§914. Requirements for districts and authorities; board education and awareness

            A. The board shall be briefed by the executive director on the following issues in the manner deemed appropriate by the executive director:

            (1) Mission and purpose of the district or authority.

            (2) How the mission and purpose are practically applied in the community.

            (3) Relationships in the community that are crucial to the district or authority's success.

            (4) How those relationships are established, maintained, and built upon.

            (5) How each member of the board serves as a delegate to foster those crucial community relationships.

            (6) Role of the district or authority in times of disaster.

            (7) Funding for the district or authority, including state and federal funding, grant opportunities, and other funding sources.

            (8) Billing and collections processes.

            (9) Budgeting and account balances.

            (10) Audits by the legislative auditor within the past five years.

            (11) Employees and contractors, and their roles in operating the district or authority.

            (12) The option of the board to select a new executive director.

            (13) The contractual relationship with the Louisiana Department of Health.

            (14) Compliance with the Code of Governmental Ethics.

            (15) Compliance with the Public Records Law.

            (16) Compliance with the Open Meetings Law.

            (17) Process for development and ratification of bylaws.

            (18) Discussion of how regularly scheduled board meetings will be conducted.

            (19) The district or authority's responsibility to prioritize and provide for state-funded services, as established in R.S. 28:821 et seq., in order to meet the needs of the individuals in their statutory governance area. Each fiscal year, every district and authority shall allocate a minimum of an amount equal to nine percent of its state general fund appropriation for the provision of services established in R.S. 28:821 et seq. for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. The state general fund appropriation for which the minimum nine percent is calculated may be adjusted to align with any budget reductions mandated by the division of administration.

            (20) Any other matter deemed important by the executive director.

            B. The executive director may include representatives from the Louisiana Department of Health, office of the Louisiana legislative auditor, Louisiana Ethics Administration, office of the Louisiana attorney general, or any other entity that can provide important information to the board members during any board meeting.

            C. A new board member orientation shall be held upon appointment of any new member and the executive director shall brief the new board member on the issues set forth in Subsection A of this Section.

            D. All district and authority boards shall adopt:

            (1) A mission, vision, and policy for the operation of the district or authority. The board shall set policy as a body and shall employ an executive director who shall be accountable to the board, as a body, for the implementation of the policies established by the board.

            (2) Bylaws that specify that the board may act only as a body and not through the individual actions of any individual board member, unless the board member is given explicit authority by a majority vote of the board to carry out a specific function, or the function is reasonably required of a board member serving as an officer of the board. Under penalty of removal, no board member shall, directly or indirectly, provide direction to or interfere with any employee of the district or authority.

            E.(1) Each district and authority board shall complete all of the following:

            (a) Adopt consistent performance indicators to standardize reporting outcomes.

            (b) Conduct an assessment evaluating insurance and Medicaid billing to ensure optimum billing practices to support self-generated revenue. Each board shall report its findings to the department and make its findings publicly available online.

            (c) Focus on primary care integration. Each board shall complete the Integration Practice Assessment Tool (IPAT), report its findings to the department, and make its findings publicly available online.

            (d) Conduct annual patient satisfaction surveys, report its findings to the department, and make its findings publicly available online.

            (e) Standardize processes and expand strategies to maximize financial viability to reduce reliance on state funding.

            (f) Prepare an annual report summarizing a board's progress toward achieving statewide health goals as determined by the department.

            (g) Hold an annual meeting to inform and educate elected officials on the work that the board is completing in its jurisdiction. Each board shall present at an annual meeting held in Baton Rouge. Each board shall prepare a presentation that includes, at a minimum, the information required by this Paragraph.

            (2) The report required by Subparagraph (1)(f) of this Subsection shall include but not be limited to all of the following:

            (a) An overview of programs and initiatives undertaken in the preceding year.

            (b) Metrics indicating performance and outcomes relative to the statewide health goals including patient surveys.

            (c) Identified challenges and barriers to progress.

            (d) Plans for improvement or adjustment in the upcoming year.

            (3) The department shall compile the reports required by Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and prepare a statewide summary for submission to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare by February first of each year.

            Acts 2008, No. 373, §2, eff. June 21, 2008; Acts 2017, No. 73, §1, eff. June 7, 2017; Acts 2025, No. 381, §1.