Florida Senate - 2020                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 1326
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì216532ÅÎ216532                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
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                Floor: 1/AD/2R         .                                
             03/06/2020 04:02 PM       .                                
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       Senator Simpson moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraphs
    6  (b), (d), and (e) of subsection (5) of section 20.19, Florida
    7  Statutes, are amended to read:
    8         20.19 Department of Children and Families.—There is created
    9  a Department of Children and Families.
   10         (1) MISSION AND PURPOSE.—
   11         (b) The department shall develop a strategic plan for
   12  fulfilling its mission and establish a set of measurable goals,
   13  objectives, performance standards and metrics, and quality
   14  assurance requirements to ensure that the department is
   15  accountable to the people of Florida. Such goals shall, at a
   16  minimum, include those specified in s. 409.986(2).
   17         (5) COMMUNITY ALLIANCES.—
   18         (b) The duties of the community alliance include, but are
   19  not limited to:
   20         1. Joint planning for resource utilization in the
   21  community, including resources appropriated to the department
   22  and any funds that local funding sources choose to provide.
   23         2. Needs assessment and establishment of community
   24  priorities for service delivery.
   25         3. Determining community outcome goals to supplement state
   26  required outcomes.
   27         4. Serving as a catalyst for community resource
   28  development, including, but not limited to, identifying existing
   29  programs and services delivered by and assistance available from
   30  community-based and faith-based organizations, and encouraging
   31  the development and availability of such programs, services, and
   32  assistance by such organizations. The community alliance shall
   33  ensure that the community-based care lead agency is aware of
   34  such programs, services, and assistance and work to facilitate
   35  the lead agency’s appropriate use of these resources.
   36         5. Providing for community education and advocacy on issues
   37  related to delivery of services.
   38         6. Promoting prevention and early intervention services.
   39         (d) The initial membership of the community alliance in a
   40  county shall at a minimum be composed of the following:
   41         1. A representative from the department.
   42         2. A representative from county government.
   43         3. A representative from the school district.
   44         4. A representative from the county United Way.
   45         5. A representative from the county sheriff’s office.
   46         6. A representative from the circuit court corresponding to
   47  the county.
   48         7. A representative from the county children’s board, if
   49  one exists.
   50         8.A representative of a faith-based organization involved
   51  in efforts to prevent child maltreatment, strengthen families,
   52  or promote adoption.
   53         (e) At any time after the initial meeting of the community
   54  alliance, The community alliance shall adopt bylaws and may
   55  increase the membership of the alliance to include the state
   56  attorney for the judicial circuit in which the community
   57  alliance is located, or his or her designee, the public defender
   58  for the judicial circuit in which the community alliance is
   59  located, or his or her designee, and Other individuals and
   60  organizations who represent funding organizations, are community
   61  leaders, have knowledge of community-based service issues, or
   62  otherwise represent perspectives that will enable them to
   63  accomplish the duties listed in paragraph (b), if, in the
   64  judgment of the alliance, such change is necessary to adequately
   65  represent the diversity of the population within the community
   66  alliance service circuits.
   67         Section 2. Section 39.3065, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   68  read:
   69         39.3065 Sheriffs of certain counties to provide child
   70  protective investigative services; procedures; funding.—
   71         (1) As described in this section, the department of
   72  Children and Families shall, by the end of fiscal year 1999
   73  2000, transfer all responsibility for child protective
   74  investigations for Pinellas County, Manatee County, Broward
   75  County, and Pasco County to the sheriff of that county in which
   76  the child abuse, neglect, or abandonment is alleged to have
   77  occurred. Each sheriff is responsible for the provision of all
   78  child protective investigations in his or her county. Each
   79  individual who provides these services must complete the
   80  training provided to and required of protective investigators
   81  employed by the department of Children and Families.
   82         (2) During fiscal year 1998-1999, the department of
   83  Children and Families and each sheriff’s office shall enter into
   84  a contract for the provision of these services. Funding for the
   85  services will be appropriated to the department of Children and
   86  Families, and the department shall transfer to the respective
   87  sheriffs for the duration of fiscal year 1998-1999, funding for
   88  the investigative responsibilities assumed by the sheriffs,
   89  including federal funds that the provider is eligible for and
   90  agrees to earn and that portion of general revenue funds which
   91  is currently associated with the services that are being
   92  furnished under contract, and including, but not limited to,
   93  funding for all investigative, supervisory, and clerical
   94  positions; training; all associated equipment; furnishings; and
   95  other fixed capital items. The contract must specify whether the
   96  department will continue to perform part or none of the child
   97  protective investigations during the initial year. The sheriffs
   98  may either conduct the investigations themselves or may, in
   99  turn, subcontract with law enforcement officials or with
  100  properly trained employees of private agencies to conduct
  101  investigations related to neglect cases only. If such a
  102  subcontract is awarded, the sheriff must take full
  103  responsibility for any safety decision made by the subcontractor
  104  and must immediately respond with law enforcement staff to any
  105  situation that requires removal of a child due to a condition
  106  that poses an immediate threat to the child’s life. The contract
  107  must specify whether the services are to be performed by
  108  departmental employees or by persons determined by the sheriff.
  109  During this initial year, the department is responsible for
  110  quality assurance, and the department retains the responsibility
  111  for the performance of all child protective investigations. The
  112  department must identify any barriers to transferring the entire
  113  responsibility for child protective services to the sheriffs’
  114  offices and must pursue avenues for removing any such barriers
  115  by means including, but not limited to, applying for federal
  116  waivers. By January 15, 1999, the department shall submit to the
  117  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
  118  Representatives, and the chairs of the Senate and House
  119  committees that oversee departmental activities a report that
  120  describes any remaining barriers, including any that pertain to
  121  funding and related administrative issues. Unless the
  122  Legislature, on the basis of that report or other pertinent
  123  information, acts to block a transfer of the entire
  124  responsibility for child protective investigations to the
  125  sheriffs’ offices, the sheriffs of Pasco County, Manatee County,
  126  Broward County, and Pinellas County, beginning in fiscal year
  127  1999-2000, shall assume the entire responsibility for such
  128  services, as provided in subsection (3).
  129         (3)(a) Beginning in fiscal year 1999-2000, the sheriffs of
  130  Pasco County, Manatee County, Broward County, and Pinellas
  131  County have the responsibility to provide all child protective
  132  investigations in their respective counties. Beginning in fiscal
  133  year 2000-2001, the department of Children and Families is
  134  authorized to enter into grant agreements with sheriffs of other
  135  counties to perform child protective investigations in their
  136  respective counties. The sheriffs of other counties with which
  137  the department enters into grant agreements shall adopt the
  138  child welfare practice model, as periodically modified by the
  139  department, that is used by child protective investigators
  140  employed by the department.
  141         (b) The sheriffs shall operate, at a minimum, in accordance
  142  with the performance standards and outcome measures established
  143  by the Legislature for protective investigations conducted by
  144  the department of Children and Families.
  145         1. All sheriffs shall operate in accord with the same
  146  federal performance standards and metrics that are imposed by
  147  federal law, regulation, or funding requirements on child
  148  protective investigators employed by the department.
