216A.114 - DUTIES OF COMMISSION. - Iowa Statutes

216A.114 DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The commission shall: 1. Interpret to communities and to interested persons the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing and how their needs may be met through the use of service providers. 2. Obtain without additional cost to the state available office space in public and private agencies which service providers may utilize in carrying out service projects for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. However, if space is not available in a specific service area without additional cost to the state, the commission may obtain other office space which is located with other public or private agencies. The space shall be obtained at the lowest cost available and the terms of the lease must be approved by the director of the department of administrative services. 3. Establish service projects for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons throughout the state. Projects shall not be undertaken by service providers for compensation which would duplicate existing services when those services are available to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons through paid interpreters or other persons able to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. As used in this section, "service projects" includes interpretation services for persons who are deaf and hard-of- hearing, referral and counseling services for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons in the areas of adult education, legal aid, employment, medical, finance, housing, recreation, and other personal assistance and social programs. "Service providers" are persons who, for compensation or on a volunteer basis, carry out service projects. 4. Identify agencies, both public and private, which provide community services, evaluate the extent to which they make services available to deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, and cooperate with the agencies in coordinating and extending these services. 5. Collect information concerning deafness or hearing loss and provide for the dissemination of the information. 6. Provide for the mutual exchange of ideas and information on services for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons between federal, state, and local governmental agencies and private organizations and individuals. 7. Pursuant to section 216A.2, be responsible for budgeting and personnel decisions for the commission and division.          Section History: Recent Form 86 Acts, ch 1245, § 1253 C87, § 601K.114 87 Acts, ch 115, §75; 89 Acts, ch 54, §1 C93, § 216A.114 93 Acts, ch 75, § 4; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286