House Bill 1525

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1525

        By Representatives Bronson, Futch, Posey, Peaden, Casey,
    Eggelletion and Dennis





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to social services funding;

  3         amending s. 394.908, F.S., relating to alcohol,

  4         drug abuse, and mental health funding equity;

  5         providing that any service district of the

  6         Department of Children and Family Services that

  7         receives less than the statewide average

  8         funding level per person on an annual basis

  9         shall not have funds deducted during any

10         reduction in the level of recurring

11         appropriations until such district's funding

12         level is equal to the statewide average funding

13         level; amending s. 409.915, F.S., relating to

14         county contributions to Medicaid; providing for

15         credits against funds owed for certain items of

16         care and service, based on the recurring

17         funding per person of such service districts

18         for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health

19         services; providing an effective date.

20

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

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23         Section 1.  Section 394.908, Florida Statutes, is

24  amended to read:

25         394.908  Alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health funding

26  equity; distribution of appropriations; distribution of

27  appropriation reductions.--In recognition of the historical

28  inequity among service districts of the former Department of

29  Health and Rehabilitative Services in the funding of alcohol,

30  drug abuse, and mental health services, and in order to

31  rectify this inequity and provide for equitable funding in the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1525

    166-182A-99






  1  future throughout the state, the following funding process

  2  shall be adhered to, beginning with the 1997-1998 fiscal year:

  3         (1)  Funding thresholds for alcohol, drug abuse, and

  4  mental health services in each of the current districts,

  5  statewide, shall be established based on the current number of

  6  persons in need per district for alcohol and drug abuse, and

  7  for mental health services, respectively.

  8         (2)  "Persons in need" means those persons who fit the

  9  profile of the respective target populations and require

10  mental health or substance abuse services.

11         (3)  Beginning July 1, 1997, 75 percent of any

12  additional funding beyond the 1996-1997 fiscal year base

13  appropriation for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health

14  services shall be allocated to districts based on:

15         (a)  Epidemiological estimates of disabilities which

16  apply to the respective target populations.

17         (b)  A pro rata share distribution that ensures

18  districts below the statewide average funding level per person

19  in each target population of "persons in need" receive funding

20  necessary to achieve equity.

21         (4)  The remaining 25 percent shall be allocated based

22  on the number of persons in need of alcohol, drug abuse, and

23  mental health services per district without regard to current

24  funding levels.

25         (5)  If a reduction to the level of recurring

26  appropriations under this section is made, it shall first be

27  distributed among districts with a funding level per person in

28  excess of the statewide average funding level per person until

29  such district's funding level per person is equal to the

30  current statewide average funding level per person.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1525

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  1  Thereafter, any remaining reduction shall be distributed on a

  2  per person basis among all districts.

  3         (6)(5)  Target populations for persons in need shall be

  4  displayed for each district and distributed concurrently with

  5  the approved operating budget. The display by target

  6  population shall show:  The annual number of persons served

  7  based on prior year actual numbers, the annual cost per person

  8  served, the number of persons served by service cost center,

  9  and the estimated number of the total target population for

10  persons in need.

11         (7)(6)  The annual cost per person served shall be

12  defined as the total actual funding for each target population

13  divided by the number of persons served in the target

14  population for that year.

15         (8)(7)  Commencing on July 1, 1998, all additional

16  funding pursuant to this section shall be performance-based.

17         Section 2.  Subsection (7) is added to section 409.915,

18  Florida Statutes, to read:

19         409.915  County contributions to Medicaid.--Although

20  the state is responsible for the full portion of the state

21  share of the matching funds required for the Medicaid program,

22  in order to acquire a certain portion of these funds, the

23  state shall charge the counties for certain items of care and

24  service as provided in this section.

25         (7)  Each county located in a service district of the

26  Department of Children and Family Services as set forth in s.

27  20.19(7) shall be eligible for credit against moneys owed

28  under this section for its share of the difference that the

29  district's recurring funding level per person is below the

30  statewide average recurring funding level per person for

31  appropriations for services described in s. 394.675 and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1525

    166-182A-99






  1  provided through the state plan established under s. 394.79.

  2  However, such credit shall not exceed $3 per person. The

  3  Department of Children and Family Services shall be

  4  responsible for calculating such credits, using the recurring

  5  appropriation level for the last completed fiscal year and the

  6  latest official estimate of county population as certified by

  7  the Demographic Estimating Conference. Credits shall be

  8  certified by the Department of Children and Family Services

  9  and provided to the counties by December 31 each year.

10         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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13                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      With respect to funding for community alcohol, drug
15    abuse, and mental health services, provides that any
      service district of the Department of Children and Family
16    Services that receives less than the statewide average
      funding level per person on an annual basis shall not
17    have funds deducted during any reduction in the level of
      recurring appropriations until such district's funding
18    level is equal to the statewide average funding level.
      With respect to counties located in such service
19    districts, provides for credits against funds owed by
      such counties under the Medicaid program for certain
20    items of care and service, based on each county's share
      of the difference that the recurring funding level per
21    person of its service district for alcohol, drug abuse,
      and mental health services is below the statewide average
22    recurring funding level per person for such services. See
      bill for details.
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