Senate Bill 0430

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



    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430

    By Senator Carlton





    24-430-00                                            See HB 39

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to emergency management

  3         planning; amending s. 252.355, F.S.; revising

  4         provisions relating to registration of persons

  5         requiring special needs assistance in

  6         emergencies; creating s. 381.0303, F.S.;

  7         providing for recruitment of health care

  8         practitioners for special needs shelters;

  9         providing for reimbursement and funding;

10         providing duties of the Department of Health,

11         the county health departments, and the local

12         emergency management agencies; authorizing use

13         of a health care practitioner registry;

14         authorizing establishment of a special needs

15         shelter interagency committee; providing

16         membership and responsibilities; providing for

17         rules; creating s. 400.492, F.S.; requiring

18         home health agencies to prepare a comprehensive

19         emergency management plan; specifying plan

20         requirements; amending ss. 400.497 and 400.610,

21         F.S.; providing minimum requirements for home

22         health agency and hospice comprehensive

23         emergency management plans; providing for

24         rules; providing for plan review and approval;

25         providing for plan review and approval for home

26         health agencies and hospices operating in more

27         than one county; providing an exception to

28         comprehensive emergency management plan

29         requirements; amending s. 400.506, F.S.;

30         requiring nurse registries to assist at-risk

31         clients with special needs registration and to

                                  1

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         prepare a comprehensive emergency management

  2         plan; specifying plan requirements; providing

  3         for plan review; amending s. 400.605, F.S.;

  4         requiring the Department of Elderly Affairs to

  5         include components for comprehensive emergency

  6         management plans in its rules establishing

  7         minimum standards for a hospice; amending s.

  8         400.6095, F.S.; requiring that certain

  9         emergency care and service information be

10         included in hospice patients' medical records;

11         creating s. 401.273, F.S.; providing for

12         establishment of a registry of emergency

13         medical technicians and paramedics for

14         disasters and emergencies; amending s. 408.15,

15         F.S.; authorizing the Agency for Health Care

16         Administration to establish uniform standards

17         of care for special needs shelters; creating s.

18         455.276, F.S.; providing for establishment of a

19         health practitioner registry for disasters and

20         emergencies; requiring emergency and disaster

21         planning provisions in certain state agency

22         provider contracts; specifying minimum contract

23         requirements; providing appropriations;

24         providing an effective date.

25

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

27

28         Section 1.  Section 252.355, Florida Statutes, is

29  amended to read:

30         252.355  Registry of disabled persons with special

31  needs; notice.--

                                  2

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (1)  In order to meet the special needs of persons who

  2  would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering

  3  because of physical, mental, or sensory disabilities or mental

  4  handicaps, each local emergency management agency in the state

  5  shall maintain a registry of disabled persons with special

  6  needs located within the jurisdiction of the local agency.

  7  The registration shall identify those persons in need of

  8  assistance and plan for resource allocation to meet those

  9  identified needs. To assist the local emergency management

10  agency in identifying such persons, the Department of Children

11  and Family Services, Department of Health, Agency for Health

12  Care Administration, Department of Labor and Employment

13  Security, and Department of Elderly Affairs shall provide

14  registration information to all of their special needs clients

15  and to all incoming clients as a part of the intake process.

16  The registry shall be updated annually.  The registration

17  program shall give disabled persons with special needs the

18  option of preauthorizing emergency response personnel to enter

19  their homes during search and rescue operations if necessary

20  to assure their safety and welfare following disasters.

21         (2)  On or before May 1 of each year each electric

22  utility in the state shall annually notify residential

23  customers in its service area of the availability of the

24  registration program available through their local emergency

25  management agency.

26         (3)  All records, data, information, correspondence,

27  and communications relating to the registration of disabled

28  persons with special needs as provided in subsection (1) are

29  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1),

30  except that such information shall be available to other

31

                                  3

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  emergency response agencies, as determined by the local

  2  emergency management director.

