§ 25-10-204 - Powers and duties. - Arkansas Statutes

25-10-204. Powers and duties.

(a) (1) The Division of State Services for the Blind within the Department of Human Services is designated as the agency of the State of Arkansas primarily responsible for carrying out state and federal programs for rehabilitative social services or business enterprises for blind and visually handicapped citizens of the state, including, but not limited to, those programs and services established pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Pub. L. 93-112, and any subsequent legislation to Pub. L. 93-112. The division, as the designated agency, shall receive the full, complete, effective, and timely cooperation of any and all other agencies, organizations, or offices receiving financial support by or through the State of Arkansas, either directly or indirectly, and in any amount.

(2) The division shall be responsible for the administration of all functions and programs relating or pertaining to rehabilitation and social services, and business enterprise services for the blind, including the organized vending facility program as now established, for which the division shall serve as the licensing agency for the blind.

(b) The division is designated as the unit of the state government of Arkansas primarily responsible for assuring that citizens with disabling visual impairments shall receive the full benefit of services for which federal grants-in-aid assistance in any form, under any title, and from any source shall be available from time to time to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter.

(c) The division is authorized to enter into such contracts with the federal government, to submit such plans to the federal government, and to adopt such methods of administration as the federal government may require in order to assure maximum federal financial involvement in those services and functions which the division is authorized to administer directly.

(d) (1) The division may assist all other state agencies, departments, offices, or committees traditionally and legally responsible for the direct administration of services which bear upon the objective of preventing or ameliorating disabling visual impairments throughout the State of Arkansas by providing technical advice and consultation to those state organizations, reviewing plans and program material developed and maintained within those state organizations, making appropriate recommendations, and carrying out the evaluation functions previously assigned to the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

(2) Where it is mutually determined by the division and one (1) or more other state agencies that it would be to the best interest of the taxpayers of the state or to the advantage of individuals with disabling visual impairments for the other agency or agencies directly to provide a particular service which tends to prevent or ameliorate disabling visual impairments, the division and the state agency or agencies involved are authorized to enter into interagency contracts or agreements which might reasonably be necessary to assure that the service is provided effectively and in a manner consistent with maximally efficient use of available resources.