The Florida Senate

400.805  Transitional living facilities.--

(1)  As used in this section, the term:

(a)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care Administration.

(b)  "Department" means the Department of Health.

(c)  "Transitional living facility" means a site where specialized health care services are provided, including, but not limited to, rehabilitative services, community reentry training, aids for independent living, and counseling to spinal-cord-injured persons and head-injured persons. This term does not include a hospital licensed under chapter 395 or any federally operated hospital or facility.

(2)(a)  A person must obtain a license from the agency to operate a transitional living facility. A license issued under this section is valid for 1 year.

(b)  The application for a license must be made on a form provided by the agency. A nonrefundable license fee of $2,000 and a fee of up to $39.25 per bed must be submitted with the license application.

(c)  The agency may not issue a license to an applicant until the agency receives notice from the department as provided in paragraph (6)(b).

(3)  Each applicant for licensure must comply with the following requirements:

(a)  Upon receipt of a completed, signed, and dated application, the agency shall require background screening, in accordance with the level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435, of the managing employee, or other similarly titled individual who is responsible for the daily operation of the facility, and of the financial officer, or other similarly titled individual who is responsible for the financial operation of the facility, including billings for client care and services. The applicant must comply with the procedures for level 2 background screening as set forth in chapter 435.

(b)  The agency may require background screening of any other individual who is an applicant if the agency has probable cause to believe that he or she has been convicted of a crime or has committed any other offense prohibited under the level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435.

(c)  Proof of compliance with the level 2 background screening requirements of chapter 435 which has been submitted within the previous 5 years in compliance with any other health care or assisted living licensure requirements of this state is acceptable in fulfillment of the requirements of paragraph (a).

(d)  A provisional license may be granted to an applicant when each individual required by this section to undergo background screening has met the standards for the Department of Law Enforcement background check, but the agency has not yet received background screening results from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or a request for a disqualification exemption has been submitted to the agency as set forth in chapter 435, but a response has not yet been issued. A standard license may be granted to the applicant upon the agency's receipt of a report of the results of the Federal Bureau of Investigation background screening for each individual required by this section to undergo background screening which confirms that all standards have been met, or upon the granting of a disqualification exemption by the agency as set forth in chapter 435. Any other person who is required to undergo level 2 background screening may serve in his or her capacity pending the agency's receipt of the report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, the person may not continue to serve if the report indicates any violation of background screening standards and a disqualification exemption has not been requested of and granted by the agency as set forth in chapter 435.

(e)  Each applicant must submit to the agency, with its application, a description and explanation of any exclusions, permanent suspensions, or terminations of the applicant from the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Proof of compliance with the requirements for disclosure of ownership and control interests under the Medicaid or Medicare programs may be accepted in lieu of this submission.

(f)  Each applicant must submit to the agency a description and explanation of any conviction of an offense prohibited under the level 2 standards of chapter 435 by a member of the board of directors of the applicant, its officers, or any individual owning 5 percent or more of the applicant. This requirement does not apply to a director of a not-for-profit corporation or organization if the director serves solely in a voluntary capacity for the corporation or organization, does not regularly take part in the day-to-day operational decisions of the corporation or organization, receives no remuneration for his or her services on the corporation or organization's board of directors, and has no financial interest and has no family members with a financial interest in the corporation or organization, provided that the director and the not-for-profit corporation or organization include in the application a statement affirming that the director's relationship to the corporation satisfies the requirements of this paragraph.

(g)  A license may not be granted to an applicant if the applicant or managing employee has been found guilty of, regardless of adjudication, or has entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, any offense prohibited under the level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435, unless an exemption from disqualification has been granted by the agency as set forth in chapter 435.

(h)  The agency may deny or revoke licensure if the applicant:

1.  Has falsely represented a material fact in the application required by paragraph (e) or paragraph (f), or has omitted any material fact from the application required by paragraph (e) or paragraph (f); or

2.  Has had prior action taken against the applicant under the Medicaid or Medicare program as set forth in paragraph (e).

(i)  An application for license renewal must contain the information required under paragraphs (e) and (f).

(4)  An application for renewal of license must be submitted 90 days before the expiration of the license. Upon renewal of licensure, each applicant must submit to the agency, under penalty of perjury, an affidavit as set forth in paragraph (3)(d).

