The Florida Senate

394.493  Target populations for child and adolescent mental health services funded through the department.--

(1)  The child and adolescent mental health system of care funded through the Department of Children and Family Services shall serve, to the extent that resources are available, the following groups of children and adolescents who reside with their parents or legal guardians or who are placed in state custody:

(a)  Children and adolescents who are experiencing an acute mental or emotional crisis.

(b)  Children and adolescents who have a serious emotional disturbance or mental illness.

(c)  Children and adolescents who have an emotional disturbance.

(d)  Children and adolescents who are at risk of emotional disturbance.

(2)  Each mental health provider under contract with the department to provide mental health services to the target population shall collect fees from the parent or legal guardian of the child or adolescent receiving services. The fees shall be based on a sliding fee scale for families whose net family income is at or above 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. The department shall adopt, by rule, a sliding fee scale for statewide implementation. Fees collected from families shall be retained in the service district and used for expanding child and adolescent mental health treatment services.

(3)  Each child or adolescent who meets the target population criteria of this section shall be served to the extent possible within available resources and consistent with the portion of the district substance abuse and mental health plan specified in s. 394.75 which pertains to child and adolescent mental health services.

History.--s. 4, ch. 98-5; s. 3, ch. 2000-349.