§ 56402

(a) The department shall award grants to establish Family Empowerment Centers on Disability. In the first year of operation, the department shall award these grants no later than February 15, 2002. In subsequent years, to the extent funding is available, the department shall award these grants no later than February 15 of that year, except as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).

(b) (1) The department shall, by March 1, 2022, award grants to establish new Family Empowerment Centers on Disability in the 41 regions in the state established under the Early Start Family Resource Centers that do not have a Family Empowerment Center on Disability.

(2) In making awards pursuant to this subdivision, the Superintendent shall give priority to applicants that are able to ensure continuity of support for families transitioning from services under Part C to Part B of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), either because the applicant operates a program of family support for parents of children with disabilities up to three years of age, or the applicant works in close partnership with an organization that does so, and shall take into consideration the capacity of applicants to carry out the activities specified in Section 56408.

(c) Once funding is secured, and annually until all centers are established, the department shall submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature documenting progress in establishing new centers pursuant to this section.

(d) The department shall develop the grant application, with advice from stakeholders, including parents and family members of children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, the Advisory Commission on Special Education, and representatives of community agencies serving children and adults with disabilities.

(e) The sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) shall be made available to the department, from the funds appropriated for purposes of this chapter, for the purpose of securing an outside contractor to develop a request for proposal, disseminate the proposal, empanel readers to evaluate the proposals, and cover other costs related to this process.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 52, Sec. 90. (AB 181) Effective June 30, 2022.)