The Florida Senate

394.656  Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program.--

(1)  There is created within the Department of Children and Family Services the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to provide funding to counties with which they can plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety, avert increased spending on criminal justice, and improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders and who are in, or at risk of entering, the criminal or juvenile justice systems.

(2)  The Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation, Inc., created in s. 394.655, shall establish a statewide grant review committee. The committee shall include:

(a)  Five current members or appointees of the corporation;

(b)  One representative of the Department of Children and Family Services;

(c)  One representative of the Department of Corrections;

(d)  One representative of the Department of Juvenile Justice;

(e)  One representative of the Department of Elderly Affairs; and

(f)  One representative of the Office of the State Courts Administrator.

To the extent possible, the members of the committee shall have expertise in grant writing, grant reviewing, and grant application scoring.

(3)(a)  A county may apply for a 1-year planning grant or a 3-year implementation or expansion grant. The purpose of the grants is to demonstrate that investment in treatment efforts related to mental illness, substance abuse disorders, or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders results in a reduced demand on the resources of the judicial, corrections, juvenile detention, and health and social services systems.

(b)  To be eligible to receive a 1-year planning grant or a 3-year implementation or expansion grant, a county applicant must have a county planning council or committee that is in compliance with the membership requirements set forth in this section.

(4)  The grant review committee shall notify the Department of Children and Family Services in writing of the names of the applicants who have been selected by the committee to receive a grant. Contingent upon the availability of funds and upon notification by the review committee of those applicants approved to receive planning, implementation, or expansion grants, the Department of Children and Family Services may transfer funds appropriated for the grant program to any county awarded a grant.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2007-200.