  149         2. Sheriffs of other counties with which the department
  150  enters into grant agreements under paragraph (a) shall operate
  151  in accordance with the same child welfare practice model
  152  principles used by, and same state performance standards and
  153  metrics that are imposed on, child protective investigators
  154  employed by the department.
  155  
  156  Each individual who provides these services must complete, at a
  157  minimum, the training provided to and required of protective
  158  investigators employed by the department of Children and
  159  Families.
  160         (c) Funds for providing child protective investigations
  161  must be identified in the annual appropriation made to the
  162  department of Children and Families, which shall award grants
  163  for the full amount identified to the respective sheriffs’
  164  offices. Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 216.181(16)(b)
  165  and 216.351, the department of Children and Families may advance
  166  payments to the sheriffs for child protective investigations.
  167  Funds for the child protective investigations may not be
  168  integrated into the sheriffs’ regular budgets. Budgetary data
  169  and other data relating to the performance of child protective
  170  investigations must be maintained separately from all other
  171  records of the sheriffs’ offices and reported to the department
  172  of Children and Families as specified in the grant agreement.
  173         (d)The department and all sheriffs providing child
  174  protective investigative services shall collaborate to monitor
  175  program performance on an ongoing basis. The department and each
  176  sheriff, or his or her designee, shall meet at least quarterly
  177  to collaborate on federal and state quality assurance and
  178  quality improvement initiatives.
  179         (e)(d)The department shall conduct an annual evaluation of
  180  the program performance of all sheriffs providing child
  181  protective investigative services.
  182         1.For the sheriffs of Pasco County, Manatee County,
  183  Broward County, and Pinellas County, the evaluation shall only
  184  be based on the same federal performance standards and metrics,
  185  and those state performance standards and metrics that are not
  186  specific to or based on the child welfare practice model, that
  187  are imposed on child protective investigators employed by the
  188  department.
  189         2.For sheriffs of other counties with which the department
  190  enters into grant agreements under paragraph (a), this
  191  evaluation shall be based on the same child welfare practice
  192  model principles used by, and federal and state performance
  193  standards and metrics that are imposed on, child protective
  194  investigators employed by criteria mutually agreed upon by the
  195  respective sheriffs and the department of Children and Families.
  196  
  197  The program performance evaluation must be standardized
  198  statewide excepting state performance standards and metrics that
  199  are not specific to or based on the child welfare practice model
  200  not being applicable to certain sheriffs as provided in sub
  201  paragraph (e)1. The department shall select random cases for
  202  evaluation. The program performance evaluation shall be
  203  conducted by a team of peer reviewers from the respective
  204  sheriffs’ offices that perform child protective investigations
  205  and representatives from the department.
  206         (f) The department of Children and Families shall produce
  207  submit an annual report regarding, at a minimum, quality
  208  performance quality, outcome-measure attainment, and cost
  209  efficiency of the services provided by all sheriffs providing
  210  child protective investigative services. The annual report shall
  211  include data and information on both the sheriffs’ and the
  212  department’s performance of protective investigations. The
  213  department shall submit the annual report to the President of
  214  the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to
  215  the Governor no later than November 1 January 31 of each year
  216  the sheriffs are receiving general appropriations to provide
  217  child protective investigations.
  218         Section 3. Section 402.402, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  219  read:
  220         402.402 Child protection and child welfare personnel;
  221  attorneys employed by the department.—
  222         (1) CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATION PROFESSIONAL STAFF
  223  REQUIREMENTS.—The department is responsible for recruitment of
  224  qualified professional staff to serve as child protective
  225  investigators and child protective investigation supervisors.
  226  The department shall make every effort to recruit and hire
  227  persons qualified by their education and experience to perform
  228  social work functions. The department’s efforts shall be guided
  229  by the goal that by July 1, 2019, at least half of all child
  230  protective investigators and supervisors will have a bachelor’s
  231  degree or a master’s degree in social work from a college or
  232  university social work program accredited by the Council on
  233  Social Work Education. The department, in collaboration with the
  234  lead agencies, subcontracted provider organizations, the Florida
  235  Institute for Child Welfare created pursuant to s. 1004.615, and
  236  other partners in the child welfare system, shall develop a
  237  protocol for screening candidates for child protective positions
  238  which reflects the preferences specified in paragraphs (a)-(f).
  239  The following persons shall be given preference in the
  240  recruitment of qualified professional staff, but the preferences
  241  serve only as guidance and do not limit the department’s
  242  discretion to select the best available candidates:
  243         (a) Individuals with baccalaureate degrees in social work
  244  and child protective investigation supervisors with master’s
  245  degrees in social work from a college or university social work
  246  program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
  247         (b) Individuals with baccalaureate or master’s degrees in
  248  psychology, sociology, counseling, special education, education,
  249  human development, child development, family development,
  250  marriage and family therapy, and nursing.
  251         (c) Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who have a
  252  combination of directly relevant work and volunteer experience,
  253  preferably in a public service field related to children’s
  254  services, demonstrating critical thinking skills, formal
  255  assessment processes, communication skills, problem solving, and
  256  empathy; a commitment to helping children and families; a
  257  capacity to work as part of a team; an interest in continuous
  258  development of skills and knowledge; and personal strength and
  259  resilience to manage competing demands and handle workplace
  260  stresses.
  261         (2) SPECIALIZED TRAINING.—All child protective
  262  investigators and child protective investigation supervisors
  263  employed by the department or a sheriff’s office must complete
  264  specialized training either focused on serving a specific
  265  population, including, but not limited to, medically fragile
  266  children, sexually exploited children, children under 3 years of
  267  age, or families with a history of domestic violence, mental
  268  illness, or substance abuse, or focused on performing certain
  269  aspects of child protection practice, including, but not limited
  270  to, investigation techniques and analysis of family dynamics.
  271  The specialized training may be used to fulfill continuing
  272  education requirements under s. 402.40(3)(e). Individuals hired
  273  before July 1, 2014, shall complete the specialized training by
  274  June 30, 2016, and individuals hired on or after July 1, 2014,
  275  shall complete the specialized training within 2 years after
  276  hire. An individual may receive specialized training in multiple
  277  areas.
  278         (3)STAFF SUPPORT.—The department shall implement policies
  279  and programs that mitigate and prevent the impact of secondary
  280  traumatic stress and burnout among child protective
  281  investigations staff, including, but not limited to:
  282         (a)Initiatives to encourage and inspire child protective
  283  investigations staff, including recognizing their achievements
  284  on a recognition wall within their unit.
  285         (b)Formal procedures for providing support to child
  286  protective investigations staff after a critical incident such
  287  as a child fatality.
  288         (c)Initial training upon appointment to a supervisory
  289  position and annual continuing education for all supervisors on
  290  how to prevent secondary traumatic stress and burnout among the
  291  employees they supervise.
  292         (d)Monitoring levels of secondary traumatic stress and
  293  burnout among individual employees and intervening as needed.
  294  The department shall closely monitor and respond to levels of
  295  secondary traumatic stress and burnout among employees during
  296  the first 2 years after hire.
