Senate Bill 0334c1

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 334

    By the Committee on Criminal Justice





    307-1069-98

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to juvenile justice programs;

  3         amending s. 985.401, F.S.; requiring the

  4         Juvenile Justice Advisory Board to develop a

  5         standard methodology for interpreting

  6         outcome-evaluation reports; specifying

  7         information to be included; requiring the board

  8         to consult with other agencies, providers, and

  9         interested parties; requiring the board to

10         report to the Legislature; amending s. 985.404,

11         F.S.; requiring the Department of Juvenile

12         Justice and other agencies to develop a

13         cost-effectiveness model for each commitment

14         program; requiring the department to rank

15         programs and report to the Legislature;

16         authorizing the department to terminate a

17         program that fails to achieve a minimum

18         threshold of effectiveness; requiring that the

19         cost-effectiveness model be consistent with

20         certain requirements for performance-based

21         budgeting; requiring the department to conduct

22         certain evaluations of commitment programs and

23         identify the factors that contribute to various

24         program ratings; providing appropriations;

25         providing an effective date.

26

27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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29         Section 1.  Present subsection (4) of section 985.401,

30  Florida Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (5) and amended,

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  1  a new subsection (4) is added to that section, and present

  2  subsection (5) is renumbered as subsection (6), to read:

  3         985.401  Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.--

  4         (4)(a)  The board shall establish and operate a

  5  comprehensive system to annually measure and report program

  6  outcomes and effectiveness for each program operated by the

  7  Department of Juvenile Justice or operated by a provider under

  8  contract with the department. The system shall include a

  9  standard methodology for interpreting the board's

10  outcome-evaluation reports, using, where appropriate, the

11  performance-based program budgeting measures approved by the

12  Legislature. The methodology must include:

13         1.  Common terminology and operational definitions for

14  measuring the performance of system administration, program

15  administration, program outputs, and client outcomes.

16         2.  Program outputs for each group of programs within

17  each level of the juvenile justice continuum and specific

18  program outputs for each program or program type.

19         3.  Specification of desired client outcomes and

20  methods by which to measure client outcomes for each program

21  operated by the department or by a provider under contract

22  with the department.

23         4.  Recommended annual minimum thresholds of

24  satisfactory performance for client outcomes and program

25  outputs.

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27  For the purposes of this section, the term "program" or

28  "program type" means an individual state-operated or

29  contracted facility, site, or service delivered to at-risk or

30  delinquent youth as prescribed in a contract, program

31  description, or program services manual; and the term "program

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 334
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  1  group" means a collection of programs or program types with

  2  sufficient similarity of function, services, and clientele to

  3  permit appropriate comparisons among programs within the

  4  program group.

  5         (b)  In developing the standard methodology, the board

  6  shall consult with the department, the Division of Economic

  7  and Demographic Research of the Joint Legislative Management

  8  Committee, contract service providers, and other interested

  9  parties. It is the intent of the Legislature that this effort

10  result in consensus recommendations, and, to the greatest

11  extent possible, integrate the goals and legislatively

12  approved measures of performance-based program budgeting

13  provided in chapter 94-249, Laws of Florida, the quality

14  assurance program provided in s. 985.412, and the

15  cost-effectiveness model provided in s. 985.404(11). The board

16  shall notify the Office of Program Policy Analysis and

17  Government Accountability of any meetings to develop the

18  methodology.

19         (c)  The board shall annually submit its Outcome

20  Evaluation Report to the Legislature by February 15, which

21  must describe:

22         1.  The methodology for interpreting outcome

23  evaluations, including common terminology and operational

24  definitions.

25         2.  The recommended minimum thresholds of satisfactory

26  performance for client outcomes and program outputs applicable

27  to the year for which the data are reported.

28         3.  The actual client outcomes and program outputs

29  achieved by each program operated by the department or by a

30  provider under contract with the department, compared with the

31  recommended minimum thresholds of satisfactory performance for

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 334
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  1  client outcomes and program outputs for the year under review.

