As used in §§ 1386.20, 1386.21, 1386.22 and 1386.25 of this part the following definitions apply:
Community living arrangements (e.g., group homes, board and care homes, individual residences and apartments), day programs, juvenile detention centers, hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, jails and prisons.
(a) The designating official must designate the State official or public or private agency to be accountable for proper use of funds and conduct of the Protection and Advocacy agency.
(b) An agency of the State or private agency providing direct services, including guardianship services may not be designated as a Protection and Advocacy agency.
(c) In the event that an entity outside of the State government is designated to carry out the program, the designating official or entity must assign a responsible State official to receive, on behalf of the State, notices of disallowances and compliance actions as the State is accountable for the
(d) (1) Prior to any redesignation of the agency which administers and operates the State Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System, the designating official must give written notice of the intention to make the redesignation to the agency currently administering and operating the State Protection and Advocacy System by registered or certified mail. The notice must indicate that the proposed redesignation is being made for good cause. The designating official must also publish a public notice of the proposed action. The agency and the public shall have a reasonable period of time, but not less than 45 days to respond to the notice.
(2) The public notice must include:
(i) The Federal requirements for the Protection and Advocacy system for individuals with developmental disabilities (section 142 of the Act); and, where applicable, the requirements of other Federal advocacy programs administered by the State Protection and Advocacy System.
(ii) The goals and function of the State's Protection and Advocacy System including the current Statement of Objectives and Priorities;
(iii) The name and address of the agency currently designated to administer and operate the Protection and Advocacy system; and an indication of whether the agency also operates other Federal advocacy programs;
(iv) A description of the current Protection and Advocacy agency and the system it administers and operates including, as applicable, descriptions of other Federal advocacy programs it operates;
(v) A clear and detailed explanation of the good cause for the proposed redesignation;
(vi) A statement suggesting that interested persons may wish to write the current State Protection and Advocacy agency at the address provided in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section to obtain a copy of its response to the notice required by paragraph (d)(1)of this section. Copies shall be provided in accessible formats to individuals with disabilities upon request;
(vii) The name of the new agency proposed to administer and operate the Protection and Advocacy System under the Developmental Disabilities program. This agency will be eligible to administer other Federal advocacy programs;
(viii) A description of the system which the new agency would administer and operate, including a description of all other Federal advocacy programs the agency would operate;
(ix) The timetable for assumption of operations by the new agency and the estimated costs of any transfer and start-up operations; and
(x) A statement of assurance that the proposed new designated State P&A System will continue to serve existing clients and cases of the current P&A system or refer them to other sources of legal advocacy as appropriate, without disruption.
(3) The public notice as required by paragraph (d)(1) of this section, must be in a format accessible to individuals with developmental disabilities or their representatives, e.g., tape, diskette. The designating official must provide for publication of the notice of the proposed redesignation using the State register, State-wide newspapers, public service announcements on radio and television, or any other legally equivalent process. Copies of the notice must be made generally available to individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness who live in residential facilities through posting or some other means.
(4) After the expiration of the public comment period required in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the designating official must conduct a public hearing on the redesignation proposal. After consideration of all public and agency comments, the designating official must give notice of the final decision to the currently designated agency and the public through the same means used under paragraph (d)(3) of this section. This notice must include a clear and detailed explanation of the good cause finding. If the notice to the currently designated agency states that the redesignation will take place, it also must inform the agency of its right to appeal this decision to the Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families and provide a
(e) (1) Following notification pursuant to paragraph (d)(4) of this section, the Protection and Advocacy agency which is the subject of such action, may appeal the redesignation to the Assistant Secretary. To do so, the Protection and Advocacy agency must submit an appeal in writing to the Assistant Secretary within 20 days of receiving official notification under paragraph (d)(4) of this section, with a separate copy sent by registered or certified mail to the designating official who made the decision concerning redesignation.
(2) In the event that the agency subject to redesignation does exercise its right to appeal under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the designating official must give public notice of the Assistant Secretary's final decision regarding the appeal through the same means utilized under paragraph (d)(3) of this section within 10 working days of receipt of the Assistant Secretary's final decision under paragraph (e)(6) of this section.
