1999 - 2000
“Protection From Sexually Violent Predators” –
Requires sexually violent offenders to receive treatment before they are
released back into our neighborhoods. Known as the “Jimmy Ryce Act”, this
legislation protects our children and families from repeat sexual offenders,
keeping them where they belong while giving them the necessary treatment.
“Raising Prostate Cancer Awareness” – Established
the Prostate Cancer Task Force. Also created a breast and prostate cancer
pamphlet to illustrate the alternative treatments for this deadly disease.
“Privatization of Foster Care” – Cracking down on
child abusers by providing better oversight and investigations of child abusers
to protect our children. Requires the Department of Children and Families to
develop partnerships with community-based agencies to provide foster care and
abuse investigation services. Child abuse will not be tolerated and this new law
will improve the contact with caseworkers and the child.
“Eliminating Unnecessary Medical License Fees” –
This legislation eases the licensure fee for out-of-state doctors, attracting
and encouraging more qualified health care providers and incentive to treat
Floridians without excessive fees and testing burdens.
“Protection of Children from Abuse” – With the
passage of the “Child Protection Act” it strengthens controls on how the
Department of Children and Family Services investigates abuse reports in an
attempt to prevent further tragedies in the child protection system.
“Child Care” – Puts a greater emphasis on school
readiness, thus making childcare arrangements look more like education programs.
“Parental Notification of Abortion” – Requires the
person performing or inducing the termination of a pregnancy of a minor to
notify the parent or legal guardian of the minor’s intention at least 48 hours
prior to performing or inducing the termination of pregnancy.
“Children’s Substance Abuse Services” – Encourages
the development of effective prevention and early intervention strategies
through a partnership grant targeting school-age populations.
“Welfare Reform Initiative” – This legislation will
continue to improve one of the most successful and innovative welfare reform
programs in the country. Improves employment preparation and support, increases
educational opportunities, improves work incentives, expands early intervention
programs and improves public/private partnerships.
“HMO Reform” – Prohibits certain restrictive
contractual provisions that prohibit a physician from being a participating
provider in any other HMO that would stifle patient choice and prohibit
competition.
“Habitual Juvenile Offenders” - This bill requires
state attorneys to transfer to the adult system any youth age 16 or 17 at the
time of the offense who: Has three prior felony adjudications or withholds
occurring at least 45 days apart, and is now charged with a forcible felony. The
felony adjudications must have been 45 days apart so that they represent
completely separate criminal events. The youth will receive adult sentences.
“Child Welfare” - This bill provides that a child
protective investigator from the Department of Children and Family Services
should make a determination as to whether an allegation of child abuse or
neglect, received by the child abuse hotline, and warrants a criminal
investigation. This bill provides criteria for making that determination. This
bill provides for notification of the appropriate law enforcement agency if a
criminal investigation is warranted.
“Child Protection/Abandoned Babies” - This bill
creates a presumption that a parent who leaves a newborn at a hospital, fire
station or police station intended to leave the infant and consented to
termination of parental rights. Provides that unless there is evidence of abuse
or neglect, a parent leaving a newborn has the absolute right to remain
anonymous.
“Juveniles Failure to Appear in Court” - Provides
that it is a violation of law for juveniles to fail to appear as required before
court or judicial officer. It authorizes detention of juveniles charged with
failure to appear.
“Medicaid Behavioral Health Care” - This bill
expands Medicaid managed behavioral health care in 13 additional counties. It
authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration to award managed care
contracts for behavioral health care, for mental health and substance abuse in
13 additional counties by December 31, 2001 in addition to the current contracts
in five counties that include Hillsborough and Polk.
“Reorganization of the Department of Children and
Families” - The bill reorganizes the Department of Children and Family
Services to support and continue the move to privatize the administration of
services in the department. It establishes eight program offices: adult
services, childcare services, developmental services, economic self-sufficiency
services, family safety, mental health, refugee services, and substance abuse.
This bill eliminates the current health and human services boards. The bill
creates a community alliance in each county with a core membership and
delineates the responsibilities of the alliance. The bill establishes a
prototype region to test the lead agencies in Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee,
Sarasota, DeSoto, and Hillsborough counties. The department would contract with
a lead agency to administer, provide, and/or subcontract with other agencies for
all or any part of the children’s services currently administered by DCF. The
bill also reorganizes ch. 39, F.S., to reflect the sequential order in which the
child protection process would usually proceed and creates two new parts:
Dispositions, Post disposition, Change of Custody and Permanency. It requires
the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference to project future bed needs and other
program needs resulting from the civil commitments authorized under the Jimmy
Rice Act of 1998 and makes other changes to the Jimmy Rice Act. Designates the
second Monday in September of each year as “Florida Missing Children’s Day”.
Directs the Office of the State Court Administrator to establish a 3 year pilot
Attorney Ad Liter Program in the Ninth Judicial Circuit by October 1, 2000, to
represent the rights of children in Dependency proceedings.
“Child Care and Early Intervention” - This bill
authorizes the Department of Children and Family Services to increase family
income limits for certain eligibility for subsidized childcare. Provides that
eligible family shall be considered needy family for federal Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families funding. Establishes Teacher Education &
Compensation Helps (TEACH) scholarship program. Establishes program to provide
statewide network of childcare health consultation services.
“WAGES Program” - This bill revises payment
structure provisions of WAGES Program annual
statewide program plan. It provides additional coalition requirements for
one-stop career centers, and specifies additional activities, which satisfy work
requirements under said program. It also revises and clarifies said program
eligibility requirements for non-citizens, and provides for extending period of
eligibility for temporary cash assistance under certain circumstances.
“Department of Children and Families Rulemaking Authority”
- This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Children and
Family Services to adopt pertinent rules relating to, refugee cash and medical
assistance program, Medicaid eligibility determination, and the Work and Gain
Economic Self Sufficiency (WAGES) program.
“Mental Health Services for Children” - Requires
that children in the legal custody of the department be placed by the department
in a residential treatment center licensed under s. 394.875, F.S., or in a
hospital licensed under ch. 395, F.S., only after verification by a qualified
evaluator (psychologist or psychiatrist) that residential mental health
treatment is clinically appropriate for treating the child’s emotional
disturbance and that available, less restrictive treatment modalities have been
considered. The bill requires the residential treatment program to report
monthly to the department on the child’s progress and monthly status reports
must be submitted to the court by the department. The bill requires a court
hearing no later than 3 months after the child is placed in residential
treatment that includes a clinical review by a qualified evaluator addressing
the need for continued residential treatment. The court reviews the case every
90 days thereafter. The court may order that the child be placed in a less
restrictive setting at any time it is determined that residential treatment is
not meeting the child’s needs. The bill requires that a guardian ad litem be
appointed for all children placed in a residential treatment program.
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