House Bill hb1741

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HB 1741

        By the Fiscal Responsibility Council and Representative
    Maygarden





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Department of Children

  3         and Family Services; amending s. 39.3065, F.S.;

  4         adding Seminole County to list of counties

  5         whose sheriffs provide protective investigative

  6         services; amending s. 393.063, F.S.; modifying

  7         the definition of "support coordinator" in

  8         provisions relating to developmental

  9         disabilities; amending s. 393.0651, F.S.;

10         removing requirement for support coordinator

11         review of individual or family support plans;

12         amending s. 414.045, F.S.; adding another

13         category of families eligible for cash

14         assistance, for federal reporting purposes;

15         amending ss. 938.01 and 943.25, F.S.; providing

16         for deposit of certain funds for use by the

17         Department of Law Enforcement, rather than the

18         Department of Community Affairs; providing for

19         transfer of certain funds to the Department of

20         Children and Family Services for the prevention

21         of domestic and sexual violence; repealing s.

22         402.185, F.S., relating to certification

23         forward of certain unused funds of the

24         Department of Children and Family Services;

25         providing an effective date.

26

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

28

29         Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section

30  39.3065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         39.3065  Sheriffs of certain counties to provide child

  2  protective investigative services; procedures; funding.--

  3         (3)(a)  Beginning in fiscal year 1999-2000, The

  4  sheriffs of Pasco County, Manatee County, Broward County, and

  5  Pinellas County, and Seminole County have the responsibility

  6  to provide all child protective investigations in their

  7  respective counties. Beginning in fiscal year 2000-2001, the

  8  Department of Children and Family Services is authorized to

  9  enter into grant agreements with sheriffs of other counties to

10  perform child protective investigations in their respective

11  counties.

12         Section 2.  Subsection (47) of section 393.063, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended to read:

14         393.063  Definitions.--For the purposes of this

15  chapter:

16         (47)  "Support coordinator" means a person who is

17  designated by the department to assist individuals and

18  families in identifying their desires, capacities, needs, and

19  resources, as well as finding and gaining access to necessary

20  supports and services; coordinating the delivery of supports

21  and services; advocating on behalf of the individual and

22  family; maintaining relevant records; and monitoring and

23  evaluating the delivery of supports and services to determine

24  the extent to which they meet the needs and expectations

25  identified by the individual, family, and others who

26  participated in the development of a the support plan. The

27  decision whether to use the services of a support coordinator,

28  as well as the frequency, scope, and intensity of the support

29  coordinator's activities, shall be determined by the

30  individual or the individual's legal guardian.

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  1         Section 3.  Section 393.0651, Florida Statutes, is

  2  amended to read:

  3         393.0651  Family or individual support plan.--The

  4  department shall provide for a an appropriate family support

  5  plan for children ages birth to 18 years of age and an

  6  individual support plan for each client. The parent or

  7  guardian of the client or, if competent, or the client's

  8  parent or guardian the client, or, when appropriate, the

  9  client advocate, shall be consulted in the development of the

10  plan and shall receive a copy of the plan. Each plan shall

11  include the most appropriate, least restrictive, and most

12  cost-beneficial environment for accomplishment of the

13  objectives for client progress and a specification of all

14  services authorized. The plan shall include provisions for the

15  most appropriate level of care for the client. Within the

16  specification of needs and services for each client, when

17  residential care is necessary, the department shall move

18  toward placement of clients in residential facilities based

19  within the client's community. The ultimate goal of each plan,

20  whenever possible, shall be to enable the client to live a

21  dignified life in the least restrictive setting, whether be

22  that in the home or in the community. For children under 6

23  years of age, the family support plan shall be developed

24  within the 45-day application period as specified in s.

25  393.065(1); for all applicants 6 years of age or older, the

26  family or individual support plan shall be developed within

27  the 60-day period as specified in that subsection.

28         (1)  The department shall develop and specify by rule

29  the core components of support plans to be used by each

30  district.

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  1         (2)(a)  The family or individual support plan shall be

  2  integrated with the individual education plan (IEP) for all

  3  clients who are public school students entitled to a free

  4  appropriate public education under the Individuals with

  5  Disabilities Education Act, I.D.E.A., as amended. The family

  6  or individual support plan and IEP shall be implemented to

  7  maximize the attainment of educational and habilitation goals.