  297         (e)Ongoing training in self-care for all child protective
  298  investigations staff.
  299  
  300  Such programs may also include, but are not limited, to formal
  301  peer counseling and support programs.
  302         (4)(3) REPORT.—By each October 1, the department shall
  303  submit a report on the educational qualifications, turnover,
  304  professional advancement, and working conditions of the child
  305  protective investigators and supervisors to the Governor, the
  306  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  307  Representatives.
  308         (5)(4) ATTORNEYS EMPLOYED BY OR CONTRACTING WITH THE
  309  DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE CHILD WELFARE CASES.—Attorneys hired or
  310  contracted with on or after July 1, 2014, whose primary
  311  responsibility is representing the department in child welfare
  312  cases shall, within the first 6 months of employment, receive
  313  training in:
  314         (a) The dependency court process, including the attorney’s
  315  role in preparing and reviewing documents prepared for
  316  dependency court for accuracy and completeness.;
  317         (b) Preparing and presenting child welfare cases, including
  318  at least 1 week shadowing an experienced children’s legal
  319  services attorney preparing and presenting cases.;
  320         (c) Safety assessment, safety decisionmaking tools, and
  321  safety plans.;
  322         (d) Developing information presented by investigators and
  323  case managers to support decisionmaking in the best interest of
  324  children.; and
  325         (e) The experiences and techniques of case managers and
  326  investigators, including shadowing an experienced child
  327  protective investigator and an experienced case manager for at
  328  least 8 hours.
  329         Section 4. Section 402.715, Florida Statutes, is created to
  330  read:
  331         402.715 Office of Quality.—Subject to an appropriation, the
  332  department shall establish a department-wide Office of Quality
  333  to ensure that the department and its contracted service
  334  providers achieve high levels of performance. Duties of the
  335  office include, but are not limited to:
  336         (1)Identifying performance standards and metrics for the
  337  department and all contracted service providers, including, but
  338  not limited to, law enforcement agencies, managing entities,
  339  community-based care lead agencies, and attorney services. Such
  340  performance standards and metrics shall be reflected in the
  341  strategic plan required under s. 20.19(1). Performance standards
  342  and metrics for the child welfare system shall, at a minimum,
  343  incorporate measures used in the results-oriented accountability
  344  system under s. 409.997.
  345         (2)Strengthening the department’s data and analytic
  346  capabilities to identify systemic strengths and deficiencies.
  347         (3)Recommending, in consultation with the relevant program
  348  office, initiatives to correct programmatic and systemic
  349  deficiencies.
  350         (4)Engaging and collaborating with contractors,
  351  stakeholders, and other relevant entities to improve quality,
  352  efficiency, and effectiveness of department programs and
  353  services.
  354         (5)Reporting systemic or persistent failures to meet
  355  performance standards and recommending corrective action to the
  356  secretary.
  357         Section 5. Section 402.7305, Florida Statutes, is amended
  358  to read:
  359         402.7305 Department of Children and Families; procurement
  360  of contractual services; contract management.—
  361         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
  362         (a) “Contract manager” means the department employee who is
  363  responsible for enforcing the compliance with administrative and
  364  programmatic terms and conditions of a contract. The contract
  365  manager is the primary point of contact through which all
  366  contracting information flows between the department and the
  367  contractor. The contract manager is responsible for day-to-day
  368  contract oversight, including approval of contract deliverables
  369  and invoices. All actions related to the contract shall be
  370  initiated by or coordinated with the contract manager. The
  371  contract manager maintains the official contract files.
  372         (b) “Contract monitor” means the department employee who is
  373  responsible for observing, recording, and reporting to the
  374  contract manager and other designated entities the information
  375  necessary to assist the contract manager and program management
  376  in determining whether the contractor is in compliance with the
  377  administrative and programmatic terms and conditions of the
  378  contract.
  379         (c) “Department” means the Department of Children and
  380  Families.
  381         (d) “Outsourcing” means the process of contracting with an
  382  external service provider to provide a service, in whole or in
  383  part, while the department retains the responsibility and
  384  accountability for the service.
  385         (2) PROCUREMENT OF COMMODITIES AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.—
  386         (a) Notwithstanding s. 287.057(3)(e)12., if the department
  387  intends to contract with a public postsecondary institution to
  388  provide a service, the department must allow all public
  389  postsecondary institutions in this state that are accredited by
  390  the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to bid on the
  391  contract. Thereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of
  392  law, if a public postsecondary institution intends to
  393  subcontract for any service awarded in the contract, the
  394  subcontracted service must be procured by competitive
  395  procedures.
  396         (b) When it is in the best interest of a defined segment of
  397  its consumer population, the department may competitively
  398  procure and contract for systems of treatment or service that
  399  involve multiple providers, rather than procuring and
  400  contracting for treatment or services separately from each
  401  participating provider. The department must ensure that all
  402  providers that participate in the treatment or service system
  403  meet all applicable statutory, regulatory, service quality, and
  404  cost control requirements. If other governmental entities or
  405  units of special purpose government contribute matching funds to
  406  the support of a given system of treatment or service, the
  407  department shall formally request information from those funding
  408  entities in the procurement process and may take the information
  409  received into account in the selection process. If a local
  410  government contributes matching funds to support the system of
  411  treatment or contracted service and if the match constitutes at
  412  least 25 percent of the value of the contract, the department
  413  shall afford the governmental match contributor an opportunity
  414  to name an employee as one of the persons required by s.
  415  287.057(16) to evaluate or negotiate certain contracts, unless
  416  the department sets forth in writing the reason why the
  417  inclusion would be contrary to the best interest of the state.
  418  Any employee so named by the governmental match contributor
  419  shall qualify as one of the persons required by s. 287.057(16).
  420  A governmental entity or unit of special purpose government may
  421  not name an employee as one of the persons required by s.
  422  287.057(16) if it, or any of its political subdivisions,
  423  executive agencies, or special districts, intends to compete for
  424  the contract to be awarded. The governmental funding entity or
  425  contributor of matching funds must comply with all procurement
  426  procedures set forth in s. 287.057 when appropriate and
  427  required.
  428         (c) The department may procure and contract for or provide
  429  assessment and case management services independently from
  430  treatment services.
  431         (3) CONTRACT MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS.—The
  432  Department of Children and Families shall review the time period
  433  for which the department executes contracts and shall execute
  434  multiyear contracts to make the most efficient use of the
  435  resources devoted to contract processing and execution. Whenever
  436  the department chooses not to use a multiyear contract, a
  437  justification for that decision must be contained in the
  438  contract. Notwithstanding s. 287.057(14), the department is
  439  responsible for establishing a contract management process that
  440  requires a member of the department’s Senior Management or
  441  Selected Exempt Service to assign in writing the responsibility
  442  of a contract to a contract manager. The department shall
  443  maintain a set of procedures describing its contract management
  444  process which must minimally include the following requirements:
  445         (a) The contract manager shall maintain the official
  446  contract file throughout the duration of the contract and for a
  447  period not less than 6 years after the termination of the
  448  contract.
