Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/464

 108 STAT. 3954 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 "(6) facilitate service delivery capacity, training, and the improvement of data collection and evaluation systems; "(7) promote effective approaches to the development of family-centered and family-directed services, including approaches to the development and measurement of family- centered outcomes described in section 709(b)(2), and the assessment of family satisfaction; and "(8) coordinate and facilitate an annual meeting of the chairpersons of the Councils. "(c) REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. —A request for technicEd assistance by a lead entity in a State receiving assistance under this part shall be made in conjunction with the Council. "(d) REPORTS TO THE SECRETARY.— An entity providing the technical assistance under this section shall submit periodic reports to the Secretary regarding Federal policies and procedures identified within the States that facilitate or impede the delivery of family support to families of children with disabilities. The report shall include recommendations to the Secretary regarding the delivery of services, coordination with other programs, and integration of the policies and principles described in section 702 in other Federal legislation. Grants. •*SEC. 713. EVALUATION. 20 USC 1491/. "(a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall make grants, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements, with appropriate public or private agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education, with documented experience, expertise, and capacity for the purpose of conducting a national evsJuation of the program of grants to States authorized by this part. "(b) PURPOSE. —The purpose of an evaluation under subsection (a) shall be to assess the status and effects of State efforts to develop and implement, or expand and enhance, statewide systems of family support for families of children with disabilities in a manner consistent with the provisions of this part, particularly in terms of the impact of such efforts on families of children with disabilities, and to recommend amendments to this part that are necessary to assist States to fully accomplish the purposes of this part. The Secretary or recipient of assistance under this section shall work with the States to consider and develop an information system designed to report and compile, from information provided by the States, including the Council, a qualitative and quantitative description of the impact of the program of grants to States authorized by this part on— "(1) families of children with disabilities, including families from ethnic and racial minority backgrounds; "(2) access to and funding for family support for families of children with disabilities; and "(3) the involvement of families at all levels of the service system. "(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS. — Not later than 2V2 years after the date of enactment of this part, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report concerning the results of the evaluation conducted under this section. "(d) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.— The Secretary shall assure that a recipient of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section is independent from, and free from, any financial or

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