  2  The report shall group programs or program types with

  3  similarity of function and services, and make appropriate

  4  comparisons between programs within the program group.

  5         (d)  The board shall use its evaluation research to

  6  make advisory recommendations to the Legislature, the

  7  Governor, and the department concerning the effectiveness and

  8  future funding priorities of juvenile justice programs.

  9         (e)  The board shall annually review and revise the

10  methodology as necessary to ensure the continuing improvement

11  and validity of the evaluation process.

12         (5)(4)  The board shall:

13         (a)  Review and recommend programmatic and fiscal

14  policies governing the operation of programs, services, and

15  facilities for which the Department of Juvenile Justice is

16  responsible.

17         (b)  Monitor the development and implementation of

18  long-range juvenile justice policies, including prevention,

19  early intervention, diversion, adjudication, and commitment.

20         (c)  Monitor all activities of the executive and

21  judicial branch and their effectiveness in implementing

22  policies pursuant to this chapter.

23         (d)  Establish and operate a comprehensive system to

24  annually measure and report program outcome and effectiveness

25  for each program operated by the Department of Juvenile

26  Justice or operated by a provider under contract with the

27  department. The board shall use its evaluation research to

28  make advisory recommendations to the Legislature, the

29  Governor, and the department concerning the effectiveness and

30  future funding priorities of juvenile justice programs.

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  1         (d)(e)  Advise the President of the Senate, the Speaker

  2  of the House of Representatives, the Governor, and the

  3  department on matters relating to this chapter.

  4         (e)(f)  Serve as a clearinghouse to provide information

  5  and assistance to the district juvenile justice boards and

  6  county juvenile justice councils.

  7         (f)(g)  Hold public hearings and inform the public of

  8  activities of the board and of the Department of Juvenile

  9  Justice, as appropriate.

10         (g)(h)  Monitor the delivery and use of services,

11  programs, or facilities operated, funded, regulated, or

12  licensed by the Department of Juvenile Justice for juvenile

13  offenders or alleged juvenile offenders, and for prevention,

14  diversion, or early intervention of delinquency, and to

15  develop programs to educate the citizenry about such services,

16  programs, and facilities and about the need and procedure for

17  siting new facilities.

18         (h)(i)  Contract for consultants as necessary and

19  appropriate. The board may apply for and receive grants for

20  the purposes of conducting research and evaluation activities.

21         (i)(j)  Conduct such other activities as the board may

22  determine are necessary and appropriate to monitor the

23  effectiveness of the delivery of juvenile justice programs and

24  services under this chapter.

25         (j)(k)  The board shall submit an annual report to the

26  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

27  Representatives, the Governor, and the secretary of the

28  department not later than February 15 of each calendar year,

29  summarizing the activities and reports of the board for the

30  preceding year, and any recommendations of the board for the

31  following year.

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 334
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  1         (6)(5)  Each state agency shall provide assistance when

  2  requested by the board.  The board shall have access to all

  3  records, files, and reports that are material to its duties

  4  and that are in the custody of a school board, a law

  5  enforcement agency, a state attorney, a public defender, the

  6  court, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the

  7  department.

  8         Section 2.  Subsection (11) of section 985.404, Florida

  9  Statutes, is amended to read:

10         985.404  Administering the juvenile justice

11  continuum.--

12         (11)(a)  The Department of Juvenile Justice, in

13  consultation with the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, the

14  Economic and Demographic Research Division of the Joint

15  Legislative Management Committee, and contract service

16  providers, shall develop a cost-effectiveness cost-benefit

17  model and apply the model to each commitment program. Program

18  recommitment rates shall be a component of the model.  The

19  cost-effectiveness cost-benefit model shall compare program

20  costs to client outcomes and program outputs benefits.  A

21  report ranking commitment programs based on cost-benefit shall

22  be submitted to the appropriate substantive and appropriations

23  committees of each house of the Legislature, no later than

24  December 31 of each year.  It is the intent of the Legislature

25  that continual development efforts take place to improve the

26  validity and reliability of the cost-effectiveness

27  cost-benefit model and to integrate the standard methodology

28  developed under s. 985.401(4) for interpreting program outcome

29  evaluations.