  449         (b) The contract manager shall review all invoices for
  450  compliance with the criteria and payment schedule provided for
  451  in the contract and shall approve payment of all invoices before
  452  their transmission to the Department of Financial Services for
  453  payment.
  454         (c) The contract manager shall maintain a schedule of
  455  payments and total amounts disbursed and shall periodically
  456  reconcile the records with the state’s official accounting
  457  records.
  458         (d) For contracts involving the provision of direct client
  459  services, the contract manager shall periodically visit the
  460  physical location where the services are delivered and speak
  461  directly to clients receiving the services and the staff
  462  responsible for delivering the services.
  463         (e) The contract manager shall meet at least once a month
  464  directly with the contractor’s representative and maintain
  465  records of such meetings.
  466         (f) The contract manager shall periodically document any
  467  differences between the required performance measures and the
  468  actual performance measures. If a contractor fails to meet and
  469  comply with the performance measures established in the
  470  contract, the department may allow a reasonable period for the
  471  contractor to correct performance deficiencies. If performance
  472  deficiencies are not resolved to the satisfaction of the
  473  department within the prescribed time, and if no extenuating
  474  circumstances can be documented by the contractor to the
  475  department’s satisfaction, the department must terminate the
  476  contract. The department may not enter into a new contract with
  477  that same contractor for the services for which the contract was
  478  previously terminated for a period of at least 24 months after
  479  the date of termination. The contract manager shall obtain and
  480  enforce corrective action plans, if appropriate, and maintain
  481  records regarding the completion or failure to complete
  482  corrective action items.
  483         (g) The contract manager shall document any contract
  484  modifications, which shall include recording any contract
  485  amendments as provided for in this section.
  486         (h) The contract manager shall be properly trained before
  487  being assigned responsibility for any contract.
  488         (4) CONTRACT MONITORING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS.—The
  489  department shall establish contract monitoring units staffed by
  490  career service employees who report to a member of the Selected
  491  Exempt Service or Senior Management Service and who have been
  492  properly trained to perform contract monitoring. At least one
  493  member of the contract monitoring unit must possess specific
  494  knowledge and experience in the contract’s program area. The
  495  department shall establish a contract monitoring process that
  496  includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements:
  497         (a) Performing a risk assessment at the start of each
  498  fiscal year and preparing an annual contract monitoring schedule
  499  that considers the level of risk assigned. The department may
  500  monitor any contract at any time regardless of whether such
  501  monitoring was originally included in the annual contract
  502  monitoring schedule.
  503         (b) Preparing a contract monitoring plan, including
  504  sampling procedures, before performing onsite monitoring at
  505  external locations of a service provider. The plan must include
  506  a description of the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative
  507  components that will be monitored on site. If appropriate,
  508  clinical and therapeutic components may be included.
  509         (c) Conducting analyses of the performance and compliance
  510  of an external service provider by means of desk reviews if the
  511  external service provider will not be monitored on site during a
  512  fiscal year.
  513         (d) Unless the department sets forth in writing the need
  514  for an extension, providing a written report presenting the
  515  results of the monitoring within 30 days after the completion of
  516  the onsite monitoring or desk review.
  517         (e) Developing and maintaining a set of procedures
  518  describing the contract monitoring process.
  519  
  520  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the
  521  department shall limit monitoring of a child-caring or child
  522  placing services provider under this subsection to only once per
  523  year. Such monitoring may not duplicate administrative
  524  monitoring that is included in the survey of a child welfare
  525  provider conducted by a national accreditation organization
  526  specified under s. 402.7306(1).
  527         Section 6. Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (1) of
  528  section 409.988, Florida Statutes, to read:
  529         409.988 Lead agency duties; general provisions.—
  530         (1) DUTIES.—A lead agency:
  531         (l)Shall identify an employee to serve as a liaison with
  532  the community alliance and community-based and faith-based
  533  organizations interested in collaborating with the lead agency
  534  or offering services or other assistance on a volunteer basis to
  535  the children and families served by the lead agency. The lead
  536  agency shall ensure that appropriate lead agency staff and
  537  subcontractors, including, but not limited to, case managers,
  538  are informed of the specific services or assistance available
  539  from community-based and faith-based organizations.
  540         Section 7. Section 409.996, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  541  read:
  542         409.996 Duties of the Department of Children and Families.
  543  The department shall contract for the delivery, administration,
  544  or management of care for children in the child protection and
  545  child welfare system. In doing so, the department retains
  546  responsibility for the quality of contracted services and
  547  programs and shall ensure that, at a minimum, services are
  548  delivered in accordance with applicable federal and state
  549  statutes and regulations and the performance standards and
  550  metrics specified in the strategic plan created under s.
  551  20.19(1).
  552         (1) The department shall enter into contracts with lead
  553  agencies for the performance of the duties by the lead agencies
  554  established in pursuant to s. 409.988. At a minimum, the
  555  contracts must:
  556         (a) Provide for the services needed to accomplish the
  557  duties established in s. 409.988 and provide information to the
  558  department which is necessary to meet the requirements for a
  559  quality assurance program under pursuant to subsection (19) (18)
  560  and the child welfare results-oriented accountability system
  561  under pursuant to s. 409.997.
  562         (b) Provide for tiered interventions and graduated
  563  penalties for failure to comply with contract terms or in the
  564  event of performance deficiencies. Such interventions and
  565  penalties shall may include, but are not limited to:
  566         1.financial penalties, Enhanced monitoring and reporting.,
  567         2. Corrective action plans., and
  568         3.Requirements to accept technical assistance and
  569  consultation from the department under subsection (4).
  570         4.Financial penalties, which shall require a lead agency
  571  to reallocate funds from administrative costs to direct care for
  572  children.
  573         5. Early termination of contracts, as provided in s.
  574  402.1705(3)(f) or other appropriate action to ensure contract
  575  compliance. The financial penalties shall require a lead agency
  576  to reallocate funds from administrative costs to direct care for
  577  children.
  578         (c) Ensure that the lead agency shall furnish current and
  579  accurate information on its activities in all cases in client
  580  case records in the state’s statewide automated child welfare
  581  information system.
  582         (d) Specify the procedures to be used by the parties to
  583  resolve differences in interpreting the contract or to resolve
  584  disputes as to the adequacy of the parties’ compliance with
  585  their respective obligations under the contract.
  586         (2) The department must adopt written policies and
  587  procedures for monitoring the contract for delivery of services
  588  by lead agencies which must be posted on the department’s
  589  website. These policies and procedures must, at a minimum,
  590  address the evaluation of fiscal accountability and program
  591  operations, including provider achievement of performance
  592  standards, provider monitoring of subcontractors, and timely
  593  followup of corrective actions for significant monitoring
  594  findings related to providers and subcontractors. These policies
  595  and procedures must also include provisions for reducing the
  596  duplication of the department’s program monitoring activities
  597  both internally and with other agencies, to the extent possible.
  598  The department’s written procedures must ensure that the written
  599  findings, conclusions, and recommendations from monitoring the
  600  contract for services of lead agencies are communicated to the
  601  director of the provider agency and the community alliance as
  602  expeditiously as possible.
