Responsibilities of commissioners of the offices

§ 41.04 Responsibilities of commissioners of the offices.

(a) In order to prevent unnecessary fragmentation in the planning and financing of the care, treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally disabled, the commissioners of the offices in the department shall consult and cooperate with one another and shall meet from time to time with the New York state conference of local mental hygiene directors, to ensure that the procedural policies, forms, time frames for submission and approval of plans and rules and regulations governing the procedures for planning and financing of the care, treatment and rehabilitation of the mentally disabled adopted by each of the offices in the department are consistent with one another.

(b) Guidelines for the operation of local services plans and financing shall be adopted only by rule or regulation. Such rules and regulations shall be submitted at least twenty-one days prior to the effective date thereof to the New York state conference of local mental hygiene directors for comment thereon; provided, however, if a commissioner finds that the public health, welfare or safety requires the prompt adoption of rules and regulations, he may dispense with such submission prior to the effective date thereof but, in such case, such commissioner shall submit such rules and regulations to the conference as soon as possible for their review within sixty days after the effective date thereof.