Section 1324.303 - Legal Assistance Developer(a)State Legal Assistance Developer. In accordance with section 731 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 3058j ), the State agency shall designate an individual who shall be known as a State Legal Assistance Developer, and other personnel, sufficient to ensure:(1) State leadership in securing and maintaining the legal rights of older individuals;(2) State capacity for coordinating the provision of legal assistance, in accordance with section 102(23) and (24) and consistent with section 102(33) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 3002(23), (24), (33) ), to include prioritizing such services provided to individuals with greatest economic need, or greatest social need;(3) State capacity to provide technical assistance, training, and other supportive functions to area agencies on aging, legal assistance providers, Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, adult protective services, and other service providers under the Act; (i) The Legal Assistance Developer shall utilize the trainings, case consultations, and technical assistance provided by the support and technical assistance entity established pursuant to section 420(c) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 3032i(c) ).(4) State capacity to promote financial management services to older individuals at risk of guardianship, conservatorship, or other fiduciary proceedings; (i) In so doing, the Legal Assistance Developer shall take into consideration promotion of activities to increase awareness of and access to self-directed financial management services and legal assistance and;(ii) The Legal Assistance Developer shall also take into consideration promotion of activities that proactively enable older adults and those they designate as decisional supporters through powers of attorney, health care proxies, supported decision making and similar instruments or approaches to be connected to resources and education to manage their finances and the decisions they make about their lives so as to limit their risk for guardianship, conservatorship, or more restrictive fiduciary proceedings.(5) State capacity to assist older individuals in understanding their rights, exercising choices, benefiting from services and opportunities authorized by law, and maintaining the rights of older individuals at risk of guardianship, conservatorship, or other fiduciary proceedings;(i) In so doing, the Legal Assistance Developer shall take into consideration engaging in activities aimed at preserving an individual's rights or autonomy, including, but not limited to, increasing awareness of and access to least-restrictive alternatives to guardianship, conservatorship, or more restrictive fiduciary proceedings, such as supported decision making, and legal assistance;(ii) In so doing, the Legal Assistance Developer shall adhere to the restrictions contained in section 321(a)(6)(B)(i) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 3030d(a)(6)(B)(i) ) regarding the involvement of legal assistance providers in guardianship proceedings, and shall apply these restrictions to conservatorship and other fiduciary proceedings;(iii) In undertaking this activity, the Legal Assistance Developer shall take into consideration coordination of efforts with legal assistance providers funded under the Act contracted by area agencies on aging, any Bar Association Elder Law section, and other elder rights or entities active in the State.(6) State capacity to improve the quality and quantity of legal services provided to older individuals.(b)State plan. The activities designated by the State agency for the Legal Assistance Developer, in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1) through (6) of this section, shall be contained in the State plan, per section 307 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 3027 ) and as set forth in § 1321.27 of this chapter.(c)Knowledge, resources, and capacity. The State agency shall ensure that the Legal Assistance Developer has the knowledge, resources, and capacity to conduct the activities outlined in paragraph (a) of this section.(d)Conflicts of interest.(1) In designating a Legal Assistance Developer, the State agency shall consider any potential conflicts of interest posed by any candidate for the role, and take steps to prevent, remedy, or remove such conflicts of interest.(2) In designating a Legal Assistance Developer, the State agency shall consider both organizational and individual interests that may impact the effectiveness and credibility of the work of the Legal Assistance Developer to coordinate legal assistance and work to secure, protect, and promote the legal rights of older adults in the State. (i) This includes holding a position or performing duties that could lead to decisions that are or have the appearance of being contrary to the Legal Assistance Developer's duties as defined in this section and contained in the State plan as set forth in § 1321.27 of this chapter.(3) The State agency shall not designate as Legal Assistance Developer any individual who is: (i) Serving as a director of adult protective services, or as legal counsel to adult protective services;(ii) Serving as a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, or as legal counsel to a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program;(iii) Serving as a hearing officer, administrative law judge, trier of fact or counsel to these positions in an administrative proceeding related to the legal rights of older adults, such as one in which a legal assistance provider might appear;(iv) Serving as legal counsel or a party to an administrative proceeding related to long-term care settings, including residential settings;(v) Conducting surveys of and licensure certifications for long-term care settings, including residential settings, or serving as counsel or advisor to such positions;(vi) Serving as a public or private guardian, conservator, or fiduciary or operating such a program, or serving as counsel to these positions or programs.(4) The State agency and the Legal Assistance Developer shall be responsible for identifying any other actual and potential conflicts of interest and circumstances that may lead to the appearance of a conflict of interest; identifying processes for preventing conflicts of interest and, where a conflict of interest has been identified, for removing or remedying the conflict.(5) The State agency shall develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the Legal Assistance Developer is not required or permitted to hold positions or perform duties that would constitute a conflict of interest.