N.Y. MHY Law § 13.07

§ 13.07 Office for people with developmental disabilities; scope of\n responsibilities.\n (a) The office for people with developmental disabilities shall assure\nthe development of comprehensive plans, programs, and services in the\nareas of research, prevention, and care, treatment, habilitation,\nrehabilitation, vocational and other education, and training of\nindividuals with developmental disabilities. Such plans, programs, and\nservices shall be developed by the cooperation of the office, other\noffices of the department where appropriate, other state departments and\nagencies, local governments, community organizations and agencies\nproviding services to individuals with developmental disabilities, their\nfamilies and representatives. It shall provide appropriate facilities,\nprograms, supports and services and encourage the provision of\nfacilities, programs, supports and services by local government and\ncommunity organizations and agencies.\n (b) It shall advise and assist the governor in developing policies\ndesigned to meet the needs of persons with developmental disabilities\nand encourage their full inclusion and participation in society.\n (c) The office shall have the responsibility for seeing that persons\nwith developmental disabilities specified in the foregoing subdivision\nare provided with services including care and treatment, that such\nservices are of high quality and effectiveness, and that the personal\nand civil rights of persons receiving such services are protected. The\nservices provided shall seek to promote and attain independence,\ninclusion, individuality and productivity for persons with developmental\ndisabilities.\n (c-1) 1. In carrying out the responsibilities identified in\nsubdivision (c) of this section, the office shall ensure that\napplications for eligibility determinations and service authorizations\nare processed in a timely manner. The office shall complete processing\nof the application within a processing period of one hundred twenty days\nof receipt of such application transmitted via the internet or\nelectronic mail.\n 2. Where the application is not reasonably clear or omits required\ninformation, or where the office reasonably suspects fraud based on\nspecific information available to the office, the office shall notify\nthe applicant in writing within thirty calendar days of the receipt of\nsuch application and request the specific information needed to process\nsuch application. Provided, however, that the processing period shall be\ntolled from the date of notice to the applicant to the date of receipt\nof the complete application by the office.\n 3. Upon receipt of the information requested in paragraph two of this\nsubdivision, the office shall complete processing of the complete\napplication within the remaining days of the processing period.\n (d) The office shall foster programs for the training and development\nof persons capable of providing the foregoing services.\n (e) Consistent with the requirements of subdivision (b) of section\n5.05 of this chapter, the office shall carry out the provisions of\narticle thirty-one of this chapter as such article pertains to\nregulation and quality control of services for persons with\ndevelopmental disabilities.\n