  603         (3) The department shall receive federal and state funds as
  604  appropriated for the operation of the child welfare system,
  605  transmit these funds to the lead agencies as agreed to in the
  606  contract, and provide information on its website of the
  607  distribution of the federal funds. The department retains
  608  responsibility for the appropriate spending of these funds. The
  609  department shall monitor lead agencies to assess compliance with
  610  the financial guidelines established under pursuant to s.
  611  409.992 and other applicable state and federal laws.
  612         (4) The department may shall provide technical assistance
  613  and consultation to lead agencies as necessary for the
  614  achievement of performance standards, including, but not limited
  615  to, providing additional resources to assist the lead agencies
  616  to implement best practices or institute operational
  617  efficiencies in the provision of care to children in the child
  618  protection and child welfare system.
  619         (5) The department retains the responsibility for the
  620  review, approval or denial, and issuances of all foster home
  621  licenses.
  622         (6) The department shall process all applications submitted
  623  by lead agencies for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of
  624  Children and the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical
  625  Assistance.
  626         (7) The department shall assist lead agencies with access
  627  to and coordination with other service programs within the
  628  department.
  629         (8) The department shall determine Medicaid eligibility for
  630  all referred children and shall coordinate services with the
  631  Agency for Health Care Administration.
  632         (9) The department shall develop, in cooperation with the
  633  lead agencies, a third-party credentialing entity approved under
  634  pursuant to s. 402.40(3), and the Florida Institute for Child
  635  Welfare established under pursuant to s. 1004.615, a
  636  standardized competency-based curriculum for certification
  637  training for child protection staff.
  638         (10) The department shall maintain the statewide adoptions
  639  website and provide information and training to the lead
  640  agencies relating to the website.
  641         (11) The department shall provide training and assistance
  642  to lead agencies regarding the responsibility of lead agencies
  643  relating to children receiving supplemental security income,
  644  social security, railroad retirement, or veterans’ benefits.
  645         (12) With the assistance of a lead agency, the department
  646  shall develop and implement statewide and local interagency
  647  agreements needed to coordinate services for children and
  648  parents involved in the child welfare system who are also
  649  involved with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the
  650  Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Education, the
  651  Department of Health, and other governmental organizations that
  652  share responsibilities for children or parents in the child
  653  welfare system.
  654         (13) With the assistance of a lead agency, the department
  655  shall develop and implement a working agreement between the lead
  656  agency and the substance abuse and mental health managing entity
  657  to integrate services and supports for children and parents
  658  serviced in the child welfare system.
  659         (14) The department shall work with the Agency for Health
  660  Care Administration to provide each Medicaid-eligible child with
  661  early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment,
  662  including 72-hour screening, periodic child health checkups, and
  663  prescribed followup for ordered services, including, but not
  664  limited to, medical, dental, and vision care.
  665         (15) The department shall assist lead agencies in
  666  developing an array of services in compliance with the Title IV
  667  E waiver and shall monitor the provision of such services.
  668         (16) The department shall provide a mechanism to allow lead
  669  agencies to request a waiver of department policies and
  670  procedures that create inefficiencies or inhibit the performance
  671  of the lead agency’s duties.
  672         (17) The department may shall directly or through contract
  673  provide attorneys to prepare and present cases in dependency
  674  court and shall ensure that the court is provided with adequate
  675  information for informed decisionmaking in dependency cases,
  676  including, at a minimum, a face sheet for each case which lists
  677  the names and contact information for any child protective
  678  investigator, child protective investigation supervisor, case
  679  manager, and case manager supervisor, and the regional
  680  department official responsible for the lead agency contract.
  681  The department shall provide to the court the case information
  682  and recommendations provided by the lead agency or
  683  subcontractor. For the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the department
  684  shall contract with the state attorney for the provision of
  685  these services.
  686         (18)(a)The department may contract for the provision of
  687  children’s legal services to prepare and present cases in
  688  dependency court. The contracted attorneys shall ensure that the
  689  court is provided with adequate information for informed
  690  decisionmaking in dependency cases, including, at a minimum, a
  691  face sheet for each case which lists the names and contact
  692  information for any child protective investigator, child
  693  protective investigator supervisor, and the regional department
  694  official responsible for the lead agency contract. The
  695  contracted attorneys shall provide to the court the case
  696  information and recommendations provided by the lead agency or
  697  subcontractor. For the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the department
  698  shall contract with the state attorney for the provision of
  699  these services.
  700         (b)The contracted attorneys shall adopt the child welfare
  701  practice model, as periodically updated by the department, that
  702  is used by attorneys employed by the department. The contracted
  703  attorneys shall operate in accordance with the same federal and
  704  state performance standards and metrics imposed on children’s
  705  legal services attorneys employed by the department.
  706         (c)The department and contracted attorneys providing
  707  children’s legal services shall collaborate to monitor program
  708  performance on an ongoing basis. The department and contracted
  709  attorneys, or a representative from such contracted attorneys’
  710  offices, shall meet at least quarterly to collaborate on federal
  711  and state quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives.
  712         (d)The department shall conduct an annual program
  713  performance evaluation which shall be based on the same child
  714  welfare practice model principles and federal and state
  715  performance standards that are imposed on children’s legal
  716  services attorneys employed by the department. The program
  717  performance evaluation must be standardized statewide and the
  718  department shall select random cases for evaluation. The program
  719  performance evaluation shall be conducted by a team of peer
  720  reviewers from the respective contracted attorneys’ offices that
  721  perform children’s legal services and representatives from the
  722  department.
  723         (e)The department shall publish an annual report
  724  regarding, at a minimum, performance quality, outcome-measure
  725  attainment, and cost efficiency of the services provided by the
  726  contracted attorneys. The annual report must include data and
  727  information on the performance of both the contracted attorneys
  728  and the department’s attorneys. The department shall submit the
  729  annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
  730  the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
  731  November 1 of each year that the contracted attorneys are
  732  receiving appropriations to provide children’s legal services
  733  for the department.
  734         (19)(18) The department, in consultation with lead
  735  agencies, shall establish a quality assurance program for
  736  contracted services to dependent children. The quality assurance
  737  program shall, at a minimum, be based on standards established
  738  by federal and state law, and national accrediting
  739  organizations, and the Office of Quality established under s.
  740  402.715, and must be consistent with the child welfare results
  741  oriented accountability system required by s. 409.997.
  742         (a) The department must evaluate each lead agency under
  743  contract at least annually. These evaluations shall cover the
  744  programmatic, operational, and fiscal operations of the lead
  745  agency and must be consistent with the child welfare results
  746  oriented accountability system required by s. 409.997. The
  747  department must consult with dependency judges in the circuit or
  748  circuits served by the lead agency on the performance of the
  749  lead agency.
  750         (b) The department and each lead agency shall monitor out
  751  of-home placements, including the extent to which sibling groups
  752  are placed together or provisions to provide visitation and
  753  other contacts if siblings are separated. The data shall
  754  identify reasons for sibling separation. Information related to
  755  sibling placement shall be incorporated into the results
  756  oriented accountability system required under pursuant to s.
  757  409.997 and into the evaluation of the outcome specified in s.
