The Florida Senate

394.908  Substance abuse and mental health funding equity; distribution of appropriations.--In recognition of the historical inequity among service districts of the former Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services in the funding of substance abuse and mental health services, and in order to rectify this inequity and provide for equitable funding in the future throughout the state, the following funding process shall be adhered to:

(1)  Funding thresholds for substance abuse and mental health services in each of the current districts, statewide, shall be established based on the current number of persons in need per district of substance abuse and mental health services, respectively.

(2)  "Persons in need" means those persons who fit the profile of the respective target populations and require mental health or substance abuse services.

(3)  Seventy-five percent of any additional funding beyond the 1996-1997 fiscal year base appropriation for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services shall be allocated to districts for substance abuse and mental health services based on:

(a)  Epidemiological estimates of disabilities which apply to the respective target populations.

(b)  A pro rata share distribution that ensures districts below the statewide average funding level per person in each target population of "persons in need" receive funding necessary to achieve equity.

(4)  The remaining 25 percent shall be allocated based on the number of persons in need of substance abuse and mental health services per district without regard to current funding levels.

(5)  Target populations for persons in need shall be displayed for each district and distributed concurrently with the approved operating budget. The display by target population shall show: The annual number of persons served based on prior year actual numbers, the annual cost per person served, the number of persons served by service cost center, and the estimated number of the total target population for persons in need.

(6)  The annual cost per person served shall be defined as the total actual funding for each target population divided by the number of persons served in the target population for that year.

(7)  Commencing on July 1, 1998, all additional funding pursuant to this section shall be performance-based.

¹(8)  For fiscal year 2004-2005 only, and notwithstanding the provisions of this section, all new funds received in excess of fiscal year 2003-2004 recurring appropriations shall be allocated in accordance with the provisions of the General Appropriations Act; however, no district shall receive an allocation of recurring funds less than its initial approved operating budget, plus any distributions of lump sum appropriations or reductions in unfunded budget, for fiscal year 2003-2004. This subsection expires July 1, 2005.

History.--s. 1, ch. 97-195; s. 16, ch. 2000-349; ss. 16, 53, ch. 2001-254; s. 3, ch. 2002-397; s. 28, ch. 2003-399; s. 8, ch. 2004-269.

¹Note.--

A.  Section 8, ch. 2004-269, amended subsection (8) "[i]n order to implement Specific Appropriations 382-388 of the 2004-2005 General Appropriations Act." Some proviso language relating to this appropriation was vetoed. See ch. 2004-268, the 2004-2005 General Appropriations Act.

B.  Section 75, ch. 2004-269, provides that "[a] section of this act that implements a specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso language in the 2004-2005 General Appropriations Act is void if the specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso language is vetoed. A section of this act that implements more than one specific appropriation or more than one portion of specifically identified proviso language in the 2004-2005 General Appropriations Act is void if all the specific appropriations or portions of specifically identified proviso language are vetoed." Not all portions of specifically identified proviso language relating to the amendment of s. 394.908(8) were vetoed.