(3) The designating official within 10 working days from the receipt of a copy of the appeal must provide written comments to the Assistant Secretary (with a copy sent by registered or certified mail to the Protection and Advocacy agency appealing under paragraph (e)(1) of this section), or withdraw the redesignation. The comments must include a summary of the public comments received in regard to the notice of intent to redesignate and the results of the public hearing and its responses to those comments.
(4) In the event that the designating official withdraws the redesignation while under appeal pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the designating official must notify the Assistant Secretary, and the current agency, and must give public notice of his or her decision through the same means utilized under paragraph (d)(3) of this section.
(5) As part of their submission under paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(3) of this section, either party may request, and the Assistant Secretary may grant, an opportunity for an informal meeting with the Assistant Secretary at which representatives of both parties will present their views on the issues in the appeal. The meeting will be held within 20 working days of the submission of written comments by the designating official under paragraph (e)(2) of this section. The Assistant Secretary will promptly notify the parties of the date and place of the meeting.
(6) Within 30 days of the informal meeting under paragraph (e)(5) of this section, or, if there is no informal meeting under paragraph (e)(5) of this section, within 30 days of the submission under paragraph (e)(3) of this section, the Assistant Secretary will issue to the parties a final written decision on whether the redesignation was for good cause as defined in paragraph (d)(1) of this section. The Assistant Secretary will consult with Federal advocacy programs that will be directly affected by the proposed redesignation in making a final decision on the appeal.
(f) (1) Within 30 days after the redesignation becomes effective under paragraph (d)(4) of this section, the designating official must submit an assurance to the Assistant Secretary that the newly designated Protection and Advocacy agency meets the requirements of the statute and the regulations.
(2) In the event that the Protection and Advocacy agency subject to redesignation does not exercise its rights to appeal within the period provided under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the designating official must provide to the Assistant Secretary documentation that the agency was redesignated for good cause. Such documentation must clearly demonstrate that the Protection and Advocacy agency subject to redesignation was not redesignated for any actions or activities which were carried out under section 142 of the Act, these regulations or any other
(a) In order for a State to receive Federal financial participation for Protection and Advocacy activities under this subpart, as well as the State Developmental Disabilities Council activities (subpart C of this part), the Protection and Advocacy System must meet the requirements of section 142 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 6042) and that system must be operational.
(b) Allotments must be used to supplement and not to supplant the level of non-federal funds available in the State for activities under the Act, which shall include activities on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities to remedy abuse, neglect and violations of rights as well and information and referral activities.
(c) A Protection and Advocacy System shall not implement a policy or practice restricting the remedies which may be sought on the behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities or compromising the authority of the Protection and Advocacy System (P&A) to pursue such remedies through litigation, legal action or other forms of advocacy. However, the above requirement does not prevent the P&A from developing case or client acceptance criteria as part of the annual priorities identified by the P&A system as described in § 1386.23(c) of this part. Clients must be informed at the time they apply for services of such criteria.
(d) A P&A system shall be free from hiring freezes, reductions in force, prohibitions on staff travel, or other policies, imposed by the State, to the extent that such policies would impact system program staff or functions funded with Federal funds and would prevent the system from carrying out its mandates under the Act.
(e) A Protection and Advocacy System shall have sufficient staff, qualified by training and experience, to carry out the responsibilities of the system in accordance with the priorities of the system and requirements of the Act, including the investigation of allegations of abuse, neglect and representations of individuals with developmental disabilities regarding rights violations.
(f) A Protection and Advocacy System may exercise its authority under State law where the authority exceeds the authority required by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, as amended. However, State law must not diminish the required authority of the Protection and Advocacy System.
(g) Each P&A system that is a public system without a multimember governing or advisory board must establish an advisory council in order to provide a voice for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Advisory Council shall advise the P&A on program policies and priorities and shall be comprised of a majority of individuals with developmental disabilities who are eligible for services, or have received or are receiving services or parents or family members, (including those representing individuals with developmental disabilities who live in institutions and home and community based settings), guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of such individuals.
(h) Prior to any Federal review of the State program, a 30 day notice and an opportunity for public comment must be provided. Reasonable effort shall be made by the appropriate Regional Office to seek comments through notification to major disability advocacy groups, the State Bar, other disability law resources, the State Developmental Disabilities Council and the University Affiliated Program, for example, through newsletters and publications of those organizations. The findings of public comments may be consolidated if sufficiently similar issues are raised and they shall be included in the report of the onsite visit.
