§ 464-c. Advisory committee created. 1. An advisory committee shall be
created to assist the commissioner in carrying out the provisions of
this article. Such advisory committee shall consist of seven members,
with the commissioner or his or her designee serving as chairperson.
Membership of the committee shall include the following persons or their
designees: the chairperson of the legislative commission on the
development of rural resources which was created by chapter four hundred
twenty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred eighty-two; the director of
the state office of rural affairs; the director of the office for the
aging; the commissioner of the department of health; the commissioner of
the division for youth; and the commissioner of the office of mental
health. The chairperson of the advisory committee may invite the
commissioner or director, or his or her designee, of any other state
agency or department, or any other rural human services provider or
consumer, to serve as an ex-officio member of the committee. The
commissioner shall take actions to promote the efficient and effective
operation of the advisory committee.

2. The advisory committee shall:

a. Review and recommend to the commissioner guidelines for the
operation of the rural human services networking program;

b. Recommend any changes in statutes or regulations necessary to
accomplish the purposes of this article;

c. Assist the department in the evaluation of individual pilot
projects and of the rural human services networking program; and

d. Assist in the development of interim and final reports, in
accordance with section four hundred sixty-four-e of this article.

e. Assist the commissioner in determining those rural areas to receive
priority consideration in selecting pilot project sites, pursuant to
subdivision four of section four hundred sixty-four-d of this article.