Sec. 686.5. Governance

(a) Principles of compliance.

(1) Each agency operating one or more community residences shall have a governing body (see glossary, section 686.99 of this Part).

(2) Unless a governing body is broadly representative of the community (see glossary, section 686.99 of this Part) in which a community residence is located, the agency shall have a community advisory board composed of at least residents of the neighborhood in which the residences are located and persons from the community residences. As a matter of State policy, all OPWDD-operated community residences shall have at least an agency-wide community advisory board. A community advisory board shall have at least the following functions:

(i) to organize itself, elect officers and direct its activities;

(ii) to advise the residence managers and the governing body with regard to the operation of the community residences;

(iii) to assist persons living in the community residences to be integrated into the community in which the facilities are located;

(iv) to assist neighborhoods to accept the persons living in the community residences as neighbors; and

(v) to have advisory responsibilities during at least the first full year of operation of the community residence.

(b) Standards of certification.

(1) When a community advisory board is required, there is verification (see glossary, section 686.99 of this Part) that the membership includes at least one party who is a resident of a neighborhood in which a facility is located and one person who lives in a community residence.

(2) There is evidence that, if applicable, there is either an agency-wide or site specific community advisory board in operation during at least the facility's first year of operation.