2014 -- S 2355 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND DEVELOPMENTAL

DISABILITIES COUNCIL EXAMINE AND REFINE ITS CURRENT POLICIES AND

PRACTICES FOR THE ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PROTECTION

AND ADVOCACY SYSTEMS

     Introduced By: Senators Ottiano, DiPalma, Goldin, Miller, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     WHEREAS, The following principles and core values should serve to guide the focus of

community services/supports for adults with developmental disabilities in Rhode Island:

     • Each person is unique with individual interests, strengths and needs; support and

services are responsive to the individual and his/her particular situation;

     • All of us develop and grow within a community of personal relationships; support and

services help build friendships and relationships with various people who are involved in our

personal lives;

     • Each person is treated with dignity and respect and is deserving of a meaningful life in

the community that offers a variety of individual choices that affect his/her own life/future and

opportunities to reach his/her fullest potential; we strive to meet the highest standards of personal

and professional integrity in order to assure each person has a good quality of life;

     • The supports/services that the individual receives shall be provided in a safe

environment and in the least restrictive manner;

     • There is equity and fairness to all stakeholders;

     • There is the capacity to accommodate new people within the system of services/support

without waiting lists;

     • The Division of Developmental Disabilities will be a catalyst in the shift of decision-

making to individuals with disabilities and their families regarding the choice of agency and the

supports provided. Innovative and cost-effective programs will require new ways of thinking,

including adaptive changes in our practice and organizational structure and increased

opportunities to access community resources available to all citizens;

     • There is a continued investment and responsible management of growth and stability in

the system;

     • Security, stability and resources are provided for individuals by supporting them in their

natural environment with their families for as long as possible;

     • The system of services/support must have the capacity to respond to individuals with

extraordinary and/or emergency needs;

     • Collaboration and partnerships among the stakeholders have been and will continue to

be an integral component of the accomplishments within the developmental disability community

system;

     • Direct service staff should have a good working wage to ensure continuity, stability and

quality of support for people; and

     • The Division of Developmental Disabilities should be accountable to individuals with

developmental disabilities, their families, the citizens of this State, and to one another; and

     WHEREAS, There is a bewildering array of entities responsible for adults with

developmental disabilities protection and advocacy, including, but not limited to, the:

     • Commission for Human Rights;

     • Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing;

     • Department of the Attorney General;

     • Developmental Disabilities Council;

     • Elder Protective Services of the Division of Elderly Affairs;

     • Governor’s Commission on Disabilities;

     • Long-Term Care Ombudsperson;

     • Mental Health Advocate;

     • Office of Quality Assurance of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare,

Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals, and

     • Rhode Island Disability Law Center; and

     WHEREAS, In the middle of stressful individual/family crisis people have difficulty

determining which advocate(s) to go to for assistance to ensure those principles and core values

are being provided to every adult with developmental disabilities; and

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island must ensure that the adults with developmental disabilities

protection and advocacy system(s) in place continues to improve and enhance supports for our

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adults with disabilities, and assure that these supports are as robust as they can be; now, therefore

be it

     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

Plantations hereby respectfully requests that the RI Developmental Disabilities Council convenes

a meeting of adults with developmental disabilities protection and advocacy entities and other

stakeholders to:

     • Clarify the roles of each adult with developmental disabilities protection and advocacy

entity;

     • Identify gaps in the current adults with developmental disabilities protection and

advocacy system(s);

     • Examine best policies and practices in the adults with developmental disabilities

protection and advocacy system(s);

     • Identify whether and how Rhode Island’s policies and practices can be refined in light

of excellent adults with developmental disabilities protection and advocacy models, including,

but not limited to:

     • Develop a model memorandum of agreements amongst adults with developmental

disabilities protection and advocacy, that includes guidelines for:

     1. Effective communications to complainants regarding the status of complaints handled

by more than one adult with developmental disabilities protection and advocacy entity;

     2. An outreach and public awareness program targeted at the adults with developmental

disabilities, their families and supports;

     3. An adults with developmental disabilities "friendly" website focused on the adults with

developmental disabilities protection and advocacy system(s);

     4. Publicizing the § 40-8.5-2(e) statewide toll free, twenty-four (24) hour a day, seven (7)

days quality assurance hotline operated by the department of behavioral healthcare,

developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the § 42-66-8 statewide toll free, twenty-four (24)

hour a day, seven (7) days a week telephone line, to report abuse, neglect, exploitation and self-

neglect of the elderly; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly hereby respectfully requests that the RI

Developmental Disabilities Council provides a written report to the General Assembly on or

before January 5, 2015, regarding its policies and practices; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor, the Attorney General, the

Chairperson of the Developmental Disabilities Council, the Secretary of the Executive Office of

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Health and Human Services, the Director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare,

Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals, the Director of the Department of Human Services;

the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Disability Law Center; the Long-Term Care

Ombudsperson, the Mental Health Advocate, and the Chairpersons of the Commission for Human

Rights; Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; and Governor’s Commission on

Disabilities.

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