§ 2744 — The traumatic brain injury services coordinating council

§ 2744. The traumatic brain injury services coordinating council. 1.\nThe traumatic brain injury services coordinating council is hereby\nestablished and shall consist of the following persons or their\ndesignees: the commissioner, the commissioner of the office for people\nwith developmental disabilities, the office of mental health, the\ncommissioner of education, the commissioner of alcoholism and substance\nabuse services, the commissioner of social services, the state advocate\nfor the disabled and the commission on quality of care for the mentally\ndisabled. In addition, the council shall consist of the following\npersons: five persons appointed by the governor, three of whom shall be\npersons with traumatic brain injury and two of whom shall be\nrepresentative of the public and have a demonstrated expertise and\ninterest in traumatic brain injury; two persons appointed by the\ntemporary president of the senate, one of whom shall be a person with\ntraumatic brain injury and one of whom shall be representative of the\npublic and have a demonstrated expertise and interest in traumatic brain\ninjury; two persons appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one of\nwhom shall be a person with traumatic brain injury and one of whom shall\nbe representative of the public and have a demonstrated expertise and\ninterest in traumatic brain injury, one person appointed by the minority\nleader of the senate who shall be a person with traumatic brain injury\nor be representative of the public and have a demonstrated expertise and\ninterest in traumatic brain injury; and one person appointed by the\nminority leader of the assembly who shall be a person with traumatic\nbrain injury or be representative of the public and have a demonstrated\nexpertise and interest in traumatic brain injury. Of the five persons\nappointed by the governor, three shall serve for a term of one year, one\nshall serve for a term of two years and one shall serve for a term of\nthree years. Of the two persons appointed by the temporary president of\nthe senate, one shall serve for a term of two years and one shall serve\nfor a term of three years. Of the two persons appointed by the speaker\nof the assembly, one shall serve for a term of two years and one shall\nserve for a term of three years. The person appointed by the minority\nleader of the senate and the person appointed by the minority leader of\nthe assembly shall serve for a term of one year. Subsequent appointments\nfor vacancies shall be for a term of three years and shall be filled in\nthe same manner as the original appointment.\n 2. (a) The council shall be charged with recommending to the\ndepartment long range objectives, goals and priorities. It shall also\nprovide advice on the planning, coordination and development of needed\nservices. In making such recommendations, the council shall consider:\n (i) the availability and accessibility of services for individuals\ndiagnosed with traumatic brain injury, the cost of receiving such\nservices, and any disparities that may exist in the regional\navailability of services;\n (ii) emerging trends in traumatic brain injury, including changes in\nincidences, changes in the needs of individuals with traumatic brain\ninjury, and assess the training service providers receive relating to\ntraumatic brain injury;\n (iii) the difference in services availability and outcomes for\nindividuals that may be enrolled in any Medicaid waiver; and\n (iv) the efficiency of the administrative processes that provide\nindividuals with traumatic brain injury official approvals or denials of\nservice.\n (b) The council shall post the recommendations developed pursuant to\nparagraph (a) of this subdivision on the department's website on or\nbefore one year from the date this paragraph shall take effect and\nannually thereafter.\n 3. The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their\nservices, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses\nincurred in the performance of their duties hereunder, subject to the\napproval of the commissioner.\n 4. (a) Within the traumatic brain injury services coordinating council\nthere shall be established a concussion management advisory committee\nwhich shall develop recommendations specific to concussion management,\nacademic scholarship, and public awareness for submission to the\ntraumatic brain injury services coordinating council for consideration.\nThe committee shall consist of members appointed from the membership of\nthe traumatic brain injury services coordinating council by a majority\nvote of the council. Additional committee members may be appointed by\nthe commissioner and shall have demonstrated experience with or\nexpertise in one of the following areas: public health expertise related\nto mild traumatic brain injuries and concussions, academic research in\nthe area of traumatic brain injuries and concussion management, and\npublic awareness experience related to the recognition of mild traumatic\nbrain injuries and concussions. Committee membership shall not exceed\ntwelve members. The committee may consult with a member or members of\nthe public who have demonstrated expertise and interest in mild\ntraumatic brain injuries and concussions.\n (b) The recommendations of the advisory committee shall include, but\nnot be limited to:\n (i) methods to raise public awareness of mild traumatic brain injuries\nand concussions;\n (ii) the development of outreach services to provide coordinated\ninformation regarding the recognition and management of mild traumatic\nbrain injuries and concussions; and\n (iii) the development of a clearinghouse of academic research and\nscientific findings related to the recognition, management, and\ntreatment of mild traumatic injuries and concussions.\n