  758  409.986(2)(e). The information related to sibling placement
  759  shall also be made available to the institute established under
  760  pursuant s. 1004.615 for use in assessing the performance of
  761  child welfare services in relation to the outcome specified in
  762  s. 409.986(2)(e).
  763         (c) The department shall, to the extent possible, use
  764  independent financial audits provided by the lead agency to
  765  eliminate or reduce the ongoing contract and administrative
  766  reviews conducted by the department. If the department
  767  determines that such independent financial audits are
  768  inadequate, other audits, as necessary, may be conducted by the
  769  department. This paragraph does not abrogate the requirements of
  770  s. 215.97.
  771         (d) The department may suggest additional items to be
  772  included in such independent financial audits to meet the
  773  department’s needs.
  774         (e) The department may outsource programmatic,
  775  administrative, or fiscal monitoring oversight of lead agencies.
  776         (f) A lead agency must assure that all subcontractors are
  777  subject to the same quality assurance activities as the lead
  778  agency.
  779         (20)(19) The department and its attorneys, including
  780  contracted attorneys, have the responsibility to ensure that the
  781  court is fully informed about issues before it, to make
  782  recommendations to the court, and to present competent evidence,
  783  including testimony by the department’s employees, contractors,
  784  and subcontractors, as well as other individuals, to support all
  785  recommendations made to the court. The department’s attorneys
  786  shall coordinate lead agency or subcontractor staff to ensure
  787  that dependency cases are presented appropriately to the court,
  788  giving consideration to the information developed by the case
  789  manager and direction to the case manager if more information is
  790  needed.
  791         (21)(20) The department, in consultation with lead
  792  agencies, shall develop a dispute resolution process so that
  793  disagreements between legal staff, investigators, and case
  794  management staff can be resolved in the best interest of the
  795  child in question before court appearances regarding that child.
  796         (22)(21) The department shall periodically, and before
  797  procuring a lead agency, solicit comments and recommendations
  798  from the community alliance established in s. 20.19(5), any
  799  other community groups, or public hearings. The recommendations
  800  must include, but are not limited to:
  801         (a) The current and past performance of a lead agency.
  802         (b) The relationship between a lead agency and its
  803  community partners.
  804         (c) Any local conditions or service needs in child
  805  protection and child welfare.
  806         (23)(22) The department shall develop, in collaboration
  807  with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, lead agencies,
  808  service providers, current and former foster children placed in
  809  residential group care, and other community stakeholders, a
  810  statewide accountability system for residential group care
  811  providers based on measureable quality standards.
  812         (a) The accountability system must:
  813         1. Promote high quality in services and accommodations,
  814  differentiating between shift and family-style models and
  815  programs and services for children with specialized or
  816  extraordinary needs, such as pregnant teens and children with
  817  Department of Juvenile Justice involvement.
  818         2. Include a quality measurement system with domains and
  819  clearly defined levels of quality. The system must measure the
  820  level of quality for each domain, using criteria that
  821  residential group care providers must meet in order to achieve
  822  each level of quality. Domains may include, but are not limited
  823  to, admissions, service planning, treatment planning, living
  824  environment, and program and service requirements. The system
  825  may also consider outcomes 6 months and 12 months after a child
  826  leaves the provider’s care. However, the system may not assign a
  827  single summary rating to residential group care providers.
  828         3. Consider the level of availability of trauma-informed
  829  care and mental health and physical health services, providers’
  830  engagement with the schools children in their care attend, and
  831  opportunities for children’s involvement in extracurricular
  832  activities.
  833         (b) After development and implementation of the
  834  accountability system in accordance with paragraph (a), the
  835  department and each lead agency shall use the information from
  836  the accountability system to promote enhanced quality in
  837  residential group care within their respective areas of
  838  responsibility. Such promotion may include, but is not limited
  839  to, the use of incentives and ongoing contract monitoring
  840  efforts.
  841         (c) The department shall submit a report to the Governor,
  842  the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  843  Representatives by October 1 of each year, with the first report
  844  due October 1, 2017. The report must, at a minimum, include an
  845  update on the development of a statewide accountability system
  846  for residential group care providers and a plan for department
  847  oversight and implementation of the statewide accountability
  848  system. After implementation of the statewide accountability
  849  system, the report must also include a description of the
  850  system, including measures and any tools developed, a
  851  description of how the information is being used by the
  852  department and lead agencies, an assessment of placement of
  853  children in residential group care using data from the
  854  accountability system measures, and recommendations to further
  855  improve quality in residential group care.
  856         (d) The accountability system must be implemented by July
  857  1, 2022.
  858         (e) Nothing in this subsection impairs the department’s
  859  licensure authority under s. 409.175.
  860         (f) The department may adopt rules to administer this
  861  subsection.
  862         (24) In collaboration with lead agencies, service
  863  providers, and other community stakeholders, the department
  864  shall develop a statewide accountability system based on
  865  measurable quality standards. The accountability system must be
  866  implemented by July 1, 2021.
  867         (a) The accountability system must:
  868         1. Assess the overall health of the child welfare system,
  869  by circuit, using grading criteria established by the
  870  department.
  871         2. Include a quality measurement system with domains and
  872  clearly defined levels of quality. The system must measure the
  873  performance standards for child protective investigators, lead
  874  agencies, and children’s legal services throughout the system of
  875  care, using criteria established by the department, and, at a
  876  minimum, address applicable federal- and state-mandated metrics.
  877         3. Align with the principles of the results-oriented
  878  accountability program established under s. 409.997.
  879         (b) After the development and implementation of the
  880  accountability system under this subsection, the department and
  881  each lead agency shall use the information from the
  882  accountability system to promote enhanced quality service
  883  delivery within their respective areas of responsibility.
  884         (c) By December 1 of each year, the department shall submit
  885  a report on the overall health of the child welfare system to
  886  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
  887  the House of Representatives.
  888         (d) The department may adopt rules to implement this
  889  subsection.
  890         (25)Subject to an appropriation, for the 2020-2021 and
  891  2021-2022 fiscal years, the department shall implement a pilot
  892  project in the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits,
  893  respectively, aimed at improving child welfare outcomes.
  894         (a)In implementing the pilot projects, the department
  895  shall establish performance metrics and performance standards to
  896  assess improvements in safety, permanency, and the well-being of
  897  children in the local system of care for the lead agencies in
  898  those judicial circuits. Such metrics and standards must be
  899  aligned with indicators used in the most recent federal Child
  900  and Family Services Reviews.
  901         (b)The lead agencies in the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial
  902  Circuits shall provide performance data to the department each
  903  quarter. The department shall review the data for accuracy and
  904  completeness and then shall compare the actual performance of
  905  the lead agencies to the established performance metrics and
  906  standards. Each lead agency that exceeds performance metrics and
  907  standards is eligible for incentive funding.
  908         (c)For the first quarter of each fiscal year, the
  909  department may advance incentive funding to the lead agencies in
  910  an amount equal to one quarter of the total allocated to the
  911  pilot project. After each quarter, the department shall assess
  912  the performance of the lead agencies for that quarter and adjust
  913  the subsequent quarter’s incentive funding based on its actual
  914  prior quarter performance.