  3         (4)  All appropriate agencies and community-based

  4  service providers, including home health care providers, shall

  5  assist emergency management agencies by collecting

  6  registration information for persons people with special needs

  7  as part of program intake processes, establishing programs to

  8  increase the awareness of the registration process, and

  9  educating clients about the procedures that may be necessary

10  for their safety during disasters. Clients of state or

11  federally funded service programs with physical, mental, or

12  sensory disabilities or mental handicaps who need assistance

13  in evacuating, or when in shelters, must register as persons

14  people with special needs.

15         Section 2.  Section 381.0303, Florida Statutes, is

16  created to read:

17         381.0303  Health practitioner recruitment for special

18  needs shelters.--

19         (1)  PURPOSE.--The purpose of this section is to

20  designate the Department of Health, through its county health

21  departments, as the lead agency for coordination of the

22  recruitment of health care practitioners to staff special

23  needs shelters in times of emergency or disaster and to

24  provide resources to the department to carry out this

25  responsibility. However, nothing in this section prohibits a

26  county health department from entering into an agreement with

27  a local emergency management agency to assume the lead

28  responsibility for recruiting health care practitioners.

29         (2)  SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER PLAN AND STAFFING.--Provided

30  that funds have been appropriated to support medical services

31  disaster coordinator positions in county health departments,

                                  4

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  the department shall assume lead responsibility for the local

  2  coordination of local medical and health care providers, the

  3  American Red Cross, and other interested parties in developing

  4  a plan for the staffing and medical management of special

  5  needs shelters. The plan shall be in conformance with the

  6  local comprehensive emergency management plan.

  7         (a)  County health departments shall, in conjunction

  8  with the local emergency management agencies, have the lead

  9  responsibility for coordination of the recruitment of health

10  care practitioners to staff local special needs shelters.

11  County health departments shall assign their employees to work

12  in special needs shelters when needed to protect the health of

13  patients.

14         (b)  The appropriate county health department and local

15  emergency management agency shall jointly determine who has

16  responsibility for medical supervision in a special needs

17  shelter.

18         (c)  Local emergency management agencies shall be

19  responsible for the designation and operation of special needs

20  shelters during times of emergency or disaster. County health

21  departments shall assist the local emergency management agency

22  with regard to the management of medical services in special

23  needs shelters.

24         (3)  REIMBURSEMENT TO HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS.--The

25  Department of Health shall reimburse, subject to the

26  availability of funds for this purpose, health care

27  practitioners as defined in s. 455.501, provided that the

28  practitioner is not already providing care to a patient under

29  an existing contract, and emergency medical technicians and

30  paramedics licensed pursuant to chapter 401 for medical care

31  provided at the request of the department in special needs

                                  5

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  shelters or at other locations during times of emergency or

  2  major disaster. Reimbursement for health care practitioners,

  3  except for physicians, shall be based on the average hourly

  4  rate that such practitioners were paid according to the most

  5  recent survey of Florida hospitals conducted by the Florida

  6  Hospital Association. Reimbursement shall be requested on

  7  forms prepared by the Department of Health. If a Presidential

  8  Disaster Declaration has been made, and the Federal Government

  9  makes funds available, the department shall use such funds for

10  reimbursement of eligible expenditures. In other situations,

11  or if federal funds do not fully compensate the department for

12  reimbursement made pursuant to this section, the department

13  shall submit to the Cabinet or Legislature, as appropriate, a

14  budget amendment to obtain reimbursement from the working

15  capital fund. Travel expense and per diem costs shall be

16  reimbursed pursuant to s. 112.061.

17         (4)  HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER REGISTRY.--The department

18  may use the registries established in ss. 401.273 and 455.276

19  when health care practitioners are needed to staff special

20  needs shelters or to staff disaster medical assistance teams.

21         (5)  SPECIAL NEEDS SHELTER INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.--The

22  Department of Health may establish a special needs shelter

23  interagency committee, to be chaired and staffed by the

24  department. The committee shall resolve problems related to

25  special needs shelters not addressed in the state

26  comprehensive emergency medical plan and shall serve as an

27  oversight committee to monitor the planning and operation of

28  special needs shelters.

29         (a)  The committee may:

30         1.  On or before January 1, 2001, resolve questions

31  concerning the roles and responsibilities of state agencies

                                  6

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  and other organizations that are necessary to implement the

  2  program.

