governor.

(8) The Advisory Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders shall:

(a) Administer and distribute funds from the autism spectrum disorder trust fund

created in KRS 194A.625;

(b) Develop a written plan for the use of funds made available under KRS

194A.625. The initial plan shall be completed on or befo re October 1, 2026,

and shall be updated on an annual basis on or before October 1 of each year

thereafter. The plan shall at a minimum include the following:

1. A summary of existing autism spectrum disorder research, awareness,

treatment, and funding programs provided to individuals in Kentucky;

2. A needs assessment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder in

Kentucky that identifies additional research funding needs by disorder

type and geographic area, with support for why the identified programs

are needed; and

3. A prioritized list of programs and research projects that the advisory

council will address with funding available through the competitive

grant program established under subsection (9) of this section; and

(c) Provide to the Governor an d the Legislative Research Commission an annual

report by October 1 of each year. The report shall include:

1. The plan developed under this subsection for the use of funds for the

current and next fiscal year;

2. A summary of the use and impact of prior year funds;

3. A summary of the activities of the advisory council during the prior

fiscal year; and

4. Any recommendations for future initiatives or actions regarding autism

spectrum disorder research funding.

(9) (a) The cabinet shall promulgate administr ative regulations in accordance with

KRS Chapter 13A to establish a competitive, open grant program to provide

funding to nonprofit entities, academic medical centers, and government

agencies offering research funding and services for autism spectrum disor der

services to individuals in Kentucky impacted by the disorder.

(b) The grant program shall provide funding to research projects and programs in

accordance with the priorities established in the plan developed under

subsection (8) of this section.

(c) The administrative regulations shall at a minimum:

1. Establish an application process and requirements;

2. Set forth program and outcome measurement requirements;

3. Establish an application review and award process; and

4. Provide monitoring, oversight, and reporting requirements for funded

programs.