Florida Senate - 2023 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1064
Ì386154/Î386154
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/26/2023 .
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The Committee on Fiscal Policy (Yarborough) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 39.523,
6 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
7 39.523 Placement in out-of-home care.—
8 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
9 (a) The Legislature finds that it is a basic tenet of child
10 welfare practice and the law that a child be placed in the least
11 restrictive, most family-like setting available in close
12 proximity to the home of his or her parents which meets the
13 needs of the child, and that a child be placed in a permanent
14 home in a timely manner.
15 (b) The Legislature also finds that there is an association
16 between placements that do not meet the needs of the child and
17 adverse outcomes for the child, that mismatching placements to
18 children’s needs has been identified as a factor that negatively
19 impacts placement stability, and that identifying the right
20 placement for each child requires effective assessment.
21 (c) The Legislature also finds that the timely
22 identification of and therapeutic response to acute presentation
23 of symptoms indicative of trauma can reduce adverse outcomes for
24 a child, aid in the identification of services to enhance
25 initial placement stability and of supports to caregivers, and
26 reduce placement disruption.
27 (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that whenever a
28 child is unable to safely remain at home with a parent, the most
29 appropriate available out-of-home placement shall be chosen
30 after an assessment of the child’s needs and the availability of
31 caregivers qualified to meet the child’s needs.
32 (2) ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT.—When any child is removed
33 from a home and placed in out-of-home care, a comprehensive
34 placement assessment process shall be completed in accordance
35 with s. 39.4022 to determine the level of care needed by the
36 child and match the child with the most appropriate placement.
37 (a) In accordance with rules adopted by the department, the
38 department or community-based care lead agency or subcontracted
39 agency with the responsibility for assessment and placement
40 must:
41 1. Coordinate a multidisciplinary team staffing as
42 established in s. 39.4022 with the necessary participants for
43 the stated purpose of the staffing.
44 2. Conduct a trauma screening as soon as practicable after
45 the child’s removal but no later than 21 days after the shelter
46 hearing. If indicated as appropriate or necessary by the
47 screening, the department or community-based care lead agency
48 must, at a minimum:
49 a. Promptly refer the child to appropriate trauma
50 assessment, which must be completed within 30 days, and if
51 appropriate, services and intervention as needed. To the extent
52 possible, the trauma screening, assessment, and services and
53 intervention shall be integrated into the child's overall
54 behavioral health treatment planning and services.
55 b. In accordance with s. 409.1415(2)(b)3.f., provide
56 information and support, which may include but need not be
57 limited to, consultation, coaching, training, and referrals to
58 services, to the caregiver of the child to help the caregiver
59 respond to and care for the child in a trauma-informed and
60 therapeutic manner.
61 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
62 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
63 And the title is amended as follows:
64 Delete everything before the enacting clause
65 and insert:
66 A bill to be entitled
67 An act relating to trauma screening for children
68 removed from caregivers; amending s. 39.523, F.S.;
69 providing legislative findings and intent related to
70 trauma identification; requiring a trauma screening
71 within a certain time period; requiring a full trauma
72 assessment if indicated within a certain time period;
73 requiring services and intervention, as needed;
74 requiring any evaluation or intervention be integrated
75 into the child's overall treatment planning; requiring
76 certain information and support to help the caregiver
77 care for the child in a trauma-informed manner;
78 providing an effective date.