  3         2.  On or before January 1, 2001, identify any issues

  4  requiring additional legislation and funding.

  5         3.  Develop and negotiate any necessary interagency

  6  agreements.

  7         4.  Undertake such other activities as the department

  8  deems necessary to facilitate the implementation of this

  9  section.

10         5.  Submit recommendations to the Legislature as

11  necessary.

12         (b)  The special needs shelter interagency committee

13  shall be composed of representatives of emergency management,

14  health, medical, and social services organizations. Membership

15  shall include, but shall not be limited to, the Departments of

16  Community Affairs, Children and Family Services, Elderly

17  Affairs, Labor and Employment Security, and Education; the

18  Agency for Health Care Administration; the Florida Medical

19  Association; Associated Home Health Industries of Florida,

20  Inc.; the Florida Nurses Association; the Florida Health Care

21  Association; the Florida Hospital Association; the Florida

22  Statutory Teaching Hospital Council; the Florida Association

23  of Homes for the Aging; the Florida Emergency Preparedness

24  Association; the American Red Cross; Florida Hospices, Inc.;

25  the Association of Community Hospitals and Health Systems; the

26  Florida Association of Health Maintenance Organizations; the

27  Florida League of Health Systems; Private Care Association;

28  and the Salvation Army.

29         (c)  Meetings of the committee shall be held in

30  Tallahassee and members of the committee shall serve at the

31  expense of the agencies or organizations they represent.

                                  7

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (6)  RULES.--The department has the authority to adopt

  2  rules necessary to implement this section.

  3         Section 3.  Section 400.492, Florida Statutes, is

  4  created to read:

  5         400.492  Provision of services during an

  6  emergency.--Each home health agency must prepare and maintain

  7  a comprehensive emergency management plan that is consistent

  8  with the standards adopted by national accreditation

  9  organizations and consistent with the local special needs

10  plan. The plan must be updated annually and must provide for

11  continuing home health services during an emergency that

12  interrupts patient care or services in the patient's home. The

13  plan must describe how the home health agency establishes and

14  maintains an effective response to emergencies and disasters,

15  including: notifying staff when emergency response measures

16  are initiated; providing for communication between staff

17  members, county health departments, and local emergency

18  management agencies, including a backup system; identifying

19  resources necessary to continue essential care or services or

20  referrals to other organizations subject to written agreement;

21  and prioritizing and contacting patients who need continued

22  care or services.

23         (1)  Each patient record for patients who are listed in

24  the registry established pursuant to s. 252.355 must include a

25  description of how care or services will be continued in the

26  event of an emergency or disaster. The home health agency must

27  discuss the emergency provisions with the patient and the

28  patient's caregivers, including where and how the patient is

29  to evacuate, procedures for notifying the home health agency

30  in the event that the patient evacuates to a location other

31  than the shelter identified in the patient record, and a list

                                  8

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  of medications and equipment that must either accompany the

  2  patient or will be needed by the patient in the event of an

  3  evacuation.

  4         (2)  Each home health agency must maintain a current

  5  prioritized list of patients who need continued services

  6  during an emergency. The list must indicate how services will

  7  be continued in the event of an emergency or disaster for each

  8  patient and whether the patient is to be transported to a

  9  special needs shelter, and must indicate whether the patient

10  is receiving skilled nursing services and state the patient's

11  medication and equipment needs. The list must be furnished to

12  county health departments and to local emergency management

13  agencies, upon request.

14         (3)  Home health agencies are not required to continue

15  to provide care to patients in emergency situations that are

16  beyond their control and that make it impossible to provide

17  services, such as when roads are impassable or when patients

18  do not go to the location specified in their patient records.

19         (4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 400.464(2) or

20  any other provision of law to the contrary, a home health

21  agency may provide services in a special needs shelter located

22  in any county.

23         Section 4.  Subsection (1) of section 400.497, Florida

24  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (11) is added to that

25  section, to read:

26         400.497  Rules establishing minimum standards.--The

27  Agency for Health Care Administration shall adopt, publish,

28  and enforce rules to implement this part, including, as

29  applicable, ss. 400.506 and 400.509, which must provide

30  reasonable and fair minimum standards relating to:

31

                                  9

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (1)  Scope of home health services to be provided,

  2  which shall include services to be provided during emergency

  3  evacuation and sheltering.

