EXECUTIVE ORDER
08-35

WHEREAS, the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities was established within the Department of Mental Health in 1974; and

WHEREAS, the Division serves a population that has developmental disabilities such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, head injuries, autism, epilepsy, and certain learning disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the Division strives to improve the lives of persons with developmental disabilities through programs and services to enable those persons to live independently and productively; and

WHEREAS, the Division should be restructured to reflect more accurately its broad mission of assisting those with developmental disabilities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MATT BLUNT, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the state of Missouri, including the Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974, do hereby order the Missouri Department of Mental Health to:

  1. Create a division to be known as the Division of Developmental Disabilities; and
  2. Transfer all the authority, powers, duties, functions, records, personnel, property, contracts, budgets, matters pending, and other pertinent vestiges of the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to the Division of Developmental Disabilities, by Type I transfer, as defined under the Reorganization Act of 1974; and
  3. Develop mechanisms and processes necessary to effectively transfer the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to the Division of Development Disabilities; and
  4. Transfer the responsibility for staff support for the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to the Division of Developmental Disabilities;
  5. Take the steps necessary to maintain compliance with federal requirements, so as not to jeopardize federal financial participation with this transfer; and
  6. Abolish the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

This Order shall become effective no sooner than August 28, 2009, unless disapproved within sixty days of its submission to the First Regular Session of the 95th General Assembly.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 16th day of October, 2008.

[Matt Blunt's signature]
Matt Blunt
Governor

ATTEST:

[Robin Carnahan's signature]
Robin Carnahan
Secretary of State

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