50-06-01.4. Structure of the department

50-06-01.4. Structure of the department

1. The department includes the state hospital, the state-operated behavioral health

clinics, a vocational rehabilitation unit, public health division, and other units or offices

and administrative and fiscal support services as the commissioner of the department

determines necessary. The department must be structured to promote efficient and

effective operations and, consistent with fulfilling its prescribed statutory duties, shall

act as the official agency of the state in the discharge of the following functions not

otherwise by law made the responsibility of another state agency:

a. (1) Administration of programs for children and families, including adoption

services and the licensure of child-placing agencies, foster care services

and the licensure of foster care arrangements, certification of shelter care

services, child protection services, children's trust fund, licensure of early

childhood programs, refugee services, in-home community-based services,

quality control, administration of the interstate compacts on the placement of

children and juveniles, and the early childhood services advisory board.

(2) Administration of programs to identify all available options for effectively

maximizing the provision of early childhood services within the state and

address the coordinated utilization of facilities and personnel for the

provision of early childhood services within the state.

b. Administration of programs for individuals with developmental disabilities,

including licensure of facilities and services, the establishment funding for family

members and corporate guardianships, and the design and implementation of a

community-based service system for persons in need of habilitation.

c. Administration of aging service programs, including nutrition, transportation,

advocacy, social, ombudsman, recreation, and related services funded under the

Older Americans Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.], home and

community-based services, licensure of adult foster care homes, and the

committee on aging.

d. Administration of behavioral health programs, including reviewing and identifying

service needs and activities in the state's behavioral health system in an effort to

ensure health and safety, access to services, and quality of services; establishing

quality assurance standards for the licensure of substance use disorder program

services and facilities; providing policy leadership in partnership with public and

private entities; and providing chronic disease management, regional intervention

services, and twenty-four-hour crisis services for individuals with behavioral

health disorders.

e. Administration of economic assistance programs, including temporary assistance

for needy families, the supplemental nutrition assistance program, home energy

assistance, child care assistance, refugee assistance, work experience, work

incentive, and quality control.

f. Administration of medical service programs, including medical assistance for

children's health insurance program, Medicaid waivers, early and periodic

screening, diagnosis and treatment, utilization control, autism services, and

claims processing.

g. Administration of general assistance.

h. Administration of child support.

i. Administration of program, services, and licensing outlined in title 23 and other

previous duties of the state department of health and state health council.

j. Administration of a program to improve the quality of life for an individual with

brain injury and the individual's family through brain injury awareness, prevention,

research, education, collaboration, support services, and advocacy.

2. The commissioner of the department or commissioner's designee shall consult with

and maintain a close working relationship with the department of corrections and

rehabilitation and the superintendents of the school for the deaf and the North Dakota

jury and the individual's family through brain injury awareness, prevention,

research, education, collaboration, support services, and advocacy.

2. The commissioner of the department or commissioner's designee shall consult with

and maintain a close working relationship with the department of corrections and

rehabilitation and the superintendents of the school for the deaf and the North Dakota

vision services - school for the blind to develop programs for individuals with

developmental disabilities; and with the superintendent of public instruction to

maximize the use of resource persons in state-operated behavioral health clinics in the

provision of special education services. The commissioner of the department or

commissioner's designee shall also maintain a close liaison with human service zones.

3. The department shall establish a template for the development of human service zone

plans, including process and content requirements, access point expectations, client

grievances procedures, human resources, and locally funded programs or services

and how those services will be addressed.

4. The department shall develop, with assistance from the North Dakota association of

counties, a process for consultation and technical assistance for human service zone

working groups.