  8  If the IEP for a student enrolled in a public school program

  9  indicates placement in a public or private residential program

10  is necessary to provide special education and related services

11  to a client, the local education agency shall provide for the

12  costs of that service in accordance with the requirements of

13  the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, I.D.E.A., as

14  amended. This shall not preclude local education agencies and

15  the department from sharing the residential service costs of

16  students who are clients and require residential placement.

17  Under no circumstances shall clients entitled to a public

18  education or their parents be assessed a fee by the department

19  under s. 402.33 for placement in a residential program.

20         (b)  For clients who are entering or exiting the school

21  system, an interdepartmental staffing team composed of

22  representatives of the department and the local school system

23  shall develop a written transitional living and training plan

24  with the participation of the client or with the parent or

25  guardian of the client, or the client advocate, as

26  appropriate.

27         (3)  Each family or individual support plan shall be

28  facilitated through case management designed solely to advance

29  the individual needs of the client.

30         (4)  In the development of the family or individual

31  support plan, a client advocate may be appointed by the

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  1  support planning team for a client who is a minor or for a

  2  client who is not capable of express and informed consent

  3  when:

  4         (a)  The parent or guardian cannot be identified;

  5         (b)  The whereabouts of the parent or guardian cannot

  6  be discovered; or

  7         (c)  The state is the only legal representative of the

  8  client.

  9

10  Such appointment shall not be construed to extend the powers

11  of the client advocate to include any of those powers

12  delegated by law to a legal guardian.

13         (5)  The department shall place a client in the most

14  appropriate and least restrictive, and cost-beneficial,

15  residential facility according to his or her individual

16  habilitation plan. The parent or guardian of the client or, if

17  competent, the client, or, when appropriate, the client

18  advocate, and the administrator of the residential facility to

19  which placement is proposed shall be consulted in determining

20  the appropriate placement for the client. Considerations for

21  placement shall be made in the following order:

22         (a)  Client's own home or the home of a family member

23  or direct service provider.

24         (b)  Foster care facility.

25         (c)  Group home facility.

26         (d)  Intermediate care facility for the developmentally

27  disabled.

28         (e)  Other facilities licensed by the department which

29  offer special programs for people with developmental

30  disabilities.

31         (f)  Developmental services institution.

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  1         (6)  In developing a client's annual family or

  2  individual support plan, the individual or family with the

  3  assistance of the support planning team shall identify

  4  measurable objectives for client progress and shall specify a

  5  time period expected for achievement of each objective.

  6         (7)  The individual, family, and support coordinator

  7  shall review progress in achieving the objectives specified in

  8  Each client's family or individual support plan shall be

  9  reviewed and revised, and shall revise the plan annually,

10  following consultation with the client, if competent, or with

11  the parent or guardian of the client, or, when appropriate,

12  the client advocate. The department shall annually report in

13  writing to the client, if competent, or to the parent or

14  guardian of the client, or to the client advocate, when

15  appropriate, with respect to the client's habilitative and

16  medical progress.

17         (8)  Any client, or any parent of a minor client, or

18  guardian, authorized guardian advocate, or client advocate for

19  a client, who is substantially affected by the client's

20  initial family or individual support plan, or the annual

21  review thereof, shall have the right to file a notice to

22  challenge the decision pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57.

23  Notice of such right to appeal shall be included in all

24  support plans provided by the department.

25         Section 4.  Subsection (1) of section 414.045, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         414.045  Cash assistance program.--Cash assistance

28  families include any families receiving cash assistance

29  payments from the state program for temporary assistance for

30  needy families as defined in federal law, whether such funds

31  are from federal funds, state funds, or commingled federal and

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  1  state funds. Cash assistance families may also include

  2  families receiving cash assistance through a program defined

  3  as a separate state program.

  4         (1)  For reporting purposes, families receiving cash

  5  assistance shall be grouped into in the following categories.

  6  The department may develop additional groupings in order to

  7  comply with federal reporting requirements, to comply with the

  8  data-reporting needs of the board of directors of Workforce

  9  Florida, Inc., or to better inform the public of program

10  progress. Program reporting data shall include, but not

11  necessarily be limited to, the following groupings:

12         (a)  Work-eligible cases.--Work-eligible cases shall

13  include:

14         1.  Families containing an adult or a teen head of

15  household, as defined by federal law. These cases are

16  generally subject to the work activity requirements provided

17  in s. 445.024 and the time limitations on benefits provided in

18  s. 414.105.

