Section 515.110  Powers and Duties

Powers and duties of the SRC in respect to the operation of DHS-ORS include:

a)         To consider and study the subject of rehabilitation as it relates to the programs and purpose of DHS;

b)         To recommend to the Associate Director of DHS-ORS, on its own initiative, policies and practices which shall be duly considered;

c)         To give advice or make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly when so requested or on its own initiative;

d)         To investigate the conduct of the work of DHS-ORS, and for this purpose to have access, at any time, to all books, papers, documents, and records pertaining or belonging to DHS-ORS, and to require written or oral information from any officer or employee of DHS-ORS;

e)         To adopt bylaws, not inconsistent with statute, for the internal management of the SRC, a copy of which is to be filed with the Associate Director of DHS-ORS;

f)         To act by a subcommittee, or by a majority of SRC, if the bylaws so prescribe;

g)         To keep minutes of each meeting which shall be filed with the Associate Director of DHS-ORS and available for public review;

h)         To give notice of the time and date of each meeting to the Governor, the Secretary and the vocational rehabilitation administrator to permit them to attend meetings and to be heard upon any matter coming before the SRC;

i)          To prepare and submit to the vocational rehabilitation administrator such reports and findings as he/she may request or as the Council deems fit and prepare and submit such reports and findings to the Governor and the Commissioner for the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education;

j)          To select jointly with the vocational rehabilitation administrator a pool of qualified persons to serve as impartial hearing officers [20 ILCS 5/5-550];

k)         To the extent feasible, to conduct a review and analysis of the effectiveness of, and consumer satisfaction with:

1)         the functions performed by DHS-ORS and other public and private service providers; and

2)         VR services provided, or paid for, through DHS-ORS or any other source;

l)          To coordinate the activity of the SRC with the Independent Living Council (see 89 Ill. Adm. Code 515:  Subpart D) and other advisory councils of DHS-ORS and the State Advisory Council on Education of the Handicapped, the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Planning Council on Mental Health, and other appropriate entities;

m)        To provide for coordination and establishment of working relationships between DHS-ORS and the Statewide Independent Living Council and centers for independent living throughout Illinois;

n)         To review the State Plans to be submitted to the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education;

o)         To develop, in tandem with DHS-ORS, written policies and procedures to enable each customer to make informed choices regarding his/her rehabilitation program;

p)         To review and comment on plans, policies, and procedures relating to recruitment, preparation, and retention of qualified staff, personnel standards, and staff development.  This is not to be construed to mean that SRC shall have input into individual personnel transactions regarding DHS-ORS staff (e.g., hirings, promotions, disciplinary action taken against an employee); and

q)         To review, with the vocational rehabilitation unit of the Department, jointly develop, agree to, and review annually State goals and priorities and jointly submit annual reports of progress to the federal Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Administration. [20 ILCS 5/5-550]

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 6399, effective March 31, 2000)