  4         (11)  Preparation of a comprehensive emergency

  5  management plan pursuant to s. 400.492.

  6         (a)  The Agency for Health Care Administration shall

  7  adopt rules establishing minimum criteria for the plan and

  8  plan updates, with the concurrence of the Department of Health

  9  and in consultation with the Department of Community Affairs.

10         (b)  The rules must address the requirements in s.

11  400.492. In addition, the rules must provide for the

12  maintenance of patient-specific medication lists that can

13  accompany patients who are transported from their homes.

14         (c)  The plan is subject to review and approval by the

15  county health department. During its review, the county health

16  department must ensure that the following agencies, at a

17  minimum, are given the opportunity to review the plan:

18         1.  The local emergency management agency.

19         2.  The Agency for Health Care Administration.

20         3.  The local chapter of the American Red Cross or

21  other lead sheltering agency.

22         4.  The district office of the Department of Children

23  and Family Services.

24

25  The county health department must complete its review within

26  60 days after receipt of the plan and must either approve the

27  plan or advise the home health agency of necessary revisions.

28         (d)  For any home health agency that operates in more

29  than one county, the Department of Health shall review the

30  plan, after consulting with all of the county health

31  departments, the agency, and all the local chapters of the

                                  10

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  American Red Cross or other lead sheltering agencies in the

  2  areas of operation for that particular hospice. The Department

  3  of Health shall complete its review within 90 days after

  4  receipt of the plan and shall either approve the plan or

  5  advise the hospice of necessary revisions. The Department of

  6  Health shall make every effort to avoid imposing differing

  7  requirements based on differences between counties on the

  8  hospice.

  9         (e)  The requirements in this subsection do not apply

10  to:

11         1.  A facility that is certified under chapter 651 and

12  has a licensed home health agency used exclusively by

13  residents of the facility; or

14         2.  A retirement community that consists of residential

15  units for independent living and either a licensed nursing

16  home or an assisted living facility, and that has a licensed

17  home health agency used exclusively by the residents of the

18  retirement community, provided that the comprehensive

19  emergency management plan for the facility or retirement

20  community provides for continuous care of all residents with

21  special needs during an emergency.

22         Section 5.  Present subsections (15), (16), and (17) of

23  section 400.506, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as

24  subsections (17), (18), and (19), respectively, and new

25  subsections (15) and (16) are added to that section to read:

26         400.506  Licensure of nurse registries; requirements;

27  penalties.--

28         (15)  Nurse registries shall assist at-risk clients

29  with special needs registration with the appropriate local

30  emergency management agency pursuant to s. 252.355.

31

                                  11

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (16)  Each nurse registry must prepare and maintain a

  2  comprehensive emergency management plan that is consistent

  3  with the criteria in this subsection and with the local

  4  special needs plan. The plan must be updated annually. The

  5  plan must specify how the nurse registry must facilitate the

  6  provision of continuous care by persons referred for contract

  7  to persons who are registered pursuant to s. 252.355 during an

  8  emergency that interrupts the provision of care or services in

  9  private residencies.

10         (a)  All persons referred for contract who care for

11  persons registered pursuant to s. 252.355 must include in the

12  patient record a description of how care will be continued

13  during a disaster or emergency that interrupts the provision

14  of care in the patient's home. It shall be the responsibility

15  of the person referred for contract to ensure that continuous

16  care is provided.

17         (b)  Each nurse registry must maintain a current

18  prioritized list of patients in private residences who are

19  registered pursuant to s. 252.355 and are under the care of

20  persons referred for contract and who need continued services

21  during an emergency. This list shall indicate, for each

22  patient, whether the client is to be transported to a special

23  needs shelter and if the patient is receiving skilled nursing

24  services. Nurse registries must make this list available to

25  county health departments and to local emergency management

26  agencies upon request.

27         (c)  Each person referred for contract who is caring

28  for a patient who is registered pursuant to s. 252.355 must

29  provide a list of the patient's medication and equipment needs

30  to the nurse registry. Each person referred for contract must

31

                                  12

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  make this information available to county health departments

  2  and to local emergency management agencies upon request.

