The Florida Senate

414.158  Diversion program to prevent or reduce child abuse and neglect.--

(1)  The diversion program to prevent or reduce child abuse and neglect is intended to provide services and one-time payments to assist families in avoiding welfare dependency and to strengthen families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives and so that families can be self-sufficient.

(2)  Before finding a family eligible for the diversion program created under this section, a determination must be made that:

(a)  The family includes a pregnant woman or a parent with one or more minor children or a caretaker relative with one or more minor children.

(b)  The family meets the criteria of a voluntary assessment performed by Healthy Families Florida; the family meets the criteria established by the department for determining that one or more children in the family are at risk of abuse, neglect, or threatened harm; or the family is homeless or living in a facility that provides shelter to homeless families.

(c)  The services or one-time payment provided are not considered assistance under federal law or guidelines.

(3)  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in s. 414.075, s. 414.085, or s. 414.095, a family meeting the requirements of subsection (2) shall be considered a needy family and shall be deemed eligible under this section.

(4)  The department, in consultation with Healthy Families Florida, may establish additional requirements related to services or one-time payments, and the department is authorized to adopt rules relating to maximum amounts of such one-time payments.

(5)  Receipt of services or a one-time payment under this section shall not preclude eligibility for, or receipt of, other assistance or services under this chapter.

History.--s. 18, ch. 99-241; s. 43, ch. 2000-165.