(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Child with a disability” means any child who is developmentally disabled as defined in 42 USC 6001(7), except a child with intellectual disability.

(2) “Family applicant” means any parent or other family member who resides in the same household as a child with a disability and who has primary responsibility for providing continuous care to the child.

(3) “Family support” means the monthly payment given to a family applicant pursuant to this section and the regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Social Services for the family support grant program.

(b) There is established within the Department of Social Services a family support grant program for the express purpose of providing family support to a family applicant, as defined in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, necessary to establish and implement the family support grant program and to authorize the payment of family support to the family applicant eligible under the terms of this program. The regulations shall include but not be limited to the following areas: (1) The establishment of eligibility criteria for the qualification of the family applicant for family support under this section; (2) the establishment of eligibility criteria for the qualification of a child with a disability; (3) the establishment of a periodic review of the appropriate use of family support to be conducted semiannually by the department.

(d) A family applicant of a child with a disability found eligible by the Commissioner of Social Services pursuant to this section and the regulations adopted thereunder, shall be eligible to receive family support in an amount to be determined by the commissioner.