(5)  A change of ownership or control of a transitional living facility must be reported to the agency in writing at least 60 days before the change is scheduled to take effect.

(6)(a)  The agency shall adopt rules in consultation with the department governing the physical plant of transitional living facilities and the fiscal management of transitional living facilities.

(b)  The department shall adopt rules in consultation with the agency governing the services provided to clients of transitional living facilities. The department shall enforce all requirements for providing services to the facility's clients. The department must notify the agency when it determines that an applicant for licensure meets the service requirements adopted by the department.

(c)  The agency and the department shall enforce requirements under this section, as such requirements relate to them respectively, and their respective adopted rules.

(7)(a)  It is unlawful for any person to establish, conduct, manage, or operate a transitional living facility without obtaining a license from the agency.

(b)  It is unlawful for any person to offer or advertise to the public, in any medium whatever, services or care defined in paragraph (1)(c) without obtaining a license from the agency.

(c)  It is unlawful for a holder of a license issued under this section to advertise or represent to the public that it holds a license for a type of facility other than the facility for which its license is issued.

(8)  Any designated officer or employee of the agency, of the state, or of the local fire marshal may enter unannounced upon and into the premises of any facility licensed under this section in order to determine the state of compliance with this section and the rules or standards in force under this section. The right of entry and inspection also extends to any premises that the agency has reason to believe are being operated or maintained as a facility without a license; but such an entry or inspection may not be made without the permission of the owner or person in charge of the facility unless a warrant that authorizes the entry is first obtained from the circuit court. The warrant requirement extends only to a facility that the agency has reason to believe is being operated or maintained as a facility without a license. An application for a license or renewal thereof which is made under this section constitutes permission for, and acquiescence in, any entry or inspection of the premises for which the license is sought, in order to facilitate verification of the information submitted on or in connection with the application; to discover, investigate, and determine the existence of abuse or neglect; or to elicit, receive, respond to, and resolve complaints. A current valid license constitutes unconditional permission for, and acquiescence in, any entry or inspection of the premises by authorized personnel. The agency retains the right of entry and inspection of facilities that have had a license revoked or suspended within the previous 24 months, to ensure that the facility is not operating unlawfully. However, before the facility is entered, a statement of probable cause must be filed with the director of the agency, who must approve or disapprove the action within 48 hours. Probable cause includes, but is not limited to, evidence that the facility holds itself out to the public as a provider of personal assistance services, or the receipt by the advisory council on brain and spinal cord injuries of a complaint about the facility.

(9)  The agency may institute injunctive proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction for temporary or permanent relief to:

(a)  Enforce this section or any minimum standard, rule, or order issued pursuant thereto if the agency's effort to correct a violation through administrative fines has failed or when the violation materially affects the health, safety, or welfare of residents; or

(b)  Terminate the operation of a facility if a violation of this section or of any standard or rule adopted pursuant thereto exists which materially affects the health, safety, or welfare of residents.

The Legislature recognizes that, in some instances, action is necessary to protect residents of facilities from immediately life-threatening situations. If it appears by competent evidence or a sworn, substantiated affidavit that a temporary injunction should issue, the court, pending the determination on final hearing, shall enjoin operation of the facility.

(10)  The agency may impose an immediate moratorium on admissions to a facility when the agency determines that any condition in the facility presents a threat to the health, safety, or welfare of the residents in the facility. If a facility's license is denied, revoked, or suspended, the facility may be subject to the immediate imposition of a moratorium on admissions to run concurrently with licensure denial, revocation, or suspension.

(11)(a)  A violation of any provision of this section or rules adopted by the agency or department under this section is punishable by payment of an administrative or a civil penalty fine not to exceed $5,000.

(b)  A violation of subsection (7) or rules adopted under that subsection is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense.

History.--s. 36, ch. 93-217; s. 1, ch. 98-12; ss. 60, 71, ch. 98-171; s. 16, ch. 99-240; s. 22, ch. 2000-153; s. 86, ch. 2000-349; s. 25, ch. 2001-53; s. 2, ch. 2001-67; s. 148, ch. 2001-277.