(i) Before the P&A system releases information to individuals not otherwise authorized to receive it, the P&A must obtain written consent from the client requesting assistance, if competent, or his or her guardian.
(a) Access to records—A protection and advocacy (P&A) system shall have access to the records of any of the following individuals with developmental disabilities:
(1) An individual who is a client of the system, including any person who has requested assistance from the system, if authorized by that individual or their legal guardian, conservator or other legal representative.
(2) An individual, including an individual who has died or whose whereabouts is unknown, to whom all of the following conditions apply:
(i) The individual, due to his or her mental or physical condition is unable to authorize the system to have access;
(ii) The individual does not have a legal guardian, conservator or other legal representative, or the individual's guardian is the State (or one of its political subdivisions); and
(iii) With respect to whom a complaint has been received by the system or the system has probable cause (which can be the result of monitoring or other activities including media reports and newspaper articles) to believe that such individual has been subject to abuse or neglect.
(3) An individual who has a legal guardian, conservator, or other legal representative, with respect to whom a complaint has been received by the system or with respect to whom the system has determined that there is probable cause to believe that the health or safety of the individual is in serious and immediate jeopardy, whenever all the following conditions exist:
(i) The system has made a good faith effort to contact the representative upon receipt of the representative's name and address;
(ii) The system has offered assistance to the representative to resolve the situation; and
(iii) The representative has failed or refused to act on behalf of the individual.
(b) Individual records to which P&A systems must have access under section 142(A)(2)(I) (whether written or in another medium, draft or final, including handwritten notes, electronic files, photographs or video or audio tape records) shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(1) Records prepared or received in the course of providing intake, assessment, evaluation, education, training and other supportive services, including medical records, financial records, and monitoring and other reports prepared or received by a member of the staff of a facility that is providing care or treatment;
(2) Reports prepared by an agency charged with investigating incidents of abuse or neglect, injury or death occurring at a facility or while the individual with a developmental disability is under the care of a member of the staff of a facility, or by or for such facility, that describe any or all of the following:
(i) Abuse, neglect, injury, death;
(ii) The steps taken to investigate the incidents;
(iii) Reports and records, including personnel records, prepared or maintained by the facility in connection with such reports of incidents; or,
(iv) Supporting information that was relied upon in creating a report, including all information and records which describe persons who were interviewed, physical and documentary evidence that was reviewed, and the related investigative findings; and
(3) Discharge planning records.
(c) Information in the possession of a facility which must be available to P&A systems in investigating instances of abuse and neglect under section 142(a)(2)(B) (whether written or in another medium, draft or final, including hand written notes, electronic files, photographs or video or audio tape records) shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Information in reports prepared by individuals and entities performing certification or licensure reviews, or by professional accreditation organizations, as well as related assessments prepared for a facility by its staff, contractors or related entities, except that nothing in this section is intended to preempt State law protection records produced by medical care evaluation or peer review committees.
(2) Information in professional, performance, building or other safety
(d) A system shall be permitted to inspect and copy information and records, subject to a reasonable charge to offset duplicating costs.
(e) The client's record is the property of the Protection and Advocacy System which must protect it from loss, damage, tampering, or use by unauthorized individuals. The Protection and Advocacy System must:
(1) Keep confidential all information contained in a client's records, which includes, but is not limited to, information contained in an automated data bank. This regulation does not limit access by parents or legal guardians of minors unless prohibited by State or Federal law, court order or the rules of attorney-client privilege;
(2) Have written policies governing access to, storage of, duplication of, and release of information from the client's record; and
(3) Be authorized to keep confidential the names and identity of individuals who report incidents of abuse and neglect and individuls who furnish information that forms the basis for a determination that probable cause exists.
(f) Access to Facilities and Individuals with Developmental Disabilities—A system shall have reasonable unaccompanied access to public and private facilities which provide services, supports, and other assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities in the State when necessary to conduct a full investigation of an incident of abuse or neglect under section 142(a)(2)(B) of the Act. This authority shall include the opportunity: to interview any facility service recipient, employee, or other person, including the person thought to be the victim of such abuse, who might be reasonably believed by the system to have knowledge of the incident under investigation; and to inspect, view and photograph all areas of the facility's premises that might be reasonably believed by the system to have been connected with the incident under investigation.