  915         (d)The department shall include the results of the pilot
  916  projects in the report required in subsection (24) of this
  917  section. The report must include the department’s findings and
  918  recommendations relating to the pilot projects.
  919         (e)This subsection expires July 1, 2022
  920         (23)(a)The department, in collaboration with the Florida
  921  Institute for Child Welfare, shall convene a workgroup on foster
  922  home quality. The workgroup, at a minimum, shall identify
  923  measures of foster home quality, review current efforts by lead
  924  agencies and subcontractors to enhance foster home quality,
  925  identify barriers to the greater availability of high-quality
  926  foster homes, and recommend additional strategies for assessing
  927  the quality of foster homes and increasing the availability of
  928  high-quality foster homes.
  929         (b)The workgroup shall include representatives from the
  930  department, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, foster
  931  parents, current and former foster children, foster parent
  932  organizations, lead agencies, child-placing agencies, other
  933  service providers, and others as determined by the department.
  934         (c)The Florida Institute for Child Welfare shall provide
  935  the workgroup with relevant research on, at a minimum, measures
  936  of quality of foster homes; evidence-supported strategies to
  937  increase the availability of high-quality foster homes, such as
  938  those regarding recruitment, screening, training, retention, and
  939  child placement; descriptions and results of quality improvement
  940  efforts in other jurisdictions; and the root causes of placement
  941  disruption.
  942         (d)The department shall submit a report to the Governor,
  943  the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  944  Representatives by November 15, 2017. The report shall, at a
  945  minimum:
  946         1.Describe the important dimensions of quality for foster
  947  homes;
  948         2.Describe the foster home quality enhancement efforts in
  949  the state, including, but not limited to, recruitment,
  950  retention, placement procedures, systems change, and quality
  951  measurement programs, and any positive or negative results;
  952         3.Identify barriers to the greater availability of high
  953  quality foster homes;
  954         4.Discuss available research regarding high-quality foster
  955  homes; and
  956         5.Present a plan for developing and implementing
  957  strategies to increase the availability of high-quality foster
  958  homes. The strategies shall address important elements of
  959  quality, be based on available research, include both
  960  qualitative and quantitative measures of quality, integrate with
  961  the community-based care model, and be respectful of the privacy
  962  and needs of foster parents. The plan shall recommend possible
  963  instruments and measures and identify any changes to general law
  964  or rule necessary for implementation.
  965         Section 8. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 409.997,
  966  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  967         409.997 Child welfare results-oriented accountability
  968  program.—
  969         (2) The purpose of the results-oriented accountability
  970  program is to monitor and measure the use of resources, the
  971  quality and amount of services provided, and child and family
  972  outcomes. The program includes data analysis, research review,
  973  and evaluation. The program shall produce an assessment of
  974  individual entities’ performance, as well as the performance of
  975  groups of entities working together on a local, judicial
  976  circuit, regional, and statewide basis to provide an integrated
  977  system of care. Data analyzed and communicated through the
  978  accountability program shall inform the department’s development
  979  and maintenance of an inclusive, interactive, and evidence
  980  supported program of quality improvement which promotes
  981  individual skill building as well as organizational learning.
  982  The department may use Additionally, outcome data generated by
  983  the program regarding performance drivers, process improvements,
  984  short-term and long-term outcomes, and quality improvement
  985  efforts to determine contract compliance and may be used as the
  986  basis for payment of performance incentives if funds for such
  987  payments are made available through the General Appropriations
  988  Act. The information compiled and utilized in the accountability
  989  program must incorporate, at a minimum:
  990         (a) Valid and reliable outcome measures for each of the
  991  goals specified in this subsection. The outcome data set must
  992  consist of a limited number of understandable measures using
  993  available data to quantify outcomes as children move through the
  994  system of care. Such measures may aggregate multiple variables
  995  that affect the overall achievement of the outcome goals. Valid
  996  and reliable measures must be based on adequate sample sizes, be
  997  gathered over suitable time periods, and reflect authentic
  998  rather than spurious results, and may not be susceptible to
  999  manipulation.
 1000         (b) Regular and periodic monitoring activities that track
 1001  the identified outcome measures on a statewide, regional, and
 1002  provider-specific basis. Monitoring reports must identify trends
 1003  and chart progress toward achievement of the goals specified in
 1004  this subsection. The accountability program may not rank or
 1005  compare performance among community-based care regions unless
 1006  adequate and specific adjustments are adopted which account for
 1007  the diversity in regions’ demographics, resources, and other
 1008  relevant characteristics. The requirements of the monitoring
 1009  program may be incorporated into the department’s quality
 1010  assurance and contract management programs program.
 1011         (c) An analytical framework that builds on the results of
 1012  the outcomes monitoring procedures and assesses the statistical
 1013  validity of observed associations between child welfare
 1014  interventions and the measured outcomes. The analysis must use
 1015  quantitative methods to adjust for variations in demographic or
 1016  other conditions. The analysis must include longitudinal studies
 1017  to evaluate longer term outcomes, such as continued safety,
 1018  family permanence, and transition to self-sufficiency. The
 1019  analysis may also include qualitative research methods to
 1020  provide insight into statistical patterns.
 1021         (d) A program of research review to identify interventions
 1022  that are supported by evidence as causally linked to improved
 1023  outcomes.
 1024         (e) An ongoing process of evaluation to determine the
 1025  efficacy and effectiveness of various interventions. Efficacy
 1026  evaluation is intended to determine the validity of a causal
 1027  relationship between an intervention and an outcome.
 1028  Effectiveness evaluation is intended to determine the extent to
 1029  which the results can be generalized.
 1030         (f) Procedures for making the results of the accountability
 1031  program transparent for all parties involved in the child
 1032  welfare system as well as policymakers and the public, which
 1033  shall be updated at least quarterly and published on the
 1034  department’s website in a manner that allows custom searches of
 1035  the performance data. The presentation of the data shall provide
 1036  a comprehensible, visual report card for the state and each
 1037  community-based care region, indicating the current status of
 1038  the outcomes relative to each goal and trends in that status
 1039  over time. The presentation shall identify and report outcome
 1040  measures that assess the performance of the department, the
 1041  community-based care lead agencies, and their subcontractors
 1042  working together to provide an integrated system of care.
 1043         (g) An annual performance report that is provided to
 1044  interested parties including the dependency judge or judges in
 1045  the community-based care service area. The report shall be
 1046  submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
 1047  Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 1 of each
 1048  year.
 1049         (3)The department shall establish a technical advisory
 1050  panel consisting of representatives from the Florida Institute
 1051  for Child Welfare established pursuant to s. 1004.615, lead
 1052  agencies, community-based care providers, other contract
 1053  providers, community alliances, and family representatives. The
 1054  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
 1055  Representatives shall each appoint a member to serve as a
 1056  legislative liaison to the panel. The technical advisory panel
 1057  shall advise the department on the implementation of the
 1058  results-oriented accountability program.
