20 U.S.C. § 1491g — Authorized activities

(a) In general

A State that receives a grant under section 1491c of this title may use the funds made available through the grant to carry out systems change activities, which accomplish the purposes described in section 1491a of this title, such as the following activities:

(1) Training and technical assistance

The State may support training and technical assistance activities for family members, service providers, community members, professionals, members of the Council, students and others that will do the following:

(A) Increase family participation, choice, and control in the provision of family support for families of children with disabilities.

(B) Promote partnerships with families of children with disabilities at all levels of the service system.

(C) Develop or strengthen family-centered and family-directed approaches to services, including service coordination services, service planning services, and respite care services.

(D) Assist families of children with disabilities in accessing natural1 and community supports and in obtaining benefits and services.

(2) Interagency coordination

The State may support activities that conduct the following:

(A) Identification and coordination of Federal and State policies, resources, and services, relating to the provision of family support services for families of children with disabilities, including entering into interagency agreements.

(B) Interagency work groups to enhance public funding options and coordinate access to funding for family support services for families of children with disabilities, with special attention to the issues of family involvement in the identification, planning, use, delivery, and evaluation of such services.

(C) Documentation and dissemination of information about interagency activities that promote coordination with respect to family support services for families of children with disabilities, including evidence of increased participation of State and local health, maternal and child health, social service, mental health, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, child protection, education, early intervention, developmental disabilities councils, agencies, and departments.

(3) Local or regional councils

The State may support the development or enhancement of local or regional councils to review the status of family support for families of children with disabilities in the local or regional area, to advise and assist with the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of family support for families of children with disabilities in such local or regional area, and to provide recommendations to the State regarding improvements and plans.

(4) Outreach

The State may conduct outreach activities to locate families who are eligible for family support for families of children with disabilities and to identify groups who are unserved or underserved. Such activities may involve the creation or maintenance of, support of, or provision of, assistance to statewide and community parent organizations, and organizations that provide family support to families of children with disabilities.

(5) Policy studies

The State may support policy studies that relate to the development and implementation, or expansion and enhancement, of a statewide system of family support for families of children with disabilities. Such studies may address issues regarding eligibility and access to services.

(6) Hearings and forums

The State may conduct hearings and forums to solicit input from families of children with disabilities regarding family support programs, policies, and plans for such families. Such hearings and forums may be conducted in collaboration with other statewide councils.

(7) Public awareness and education

The State may develop and disseminate information relating to family support for families of children with disabilities designed to provide information to such families, parent groups and organizations, public and private agencies that are in contact with children with disabilities and families of such children, students, policymakers, and the public. Such information may relate to the nature, cost, and availability of, and accessibility to, family support for families of children with disabilities, the impact of family support for families of children with disabilities on other benefits, and the efficacy of family support for families of children with disabilities with respect to enhancing the quality of family life.

(8) Needs assessment

The State may conduct a needs assessment, which may, in part, be based on existing State data.

(9) Program data

The State may support the compilation and evaluation of appropriate data related to the statewide system of family support for families of children with disabilities.

(10) Pilot demonstration projects

The State may support pilot demonstration projects to demonstrate new approaches to the provision of family support for families of children with disabilities. Such projects may include the demonstration of family-centered and family-directed service coordination, approaches to improve access to services, including independent service coordination, peer support networks, and voucher programs.

(11) Other activities

The State may support other systems change activities that accomplish the purposes described in section 1491a of this title.

(b) Special rule

In carrying out activities authorized under this subchapter, a State shall ensure that such programs and activities address the needs of families who are economically disadvantaged.