House Bill 0679e1

                                       HB 679, First Engrossed/ntc



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to foster care; amending s.

  3         409.145, F.S.; authorizing the Department of

  4         Children and Family Services to continue

  5         providing foster care services to certain

  6         individuals who are enrolled full-time in a

  7         degree-granting program in a postsecondary

  8         educational institution; specifying

  9         circumstances under which such services shall

10         be terminated; providing an effective date.

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

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14         Section 1.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (3) of

15  section 409.145, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

16         409.145  Care of children.--

17         (3)(a)  The department is authorized to continue to

18  provide the services of the children's foster care program to

19  individuals 18 to 21 years of age who are enrolled in high

20  school, in a program leading to a high school equivalency

21  diploma as defined in s. 229.814, or in a full-time career

22  education program, and to continue to provide services of the

23  children's foster care program to individuals 18 to 23 years

24  of age who are enrolled full-time in a post-secondary

25  institution granting a degree, a certificate, or an applied

26  technology diploma, if the following requirements are met:

27         1.  The individual was committed to the legal custody

28  of the department for placement in foster care as a dependent

29  child;

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






                                       HB 679, First Engrossed/ntc



  1         2.  All other resources have been thoroughly explored,

  2  and it can be clearly established that there are no

  3  alternative resources for placement; and

  4         3.  A written service agreement which specifies

  5  responsibilities and expectations for all parties involved has

  6  been signed by a representative of the department, the

  7  individual, and the foster parent or licensed child-caring

  8  agency providing the placement resources.

  9         (b)  The services of the foster care program shall

10  continue for those individuals 18 to 21 years of age only for

11  the period of time the individual is continuously enrolled in

12  high school, in a program leading to a high school equivalency

13  diploma as defined in s. 229.814, or in a full-time career

14  education program; and shall continue for those individuals 18

15  to 23 years of age only for the period of time the individual

16  is continuously enrolled full-time in a post-secondary

17  institution granting a degree, a certificate, or an applied

18  technology diploma.  Services shall be terminated upon

19  completion of or withdrawal or permanent expulsion from high

20  school, the program leading to a high school equivalency

21  diploma, or the full-time career education program, or the

22  post-secondary institution granting a degree, a certificate,

23  or an applied technology diploma.

24         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

25  law.

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