CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Senator Diaz-Balart moved the following amendment:

12

13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 9, line 3 through page 13, line 21, delete

15  those lines

16

17  and insert:

18         (c)  Notwithstanding the provisions of this section,

19  the department may realign the counties among the districts or

20  subdistricts for the purpose of achieving consistency between

21  the boundaries of service districts and the boundaries of

22  judicial circuits as defined by s. 26.021.

23         (6)  COMMUNITY ALLIANCES.--

24         (a)  The department shall, in consultation with local

25  communities, establish a community alliance of the

26  stakeholders, community leaders, client representatives and

27  funders of human services in each county to provide a focal

28  point for community participation and governance of

29  community-based services.  An alliance may cover more than one

30  county when such arrangement is determined to provide for more

31  effective representation.  The community alliance shall

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1  represent the diversity of the community.

  2         (b)  The duties of the community alliance shall

  3  include, but are necessarily limited to:

  4         1. Joint planning for resource use in the community,

  5  including resources appropriated to the department and any

  6  funds that local funding sources choose to provide.

  7         2. Needs assessment and establishment of community

  8  priorities for service delivery.

  9         3. Determining community outcome goals to supplement

10  state-required outcomes.

11         4. Serving as a catalyst for community resource

12  development.

13         5. Providing for community education and advocacy on

14  issues related to delivery of services.

15         6. Promoting prevention and early intervention

16  services.

17         (c)  The department shall ensure, to the greatest

18  extent possible, that the formation of each community alliance

19  builds on the strengths of the existing community human

20  services infrastructure.

21         (d)  The initial membership of the community alliance

22  in a county shall be composed of the following:

23         1.  The district administrator.

24         2.  A representative from county government.

25         3.  A representative from the school district.

26         4.  A representative from the county United Way.

27         5.  A representative from the county sheriff's office.

28         6.  A representative from the circuit court

29  corresponding to the county.

30         7.  A representative from the county children's board,

31  if one exists.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1         (e)  At any time after the initial meeting of the

  2  community alliance, the community alliance shall adopt bylaws

  3  and may enlarge the size of the alliance with individuals and

  4  organizations who represent funding organizations, are

  5  community leaders, have knowledge of community-based service

  6  issues, or otherwise represent perspectives that will enable

  7  them to accomplish the duties listed above, if, in the

  8  judgment of the alliance, such a change is necessary to

  9  adequately represent the diversity of the population within

10  such service areas.

11         (f)  Members of the community alliance shall serve

12  without compensation, but are entitled to receive

13  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in

14  s. 112.061.  Payment may also be authorized for preapproved

15  child care expenses or lost wages for members who are

16  consumers of department services and for preapproved child

17  care expenses for other members who demonstrate hardship.

18         (g)  Members of a community alliance are subject to the

19  provisions of part III of chapter 112, the Code of Ethics for

20  Public Officers and Employees.

21         (h)  Actions taken by a community alliance must be

22  consistent with department policy and state and federal laws,

23  rules, and regulations.

24         (i)  Alliance members shall submit annually a

25  disclosure statement of services interests to the department's

26  inspector general. Any member who has an interest in a matter

27  under consideration by the alliance must abstain from voting.

28         (j)  The alliance shall develop bylaws to fill for the

29  unexpired term vacancies created by the death, resignation, or

30  removal of a member.

31         (k)  All alliance meetings are open to the public

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1  pursuant to s. 286.011 and the public records provisions of s.

  2  119.07(1).

  3         (7)  PROTOTYPE REGION.--

  4         (a)  Nothwithstanding the provisions of this section,

  5  the department may consolidate the management and

  6  administrative structure or function of the geographic area

  7  that includes the counties in the sixth, twelfth, and

  8  thirteenth judicial circuits as defined in s. 26.021. Any such

  9  additional consolidation shall comply with the provisions of

10  subsection (5) unless legislative authorization to the

11  contrary is provided.

