1. (1) The Mental Health and Mental Retardation Commissioner is the agency head of thedepartment.

2. (2) On May 1, 1984, a bill was signed into law which renamed the Department of MentalHealth to the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Additional provisionsof the newly enacted law had the effect of abolishing the Mental Health Board andcreating a Board of trustees to be composed of sixteen (16) members as follows:

   1. (a) The governor, the commissioner of mental health and mental retardation, thelieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives shall be ex-officiomembers of such board of trustees. The remaining twelve (12) members shall be appointedby the governor, one (1) from each of the congressional districts and the remainder fromthe state at large.

      One of the state at large positions shall be selected from nominations offered by theAssociation for Retarded Citizens of Alabama and one (1) of the state at large positionsshall be selected from nominations offered by the Mental Health Association of Alabama.All appointed trustees shall have demonstrated a concern for the programs and servicesprovided by the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and should representa balance of primary interest areas or expertise.

   2. (b) The governor shall be chairman of the board of trustees and the commissioner ofmental health and mental retardation shall be the secretary. The board shall meetquarterly at a place to be designated by the chairman and may meet more frequently uponthe call of the chairman, or a majority of the members.
   3. (c) The governor shall appoint, as the initial board of trustees, four (4) members for aterm of one (1) year; four (4) members for a term of two (2) years; four (4) members fora term of three (3) years; all trustees shall take office effective upon appointment. Notrustee shall serve more than three consecutive three year terms; provided, however,that trustees shall continue to serve until their successors have been appointed.Subsequent appointments shall be made for a period of three (3) years except thatvacancies shall be filled by the governor for the unexpired term only.
   4. (d) The trustees shall receive $100.00 per day and mileage expenses while attendingmeetings of the board of trustees or while engaged in other official duties at therequest of the governor or board of trustees.

Author: Division of Mental Retardation, DMH/MR

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §22-50-5, 22-50-6, 22-50-8, 22-50-16.

History: Filed September 5, 1984. Repealed and Replaced: Filed November 5, 1992.