30         (b)  The department shall rank commitment programs

31  based on the cost-effectiveness model and shall submit a

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 334
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  1  report to the appropriate substantive and fiscal committees of

  2  each house of the Legislature by December 31 of each year.

  3         (c)  Based on reports of the Juvenile Justice Advisory

  4  Board on client outcomes and program outputs and on the

  5  department's most recent cost-effectiveness rankings, the

  6  department may terminate a program operated by the department

  7  or a provider if the program has failed to achieve a minimum

  8  threshold of program effectiveness. This paragraph does not

  9  preclude the department from terminating a contract as

10  provided under s. 985.412 or as otherwise provided by law or

11  contract, and does not limit the department's authority to

12  enter into or terminate a contract.

13         (d)  In collaboration with the Juvenile Justice

14  Advisory Board, the Division of Economic and Demographic

15  Research of the Joint Legislative Management Committee, and

16  contract service providers, the department shall develop a

17  work plan to refine the cost-effectiveness model so that the

18  model is consistent with the performance-based program

19  budgeting measures approved by the Legislature to the extent

20  the department deems appropriate. The department shall notify

21  the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government

22  Accountability of any meetings to refine the model.

23         (e)  Contingent upon specific appropriation, the

24  department, in consultation with the Juvenile Justice Advisory

25  Board, the Division of Economic and Demographic Research of

26  the Joint Legislative Management Committee, and contract

27  service providers, shall:

28         1.  Construct a profile of each commitment program

29  which uses the results of the quality assurance report

30  required by s. 985.412, the outcome-evaluation report compiled

31  by the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board under s. 985.401, the

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  1  cost-effectiveness report required in this subsection, and

  2  other reports available to the department.

  3         2.  Target, for a more comprehensive evaluation, any

  4  commitment program that has achieved consistently high, low,

  5  or disparate ratings in the reports required under

  6  subparagraph 1.

  7         3.  Identify the essential factors that contribute to

  8  the high, low, or disparate program ratings.

  9         4.  Use the results of these evaluations in developing

10  or refining juvenile justice programs or program models,

11  client outcomes and program outputs, provider contracts,

12  quality assurance standards, and the cost-effectiveness model.

13         Section 3.  The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from

14  the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Juvenile Justice

15  for the purpose of funding a study by nondepartmental experts

16  in the area of using economic models to evaluate juvenile

17  justice commitment programs.

18         Section 4.  The sum of $355,128 is appropriated from

19  recurring funds in the General Revenue Fund to the Department

20  of Juvenile Justice for the purpose of funding the ongoing

21  evaluation of commitment programs as defined in section

22  985.404(11)(e), Florida Statutes. The Department of Juvenile

23  Justice shall design and implement a process to document the

24  factors that contribute to high or low program effectiveness.

25  This process shall include, but need not be limited to,

26  on-site reviews of records and interviews with staff, youth

27  served, and others as required by the circumstances and intent

28  of the program. Analyses and findings must address, at a

29  minimum, program operations, implementation of policy, and the

30  management of finances, contracts, personnel, facilities,

31  equipment, and any other resources used in the delivery of the

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  1  programs' services. The department shall use the results of

  2  this process to implement program improvements and terminate

  3  ineffective programs.

  4         Section 5.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

  5

  6          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  7                         Senate Bill 334

  8

  9  1.   Provides that the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board will
         submit the Outcome Evaluation Report containing the newly
10       required standard methodology on an annual basis by
         February 15.
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    2.   Deletes the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
12       Government Accountability as a consultant and requires
         notification instead.
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    3.   Adds a definition of "program".
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    4.   Describes in greater detail the newly required process
15       evaluation.

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