12         (b)  Except as provided in this subsection relative to

13  the prototype region, the role and scope of lead agencies are

14  limited to the provisions of s. 409.1671 until the Legislature

15  specifically provides otherwise. Prior to any changes being

16  implemented concerning the scope or duties of the lead agency

17  outside the prototype region, there must be an evaluation of

18  the prototype region that includes the duties of the lead

19  agency as defined in this section. The evaluation must be

20  conducted by an independent evaluator with experience in the

21  evaluation of organizational change and organizational

22  effectiveness. The evaluation must include a review of the

23  following:

24         1.  The duties and responsibilities of the lead

25  agencies;

26         2.  The relationship of the department with the lead

27  agencies;

28         3.  The accountability of the system involving lead

29  agencies and sub-contractors in carrying out the department's

30  statutory obligations;

31         4.  The quality of services provided to clients by the

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1  lead agencies and their sub-contractors;

  2         5.  Size of the prototype region and its effect on

  3  service priorities and service delivery within local

  4  communities;

  5         6.  The effect on existing service providers who may or

  6  may not be lead agencies or sub-contractors; and

  7         7.  Any demonstrated improvements in the management and

  8  oversight of services or cost savings that have resulted from

  9  the lead agency structure or other elements implemented in the

10  prototype region.

11

12  The report must be submitted to the Secretary of the

13  department, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the

14  House of Representatives by February 1, of each year beginning

15  in 2001, and the final report submitted by February 1, 2003.

16  Each report will address the progress and findings of the

17  evaluation and will include recommendations for policy or

18  statutory changes.

19         (c)  Within the prototype region, the budget transfer

20  authority defined in paragraph (5)(b) shall apply to the

21  consolidated geographic area.

22         (d)  The department is authorized to contract for

23  services with a lead agency in each county of the prototype

24  area, except that the lead agency contract may cover more than

25  one county when it is determined that such coverage will

26  provide more effective or efficient services. The duties of

27  the lead agency shall include, but are not necessarily limited

28  to:

29         1.  Directing and coordinating the programs and

30  services within the scope of its contract.

31         2.  Providing or contracting for the provision of core

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1  services including intake and eligibility, assessment, service

  2  planning, and case management.

  3         3.  Creating a service provider network capable of

  4  delivering the services contained in client service plans.

  5  This includes identifying the necessary services, the

  6  necessary volume of services, and possible use patterns. It

  7  also includes negotiating rates and expectations with the

  8  providers.

  9         4.  Managing and monitoring of provider contracts and

10  subcontracts.

11         5.  Developing and implementing an effective

12  bill-payment mechanism to ensure that all providers are timely

13  paid.

14         6.  Providing or arranging for administrative services

15  necessary to support service delivery.

16         7.  Using departmentally approved training and meeting

17  departmentally defined credentials and standards.

18         8.  Providing for performance measurement in accordance

19  with the department's quality assurance program and providing

20  for quality improvement and performance measurement.

21         9.  Developing and maintaining effective interagency

22  collaboration to optimize service delivery.

23         10.  Ensuring that all federal and state reporting

24  requirements are met.

25         11.  Operating a consumer complaint and grievance

26  process.

27         12.  Ensuring that services are coordinated and not

28  duplicated with other major payers such as the local schools

29  and Medicaid.

30         13.  Performing any other duties or responsibilities

31  defined in s. 409.1671 related to community-based care.

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. HB 2125, 2nd Eng.

    Amendment No. ___





  1         (e)  Authorization for the prototype region expires on

  2  June 30, 2003, unless legislative action is taken before that

  3  date.

  4

  5  (Redesignate subsequent subsections.)

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  7

  8  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

  9  And the title is amended as follows:

10         On page 1, line 15, after the semi-colon

11

12  and insert:

13         authorizes certain realignment of counties;

14         requires an independent evaluation; requires a

15         report to the Legislature; provides an

16         expiration date of the prototype region;

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