3 V.S.A. § 3098: Service-Supported Housing Advisory Council

(a) The Service-Supported Housing Advisory Council is created for the purpose of identifying opportunities for increased alignment between human services programs and policies serving individuals who receive Medicaid-funded Developmental Disability Services and housing capital and support services programs.

(b) The Advisory Council shall be overseen by the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living and shall be composed of the following individuals:

(1) one member, appointed by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board;

(2) the Secretary of Human Services or designee;

(3) the Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living or designee;

(4) the State Treasurer or designee;

(5) the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development or designee;

(6) two members, appointed by the Developmental Disabilities Housing Initiative;

(7) the Executive Director of the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council or designee;

(8) two members, appointed by Green Mountain Self-Advocates; and

(9) one member, appointed by Vermont Care Partners.

(c)(1) The Advisory Council shall meet at least monthly.

(2) The Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living shall convene the first meeting of the Advisory Council, during which the Advisory Council shall elect a chair from among its members.

(d) The Advisory Council shall have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living.

(e) When requested by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Advisory Council shall provide advice to the Board regarding the expenditure of funds for the production of permanently affordable housing for individuals who are eligible to receive Medicaid-funded Developmental Disability Services.

(f)(1) The Advisory Council shall report annually on or before November 15 to the House Committees on General and Housing and on Human Services and the Senate Committees on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs and on Health and Welfare regarding:

(A) administrative and programmatic reforms carried out to better align support-services and housing development programs and policies, including examples of projects or progress enabled by those changes;

(B) a housing needs assessment for individuals served by the Developmental Disabilities Services System of Care, including a summary of the number of units and an overview of the types of housing needed to support this population;

(C) activities undertaken pursuant to this section; and

(D) recommendations for future legislative action and funding sources, including actionable recommendations for changes in State laws or policies that are obstacles to the creation of housing needed by individuals who are eligible to receive Medicaid-funded Developmental Disability Services.

(2) The provisions of 2 V.S.A. § 20(d) (expiration of required reports) shall not apply to the annual report to be made under this subsection.

(g) Members of the Advisory Council who are not otherwise compensated for their time shall be entitled to per diem compensation as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for meetings of the Advisory Council. Payments to members of the Advisory Council authorized under this subsection shall be made from monies appropriated to the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living’s base budget.