ARTICLE 11A. STATE AUTISM TRAINING CENTER.

§18B-11A-1. Purpose.

The purpose of the Legislature in the enactment of this article is to establish and develop an autism training center in the State of West Virginia with a highly skilled, interdisciplinary, appropriately experienced staff which will train teachers, parents, guardians and others important to the autistic person's education and training. The center is established and operated by the Marshall university board of Governors or its designees.

§18B-11A-2. Definitions.

For the purposes of this article:

(a) "Board" means the Marshall university board of Governors;

(b) "Center" means the autism training center;

(c) "Client" means a person with the primary diagnosis of autism or autistic-like behavior; and

(d) "Expenses" means those reasonable and customary expenditures related to training and treatment of eligible clients as defined in the rules and regulations promulgated by the center.

§18B-11A-3. Powers and duties of board of Governors and state autism center.

The board of Governors is authorized to operate a state autism training center, including either the acquisition by purchase, lease, gift or otherwise, of necessary lands, and the construction of necessary buildings; the expansion, remodeling, altering or equipping of necessary buildings; and the making of contracts by the board of trustees with any state, county or municipal agency, or nonprofit institution, providing for the equipment, expenses, compensation of personnel, operation and maintenance of any facility of such agency or institution utilized for the purposes of this article. The board or its designees may make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary and incidental to the performance of its powers and duties under this section, and may cooperate with other agencies of the state, county and federal governments.

§18B-11A-4. Responsibilities of center.

The center shall, through appropriate identification, evaluation, education, individual training and treatment programs for clients, offer appropriate education and training for professional personnel and family members or guardians.

§18B-11A-5. Rules and regulations.

The board, after consultation with the center, shall make and adopt rules, regulations and standards for the establishment, operation, cost reimbursement, fees for services, maintenance and government control of the center established pursuant to this article, including such rules, regulations and standards as may be necessary for cooperation under and compliance with any existing or future federal statutes pertaining to grants-in-aid for client training or facilities and such other rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article.

§18B-11A-6. Advisory board.

The board of Governors shall appoint a board of West Virginia citizens to advise the center director on matters of policy. The advisory board shall be composed of fifty percent parents or guardians of clients eligible for the center's program; forty percent persons from professional fields related to autism, such as special education, psychology, hearing and speech, neurology and pediatrics; and ten percent knowledgeable lay citizens such as legislators or other lay community leaders. The director of the center shall be an ex officio nonvoting member of the advisory board.

§18B-11A-7. Trainee team; expense.

The primary method of providing services through the center is by the use of trainee teams. A trainee team shall consist of an eligible client, a professional chosen by the primary local service agency and the client's parent or parents or guardian.

The center may charge agencies such fees and reimburse trainee team or client expenses as provided by rules and regulations. The center may also provide for reasonable and customary expenses in excess of fees charged sending agencies for each trainee team or otherwise eligible client, including child care for other children of attending parents and others as specified in rules and regulations.