 1059         Section 9. Present subsections (6) and (7) of section
 1060  1004.615, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (9)
 1061  and (10), respectively, and new subsections (6) and (7) and
 1062  subsection (8) are added to that section, to read:
 1063         1004.615 Florida Institute for Child Welfare.—
 1064         (6)The institute and the Florida State University College
 1065  of Social Work shall design and implement a curriculum that
 1066  enhances knowledge and skills for the child welfare practice.
 1067  The institute and the college shall create the curriculum using
 1068  interactive and interdisciplinary approaches and include
 1069  opportunities for students to gain an understanding of real
 1070  world child welfare cases. The institute shall disseminate the
 1071  curriculum to other interested state universities and colleges
 1072  and provide implementation support. The institute shall contract
 1073  with a person or entity of its choosing, by November 1, 2020, to
 1074  evaluate the curriculum and make recommendations for
 1075  improvement. The college shall implement the curriculum during
 1076  the 2021-2022 school year. This subsection is subject to an
 1077  appropriation.
 1078         (7)The institute, in collaboration with the department,
 1079  community-based care lead agencies, providers of case management
 1080  services, and other child welfare stakeholders, shall design and
 1081  implement a career-long professional development curriculum for
 1082  child welfare professionals at all levels and from all
 1083  disciplines. The professional development curriculum must
 1084  enhance the performance of the current child welfare workforce,
 1085  address issues related to retention, complement the social work
 1086  curriculum, and be developed using social work principles. The
 1087  professional development curriculum shall provide career-long
 1088  coaching, training, certification, and mentorship. The institute
 1089  must provide the professional support on a continuous basis
 1090  through online and in-person services. The professional
 1091  development curriculum must be available by July 1, 2021. This
 1092  subsection is subject to an appropriation.
 1093         (8)The institute shall establish a consulting program for
 1094  child welfare organizations to enhance workforce culture,
 1095  supervision, and related management processes to improve
 1096  retention, effectiveness, and overall well-being of staff to
 1097  support improved child welfare outcomes. The institute shall
 1098  select child welfare organizations through a competitive
 1099  application process and provide ongoing analysis,
 1100  recommendations, and support from a team of experts on a long
 1101  term basis to address systemic and operational workforce
 1102  challenges. This subsection is subject to an appropriation.
 1103         Section 10. The Department of Children and Families, in
 1104  collaboration with the Florida Institute of Child Welfare, shall
 1105  develop an expanded career ladder for child protective
 1106  investigations staff. The career ladder shall include multiple
 1107  levels of child protective investigator classifications,
 1108  corresponding milestones and professional development
 1109  opportunities necessary for advancement, and compensation
 1110  ranges. The department must submit a proposal for the expanded
 1111  career ladder to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
 1112  the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
 1113  November 1, 2020.
 1114         Section 11. Sections 1, 3, and 6 this act may be cited as
 1115  the “State of Hope Act.”
 1116         Section 12. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.
 1117  
 1118  ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
 1119  And the title is amended as follows:
 1120         Delete everything before the enacting clause
 1121  and insert:
 1122                        A bill to be entitled                      
 1123         An act relative to child welfare; amending s. 20.19,
 1124         F.S.; requiring the Department of Children and
 1125         Families to establish performance metrics; specifying
 1126         goals that must be established; revising and providing
 1127         duties of community alliances; revising membership of
 1128         community alliances; amending s. 39.3065, F.S.;
 1129         requiring sheriffs providing certain services to adopt
 1130         the child welfare practice model; requiring sheriffs
 1131         providing certain services to monitor program
 1132         performance and meet, at least quarterly, to
 1133         collaborate on specified quality assurance and
 1134         initiatives; requiring the department to conduct an
 1135         annual evaluation of the sheriffs’ program performance
 1136         based on certain criteria; requiring the department to
 1137         submit an annual report on certain information by a
 1138         specified date; providing report requirements;
 1139         amending s. 402.402, F.S.; requiring the department to
 1140         implement certain policies and programs; requiring the
 1141         annual report to include information on professional
 1142         advancement of child protective investigators and
 1143         supervisors; requiring attorneys contracting with the
 1144         department to receive certain training within a
 1145         specified time; creating s. 402.715, F.S.; requiring
 1146         the department to establish an Office of Quality;
 1147         providing duties of the office; amending s. 402.7305,
 1148         F.S.; removing limitations on monitoring of child
 1149         caring or child-placing services providers; amending
 1150         409.988, F.S.; revising the duties of a lead agency;
 1151         amending s. 409.996, F.S.; adding responsibilities to
 1152         the department of contracts regarding care for
 1153         children in the child welfare system; specifying
 1154         additional requirements for contracts; authorizing the
 1155         department to provide technical assistance to lead
 1156         agencies; authorizing the department to contract for
 1157         the provision of children’s legal services; requiring
 1158         the contracted attorneys to adopt the child welfare
 1159         practice model and operating in the same manner as
 1160         attorneys employed by the department; requiring the
 1161         department and the contracted attorneys to monitor
 1162         program performance; requiring the department to
 1163         conduct an annual evaluation based on certain
 1164         criteria; requiring the department to submit an annual
 1165         report to the Governor and Legislature by a specified
 1166         date; revising requirements regarding the quality
 1167         assurance program for contracted services to dependent
 1168         children; deleting obsolete language; requiring the
 1169         department to develop a statewide accountability
 1170         system requiring that such system be implemented by a
 1171         specified date; providing requirements for such
 1172         accountability system; requiring the department and
 1173         lead agencies to promote enhanced quality service
 1174         delivery; requiring the department to submit a report
 1175         to the Governor and the Legislature annually by a
 1176         specified date; authorizing the department to adopt
 1177         rules; requiring the department to implement pilot
 1178         projects to improve child welfare outcomes in
 1179         specified judicial circuits; requiring the department
 1180         to establish performance metrics and standards to
 1181         implement the pilot projects; requiring lead agencies
 1182         in specified judicial circuits to provide certain data
 1183         to the department each quarter; requiring the
 1184         department to review such data; authorizing the
 1185         department to advance incentive funding to certain
 1186         lead agencies that meet specified requirements;
 1187         requiring the department to include certain results in
 1188         a specified report; providing for future expiration;
 1189         deleting a provision requiring the department to
 1190         convene a certain workgroup; amending s. 409.997,
 1191         F.S.; specifying types of data that may be used by the
 1192         department in an accountability program; adding
 1193         contract compliance as a use of the data; allowing the
 1194         requirements of monitoring program to be incorporated
 1195         into contract management program of the department;
 1196         amending s. 1004.615, F.S.; requiring the Florida
 1197         Institute for Child Welfare and the Florida State
 1198         University College of Social Work to design and
 1199         implement a specified curriculum; providing
 1200         requirements of the institute regarding the
 1201         curriculum; requiring the institute to contract for
 1202         certain evaluations; requiring certain entities to
 1203         design and implement a career-long professional
 1204         development curriculum for child welfare
 1205         professionals; requiring the institute to establish a
 1206         consulting program for child welfare organizations;
 1207         requiring the department to develop a career ladder
 1208         for child protective investigations professionals and
 1209         submit a proposal to the Legislature by a specified
 1210         date; providing a short title; providing an effective
 1211         date.