  3         (d)  A person referred for contract is not required to

  4  continue to provide care to patients in emergency situations

  5  that are beyond the person's control and that make it

  6  impossible to provide services, such as when roads are

  7  impassable or when patients do not go to the location

  8  specified in their patient records.

  9         (e)  The comprehensive emergency management plan

10  required by this subsection is subject to review and approval

11  by the county health department. During its review, the county

12  health department must ensure that, at a minimum, the local

13  emergency management agency, the Agency for Health Care

14  Administration, and the local chapter of the American Red

15  Cross or other lead sheltering agency are given the

16  opportunity to review the plan. The county health department

17  must complete its review within 60 days after receipt of the

18  plan and must either approve the plan or advise the nurse

19  registry of necessary revisions.

20         (f)  The Agency for Health Care Administration shall

21  adopt rules establishing minimum criteria for the

22  comprehensive emergency management plan and plan updates

23  required by this subsection, with the concurrence of the

24  Department of Health and in consultation with the Department

25  of Community Affairs.

26         Section 6.  Paragraph (j) of subsection (1) of section

27  400.605, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

28         400.605  Administration; forms; fees; rules;

29  inspections; fines.--

30

31

                                  13

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (1)  The department, in consultation with the agency,

  2  shall by rule establish minimum standards and procedures for a

  3  hospice. The rules must include:

  4         (j)  Components of a comprehensive emergency management

  5  plan, developed in consultation with the Department of Health

  6  and the Department of Community Affairs Component of a

  7  disaster preparedness plan.

  8         Section 7.  Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (5) of

  9  section 400.6095, Florida Statutes, to read:

10         400.6095  Patient admission; assessment; plan of care;

11  discharge; death.--

12         (5)  Each hospice, in collaboration with the patient

13  and the patient's primary or attending physician, shall

14  prepare and maintain a plan of care for each patient, and the

15  care provided to a patient must be in accordance with the plan

16  of care. The plan of care shall be made a part of the

17  patient's medical record and shall include, at a minimum:

18         (f)  A description of how needed care and services will

19  be provided in the event of an emergency.

20         Section 8.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section

21  400.610, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

22         400.610  Administration and management of a hospice.--

23         (1)  A hospice shall have a clearly defined organized

24  governing body, consisting of a minimum of seven persons who

25  are representative of the general population of the community

26  served. The governing body shall have autonomous authority and

27  responsibility for the operation of the hospice and shall meet

28  at least quarterly.  The governing body shall:

29         (b)1.  Prepare and maintain a comprehensive emergency

30  management plan that provides for continuing hospice services

31  in the event of an emergency which is consistent with local

                                  14

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  special needs plans. The plan must include provisions for

  2  ensuring continuing care to hospice patients who go to special

  3  needs shelters. The plan is subject to review and approval by

  4  the county health department, except as provided in

  5  subparagraph 2. During its review, the county health

  6  department must ensure that the department, the agency, and

  7  the local chapter of the American Red Cross or other lead

  8  sheltering agency have an opportunity to review and comment on

  9  the plan. The county health department must complete its

10  review within 60 days after receipt of the plan and must

11  either approve the plan or advise the hospice of necessary

12  revisions Prepare a disaster preparedness plan.

13         2.  For any hospice that operates in more than one

14  county, the Department of Health shall review the plan after

15  consulting with all of the county health departments, the

16  agency, and all the local chapters of the American Red Cross

17  or other lead sheltering agency in the areas of operation for

18  that particular hospice. The Department of Health must

19  complete its review within 90 days after receipt of the plan

20  and must either approve the plan or advise the hospice of

21  necessary revisions. The Department of Health shall make every

22  effort to avoid imposing on the hospice differing requirements

23  based on differences between counties.

24         Section 9.  Section 401.273, Florida Statutes, is

25  created to read:

26         401.273  Emergency medical technician and paramedic

27  registry for disasters and emergencies.--The department shall

28  include on its forms for the certification or recertification

29  of emergency medical technicians and paramedics who could

30  assist the department in the event of a disaster a question

31  asking if the practitioner would be available to provide

                                  15

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1  health care services in special needs shelters or to help

  2  staff disaster medical assistance teams during times of

  3  emergency or major disaster. The names of the emergency

  4  medical technicians and paramedics who answer affirmatively

  5  shall be maintained by the department as a registry for

  6  disasters and emergencies.

  7         Section 10.  Subsection (12) is added to section

  8  408.15, Florida Statutes, to read:

  9         408.15  Powers of the agency.--In addition to the

10  powers granted to the agency elsewhere in this chapter, the

11  agency is authorized to:

12         (12)  Establish, in coordination with the Department of

13  Health, uniform standards of care to be provided in special

14  needs units or shelters during times of emergency or major

15  disaster.

16         Section 11.  Section 455.276, Florida Statutes, is

17  created to read:

18         455.276  Health care practitioner registry for

19  disasters and emergencies.--The Department of Health shall

20  include on its forms for the licensure or certification of

21  physicians, physician assistants, certified nursing

22  assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses,

23  nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, and other health

24  care practitioners who could assist the department in the

25  event of a disaster a question asking if the practitioner

26  would be available to provide health care services in special

27  needs shelters or to help staff disaster medical assistance

28  teams during times of emergency or major disaster. The names

29  of practitioners who answer affirmatively shall be maintained

30  by the department as a health care practitioner registry for

31  disasters and emergencies.

                                  16

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         Section 12.  State agencies that contract with

  2  providers for the care of persons with disabilities or

  3  limitations that make such persons dependent upon the care of

  4  others must include emergency and disaster planning provisions

  5  in such contracts at the time the contracts are initiated or

  6  upon renewal. These provisions must include, but shall not be

  7  limited to:

  8         (1)  The designation of an emergency coordinating

  9  officer.

10         (2)  A procedure to contact all at-risk provider

11  clients, on a priority basis, prior to and immediately

12  following an emergency or disaster.

13         (3)  A procedure to help at-risk clients register with

14  the special needs registry of the local emergency management

15  agency.

16         (4)  A procedure to dispatch the emergency coordinating

17  officer or other staff members to special needs shelters to

18  assist clients with special needs, if necessary.

19         (5)  A procedure for providing the essential services

20  the organization currently provides to special needs clients

21  in preparation for, and during and following, a disaster.

22         Section 13.  There is appropriated from the General

23  Revenue Fund, to fund the implementation of this act:

24         (1)  To the Department of Health the sum of $3,798,932

25  and 2 full-time equivalent positions.

26         (2)  To the Department of Children and Family Services

27  the sum of $58,898 and 1 full-time equivalent position.

28         (3)  To the Department of Elderly Affairs the sum of

29  $58,898 and 1 full-time equivalent position.

30         (4)  To the Agency for Health Care Administration the

31  sum of $58,898 and 1 full-time equivalent position.

                                  17

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






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 430
    24-430-00                                            See HB 39




  1         (5)  To the Department of Community Affairs the sum of

  2  $58,898 and 1 full-time equivalent position.

  3         Section 14.  This act shall take effect October 1,

  4  2000.

  5

  6            *****************************************

  7                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

  8  Revises provisions relating to registration of persons
    requiring special needs assistance during an emergency or
  9  disaster. Provides for recruitment of health care
    practitioners to staff special needs shelters during
10  emergencies or disasters through the county health
    departments and the practitioner licensure process.
11  Authorizes the Department of Health to maintain
    practitioner registries and to provide certain compensation
12  for care provided at special needs shelters. Provides for
    establishment of a special needs shelter interagency
13  committee.

14
    Specifies minimum requirements for home health agency and
15  hospice comprehensive emergency management plans, and provides
    for plan review and approval. Requires nurse registries to
16  assist at-risk clients with special needs registration and to
    prepare a comprehensive emergency management plan. Provides
17  for annual update of such plans. Requires inclusion of
    emergency care information in hospice patients' medical
18  records.

19
    Authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration to
20  establish uniform standards of care for special needs
    shelters. Requires emergency and disaster planning provisions
21  in certain state agency contracts, and specifies minimum
    requirements. Provides appropriations to implement the act.
22  (See bill for details.)

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  18