The Florida Senate

415.509  Responsibilities of public agencies with respect to prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and child neglect; educational and training programs.--

(1)

(a)  The department shall:

1.  Have prime responsibility for strengthening and improving child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment efforts.

2.  Seek and encourage the development of improved or additional programs and activities, the assumption of prevention and treatment responsibilities by additional agencies and organizations, and the coordination of existing programs and activities.

3.  To the fullest extent possible, cooperate with and seek cooperation of all appropriate public and private agencies, including health, education, social services, and law enforcement agencies, and courts, organizations, or programs providing or concerned with human services related to the prevention, identification, or treatment of child abuse or neglect.

4.  Provide ongoing protective, treatment, and ameliorative services to, and on behalf of, children in need of protection to safeguard and ensure their well-being and, whenever possible, to preserve and stabilize family life.

(b)  All state, county, and local agencies have a duty to give such cooperation, assistance, and information to the department as will enable it to fulfill its responsibilities under ss. 415.502-415.514.

(2)  The department shall, within available appropriations, conduct a continuing publicity and education program for district staff and officials required to report and any other appropriate persons to encourage the fullest degree of reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect. The program shall include, but not be limited to, information concerning the responsibilities, obligations, and powers provided under ss. 415.502-415.514; the methods for diagnosis of child abuse or neglect; and the procedures of the child protective service program, the circuit court, and other duly authorized agencies. In developing training programs for district staff, the department shall place emphasis on preservice and inservice training for protective investigation, protective supervision, and foster care staff which would include skills in diagnosis and treatment of child abuse and neglect and procedures of the child protective system and judicial process.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 63-24; s. 941, ch. 71-136; ss. 1, 1A, ch. 71-97; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-101; s. 1, ch. 75-185; s. 4, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 3, ch. 77-429; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-322; s. 3, ch. 78-326; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 181, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 79-203; s. 488, ch. 81-259; s. 25, ch. 88-337.

Note.--Former ss. 828.041, 827.07(11), (12).