(g) Under section 142(a)(2)(H) of the Act, the system and all of its authorized agents shall have unaccompanied access to all residents of a facility at reasonable times, which at a minimum shall include normal working hours and visiting hours, for the purpose of:
(1) Providing information and training on, and referral to, programs addressing the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities, and the protection and advocacy services available from the system, including the name, address, and telephone number of the system and other information and training about individual rights; and
(2) Monitoring compliance with respect to the rights and safety of service recipients.
(h) Unaccompanied access to residents of a facility shall include the opportunity to meet and communicate privately with such individuals regularly, both formally and informally, by telephone, mail and in person.
(i) If a system is denied access to facilities and its programs, individuals with developmental disabilities, or records covered by the Act it shall be provided promptly with a written statement of reasons, including, in the case of a denial for alleged lack of authorization, the name and address of the legal guardian, conservator, or other legal representative of an individual with developmental disabilities.
(a) By January 1 of each year the Protection and Advocacy System shall submit an Annual Program Performance Report as required in section 107(b) of the Act, in a format designated by the Secretary.
(b) Financial status reports must be submitted by the Protection and Advocacy Agency according to a frequency interval specified by the Administration for Children and Families. In no case will such reports be required more frequently than quarterly.
(c) By January 1 of each year, the Protection and Advocacy System shall submit an Annual Statement of Objectives and Priorities, (SOP) for the coming fiscal year as required under section 142(a)(2)(C) of the Act.
(1) The SOP is a description and explanation of the priorities and selection criteria for the system's individual advocacy caseload; systemic advocacy work and training activities, and the outcomes which it strives to accomplish.
(2) Where applicable, the SOP must include a description of how the Protection and Advocacy System operates and how it coordinates the Protection and Advocacy program for individuals with developmental disabilities with other Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs administered by the State Protection and Advocacy System. This description must address the System's intake process, internal and external referrals of eligible clients, duplication and overlap of services and eligibility, streamlining of advocacy services, collaboration and sharing of information on service needs and development of Statements of Objectives and Priorities for the various advocacy programs.
(3) Priorities as established through the SOP serve as the basis for P&As to determine which cases are selected in a given fiscal year. P&As have the authority to turn down a request for assistance when it is outside the scope of the SOP but they must inform individuals that this is the basis for turning them down.
(d) Each fiscal year, the Protection and Advocacy Agency shall:
(1) Obtain formal public input on its Statement of Objectives and Priorities;
(2) At a minimum, provide for a broad distribution of the proposed Statement of Objectives and Priorities for the next fiscal year in a manner accessible to individuals with developmental disabilities and their representatives, allowing at least 45 days from the date of distribution for comment;
(3) Provide to the State Developmental Disabilities Council and the University Affiliated Program a copy of the proposed Statement of Objectives and Priorities for comments concurrently with the public notice;
(4) Incorporate or address any comments received through the public input and any input received from the State Developmental Disabilities Council and the University Affiliated Program in the final Statement submitted to the Department; and
(5) Address how the Protection and Advocacy System; State Developmental Disabilities Council; and the University Affiliated Program will collaborate with each other and with other public and private entities.
(a) Federal financial participation is not allowable for:
(1) Costs incurred for activities on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities to solve problems not directly related to their disabilities and which are faced by the general populace. Such activities include but are not limited to: Preparation of wills, divorce decrees, and real estate proceedings. Allowable costs in such cases would include the Protection and Advocacy System providing disability related technical assistance information and referral to appropriate programs and services; and
(2) Costs not allowed under other applicable statutes. Departmental regulations and issuances of the Office of Management and Budget.
(b) Attorneys fees are considered program income pursuant to Part 74-Administration of Grants and Part 92-Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments and must be added to the funds committed to the program and used to further the objectives of the program. This requirement shall apply to all attorneys fees, including those earned by contractors and those received after the project period in which they were earned.
Allotments may be used to pay the otherwise allowable costs incurred by a Protection and Advocacy System in bringing lawsuits in its own right to redress incidents of abuse or neglect, discrimination and other rights violations impacting on individuals with developmental disabilities to obtain access to records and when it appears on behalf of named plaintiffs or a class of plaintiff for such purposes.