BILL NO. 145
(as introduced)
2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
64 Elizabeth II, 2015
Supporting People with Disabilities Act
Larry Harrison
Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley
First Reading: December 3, 2015
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Support
People with Disabilities
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Supporting People with Disabilities Act.
(a) "autism spectrum disorder" means a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others and includes restricted repetitive behaviours, interests and activities;
(b) "intellectual deficit disorder" means a permanent developmental disorder, diagnosed prior to the person attaining the age of 18 years, that significantly limits the cognitive and adaptive functioning of the person;
(c) "intellectual developmental disability" means an intellectual deficit disorder that
(ii) diminishes the person's language skills and learning abilities to such an extent as to prevent the person from living independently as an adult;
(d) "medical professional" means a medical doctor specializing in psychiatric disorders, brain injuries, neurology or a related field who is capable of diagnosing an intellectual deficit disorder and resulting intellectual developmental disability.
3 (1) Subject to Section 4, the Minister of Community Services shall provide the services under the Disability Support Program, the Direct Family Support Program and all other appropriate programs to a person who has been diagnosed by a medical professional as having an intellectual deficit disorder and resulting intellectual developmental disability or as having autism spectrum disorder.
(2) The level and duration of services to be provided by the Minister under subsection (1) must be determined in accordance with the needs of the family of the person receiving the services.
4 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2015 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created December 3, 2015. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
