autism who receive services from the department

1. System of care. The Legislature declares that the system of care, through which the State provides services to and programs for mentally retarded persons, shall with mental retardation or autism must be designed not only to protect the integrity of the legal and human rights of these persons, but also to meet the needs of these persons.

2. Responsibilities of the department. To facilitate the development of maintain a system that meets the needs of persons with mental retardation or autism, the commissioner shall:

A. Provide a mechanism for the identification, evaluation, treatment and reassessment of and the provision of services to persons with mental retardation, including an habilitation program for every client served by the department or autism;

B. Divert mentally retarded persons from institutional care, whenever professional diagnosis and evaluation, the personal preference of the client or the client's legal guardian, and the availability of appropriate these persons should be placed in community environments and programs Fund appropriate community environments and programs for persons with mental retardation or autism.__In so doing, the department shall consider the personal preference of the client or the client's legal guardian and, when appropriate, utilize professional diagnosis and evaluation.__The department shall continuously retain the services of persons experienced, skilled and trained in the development of housing and employment resources sufficient to meet the needs of its clients;

C. Provide Fund programs, so far as resources permit, for the proper habilitation providing assistance and treatment of mentally retarded to persons with mental retardation or autism that include, but are not limited to, comprehensive medical care, education, recreation, physical therapy, training, social services and habilitation and rehabilitation services suited to the needs of the individual regardless of age, degree of retardation, handicapping condition or ability to pay;

D. Work toward effectuating the normalization principle through the establishment of community services for the mentally retarded person as a viable and practical alternative to institutional care at each stage of individual life development, but, if care in an