§ 1120. Declaration of intent. Persons with disabilities comprise a
large percentage of New York's total population. The legislature hereby
finds and declares that action is necessary to assist these individuals
to integrate and live more independently in the community. Since their
inception, service centers for independent living have enhanced the
ability of persons with disabilities to pursue an independent and active
lifestyle within their community. In order to achieve this, it is
necessary for the state to provide funding to maintain existing service
centers designed to promote independent living and to encourage the
establishment of new centers. In addition, the office of vocational
rehabilitation should have the responsibility and authority for the
encouragement of the planning, development, funding, evaluation and
monitoring of such service centers.