A. Advise the department, the Governor and other state agencies. This duty includes advising the department on the review, analysis and evaluation of adult mental health programs, policies, procedures and service delivery systems administered or funded by the State and the hiring of personnel when appropriate;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. Assist the department in program design and implementation, including assessment of the quality of services and delivery systems and prioritization of programming;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

C. Provide consumers with a recognized mechanism for collaboration with State Government, including addressing issues with persons and entities that provide services through contracts with the department;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

D. Provide input regarding programs, evaluation, public policy and resource allocation and address issues and concerns that arise at the local level;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

E. Identify, research and respond to issues of importance to consumers, including requesting information and data to facilitate informed decision making;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

F. Interact with state agencies, community entities and other organizations;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

G. Provide budget requests to fund the council system to the department for each biennial budget and each supplemental budget; and   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

H. Make annual and interim recommendations to State Government and provide by May 31st of each year a report to the Governor and the Legislature. The report must include analysis of state programs, policies and procedures, legislative and regulatory proposals and recommendations for action by the State.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

A. Contract for staff assistance or hire employees, including an executive director or project manager and such other staff as necessary, to conduct the activities of and support the duties of the council system. Employees of the council system are not state employees; however, they are immune from civil liability for acts that they perform in good faith within the scope of their duties for the council system;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. Reimburse members of the Statewide Consumer Council established in subsection 6 and local council members who are not otherwise fully reimbursed for expenses of participating in council system meetings from the council system budget in an amount up to the legislative per diem rate for participation in Statewide Consumer Council and local council meetings, plus reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred, including but not limited to costs incurred for travel, child care for the member's child and substitute care for dependent adults. A standard statewide rate of reimbursement, including reduced reimbursement for a member entitled to partial reimbursement from any other source, must be approved by the Statewide Consumer Council. To the extent allowable under federal law, reimbursement under this paragraph may not be counted as income, resources or assets for the purposes of determining eligibility for benefits under any state or municipal program of assistance or health coverage for which a council member may be eligible;   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

C. Engage in advocacy regarding legislative and regulatory initiatives; and   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

D. Provide interim reports to the Governor and the Legislature and respond to written responses from the department under subsection 5.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

A. Address the actions that the department plans to take or proposes to implement with regard to the recommendations contained in the council system's annual report and any interim reports or the reasons for declining to take or propose action; and   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. Include a report on progress in implementing actions detailed in prior department written reports under this subsection.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

A. The Statewide Consumer Council consists of 16 to 30 members who represent the local councils, described in subsection 7, after being elected at local council meetings on a schedule established by the Statewide Consumer Council.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. Members of the Statewide Consumer Council shall annually elect a coordinating committee consisting of a chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer. Officers serve for terms of one year and are eligible for reelection.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

C. The Statewide Consumer Council shall:  

D. Meetings of the Statewide Consumer Council or such subcommittees as may be formed from the council membership may be held to perform the duties listed in subsection 3 and:  

E. The Statewide Consumer Council shall adopt policies and procedures for the operation of the Statewide Consumer Council and the local councils. The policies must:  

A. Each local council shall follow the policies and procedures for local councils adopted by the Statewide Consumer Council pursuant to subsection 6.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. Each local council shall hold regular meetings, at least 4 per year and more if determined necessary by the local council, for the purpose of discussing and reviewing the delivery of adult mental health services to consumers and shall engage in other activities:  

A. A Statewide Consumer Council member or elected local council member may not cast a vote on any matter that would provide any direct or indirect financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under state law.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]

B. A person may not be excluded from the council system or discriminated against within the council system by reason of actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, homelessness, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, familial status or status as a consumer of mental health services.   [PL 2021, c. 553, §22 (AMD).]

C. Meetings of the Statewide Consumer Council and local councils are public proceedings and their records are public records for the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13.   [PL 2007, c. 592, §2 (NEW).]