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254A.03 STATE AUTHORITY ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.

Subdivision 1.Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Section.

There is hereby created an Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Section in the Department of Human Services. This section shall be headed by a director. The commissioner may place the director's position in the unclassified service if the position meets the criteria established in section 43A.08, subdivision 1a. The section shall:

(1) conduct and foster basic research relating to the cause, prevention and methods of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholic and other drug dependent persons;

(2) coordinate and review all activities and programs of all the various state departments as they relate to alcohol and other drug dependency and abuse problems;

(3) develop, demonstrate, and disseminate new methods and techniques for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of alcohol and other drug abuse and dependency problems;

(4) gather facts and information about alcoholism and other drug dependency and abuse, and about the efficiency and effectiveness of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation from all comprehensive programs, including programs approved or licensed by the commissioner of human services or the commissioner of health or accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. The state authority is authorized to require information from comprehensive programs which is reasonable and necessary to fulfill these duties. When required information has been previously furnished to a state or local governmental agency, the state authority shall collect the information from the governmental agency. The state authority shall disseminate facts and summary information about alcohol and other drug abuse dependency problems to public and private agencies, local governments, local and regional planning agencies, and the courts for guidance to and assistance in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation;

(5) inform and educate the general public on alcohol and other drug dependency and abuse problems;

(6) serve as the state authority concerning alcohol and other drug dependency and abuse by monitoring the conduct of diagnosis and referral services, research and comprehensive programs. The state authority shall submit a biennial report to the governor and the legislature containing a description of public services delivery and recommendations concerning increase of coordination and quality of services, and decrease of service duplication and cost;

(7) establish a state plan which shall set forth goals and priorities for a comprehensive alcohol and other drug dependency and abuse program for Minnesota. All state agencies operating alcohol and other drug abuse or dependency programs or administering state or federal funds for such programs shall annually set their program goals and priorities in accordance with the state plan. Each state agency shall annually submit its plans and budgets to the state authority for review. The state authority shall certify whether proposed services comply with the comprehensive state plan and advise each state agency of review findings;

(8) make contracts with and grants to public and private agencies and organizations, both profit and nonprofit, and individuals, using federal funds, and state funds as authorized to pay for costs of state administration, including evaluation, statewide programs and services, research and demonstration projects, and American Indian programs;

(9) receive and administer monies available for alcohol and drug abuse programs under the alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services block grant, United States Code, title 42, sections 300X to 300X-9;

(10) solicit and accept any gift of money or property for purposes of Laws 1973, chapter 572, and any grant of money, services, or property from the federal government, the state, any political subdivision thereof, or any private source;

(11) with respect to alcohol and other drug abuse programs serving the American Indian community, establish guidelines for the employment of personnel with considerable practical experience in alcohol and other drug abuse problems, and understanding of social and cultural problems related to alcohol and other drug abuse, in the American Indian community.

Subd. 2.American Indian programs.

There is hereby created a section of American Indian programs, within the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Section of the Department of Human Services, to be headed by a special assistant for American Indian programs on alcoholism and drug abuse and two assistants to that position. The section shall be staffed with all personnel necessary to fully administer programming for alcohol and drug abuse for American Indians in the state. The special assistant position shall be filled by a person with considerable practical experience in and understanding of alcohol and other drug abuse problems in the American Indian community, who shall be responsible to the director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Section created in subdivision 1 and shall be in the unclassified service. The special assistant shall meet and consult with the American Indian Advisory Council as described in section 254A.035 and serve as a liaison to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and tribes to report on the status of alcohol and other drug abuse among American Indians in the state of Minnesota. The special assistant with the approval of the director shall:

(1) administer funds appropriated for American Indian groups, organizations and reservations within the state for American Indian alcoholism and drug abuse programs;

(2) establish policies and procedures for such American Indian programs with the assistance of the American Indian Advisory Board; and

(3) hire and supervise staff to assist in the administration of the American Indian program section within the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Section of the Department of Human Services.

Subd. 3.Rules for chemical dependency care.

The commissioner of human services shall establish by rule criteria to be used in determining the appropriate level of chemical dependency care for each recipient of public assistance seeking treatment for alcohol or other drug dependency and abuse problems.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes