71-805.

Division; personnel; office of consumer affairs.

(1) The director shall appoint a chief clinical officer and a program administrator for consumer affairs for the division. The chief clinical officer shall be a board-certified psychiatrist and shall serve as the medical director for the division and all facilities and programs operated by the division. The program administrator for consumer affairs shall be a consumer or former consumer of behavioral health services and shall have specialized knowledge, experience, or expertise relating to consumer-directed behavioral health services, behavioral health delivery systems, and advocacy on behalf of consumers of behavioral health services and their families. The chief clinical officer and the program administrator for consumer affairs shall report to the director. The Governor and the director shall conduct a search for qualified candidates and shall solicit and consider recommendations from interested parties for such positions prior to making such appointments.

(2) The director shall establish and maintain an office of consumer affairs within the division. The program administrator for consumer affairs shall be responsible for the administration and management of the office.