19         2.  Families with a parent where the parent's needs

20  have been removed from the case due to sanction or

21  disqualification shall be considered work-eligible cases to

22  the extent that such cases are considered in the calculation

23  of federal participation rates or would be counted in such

24  calculation in future months.

25         3.  Families participating in transition assistance

26  programs.

27         4.  Families otherwise eligible for temporary cash

28  assistance that receive diversion services, a severance

29  payment, or participate in the relocation program.

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  1         (b)  Child-only cases.--Child-only cases include cases

  2  that do not have an adult or teen head of household as defined

  3  in federal law. Such cases include:

  4         1.  Child-only families with Children in the care of

  5  caretaker relatives where the caretaker relatives choose to

  6  have their needs excluded in the calculation of the amount of

  7  cash assistance.

  8         2.  Families in the Relative Caregiver Program as

  9  provided in s. 39.5085.

10         3.  Families in which the only parent in a

11  single-parent family or both parents in a two-parent family

12  receive supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under

13  Title XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended. To the

14  extent permitted by federal law, individuals receiving SSI

15  shall be excluded as household members in determining the

16  amount of cash assistance, and such cases shall not be

17  considered families containing an adult. Parents or caretaker

18  relatives who are excluded from the cash assistance group due

19  to receipt of SSI may choose to participate in work

20  activities. An individual who volunteers to participate in

21  work activity but whose ability to participate in work

22  activities is limited shall be assigned to work activities

23  consistent with such limitations. An individual who volunteers

24  to participate in a work activity may receive child care or

25  support services consistent with such participation.

26         4.  Families where the only parent in a single-parent

27  family or both parents in a two-parent family are not eligible

28  for cash assistance due to immigration status or other

29  limitation requirements of federal law. To the extent required

30  by federal law, such cases shall not be considered families

31  containing an adult.

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  1         5.  To the extent permitted by federal law and subject

  2  to appropriations, special needs children who have been

  3  adopted pursuant to s. 409.166 and whose adopting family

  4  qualifies as a needy family under the state program for

  5  temporary assistance for needy families. Notwithstanding any

  6  provision to the contrary in s. 414.075, s. 414.085, or s.

  7  414.095, a family shall be considered a needy family if:

  8         a.  The family is determined by the department to have

  9  an income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level;

10         b.  The family meets the requirements of s. 414.095(2)

11  and (3) related to residence, citizenship, or eligible

12  noncitizen status; and

13         c.  The family provides any information that may be

14  necessary to meet federal reporting requirements specified

15  under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act.

16

17  Families described in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or

18  subparagraph 3. may receive child care assistance or other

19  supports or services so that the children may continue to be

20  cared for in their own homes or the homes of relatives. Such

21  assistance or services may be funded from the temporary

22  assistance for needy families block grant to the extent

23  permitted under federal law and to the extent funds have been

24  provided in the General Appropriations Act permitted by

25  appropriation of funds.

26         Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 938.01, Florida

27  Statutes, as amended by section 40 of chapter 2000-171, Laws

28  of Florida, is amended to read:

29         938.01  Additional Court Cost Clearing Trust Fund.--

30         (1)  All courts created by Art. V of the State

31  Constitution shall, in addition to any fine or other penalty,

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  1  assess $3 as a court cost against every person convicted for

  2  violation of a state penal or criminal statute or convicted

  3  for violation of a municipal or county ordinance. Any person

  4  whose adjudication is withheld pursuant to the provisions of

  5  s. 318.14(9) or (10) shall also be assessed such cost. In

  6  addition, $3 from every bond estreature or forfeited bail bond

  7  related to such penal statutes or penal ordinances shall be

  8  forwarded to the Treasurer as described in this subsection.

  9  However, no such assessment may be made against any person

10  convicted for violation of any state statute, municipal

11  ordinance, or county ordinance relating to the parking of

12  vehicles.

13         (a)  All such costs collected by the courts shall be

14  remitted to the Department of Revenue, in accordance with

15  administrative rules adopted by the executive director of the

16  Department of Revenue, for deposit in the Additional Court

17  Cost Clearing Trust Fund and shall be earmarked to the

18  Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Community

19  Affairs for distribution as follows:

20         1.  Two dollars and seventy-five cents of each $3

21  assessment shall be deposited in the Criminal Justice

22  Standards and Training Trust Fund, and the remaining 25 cents

23  of each such assessment shall be deposited into the Department

24  of Law Enforcement Operating Trust Fund and shall be disbursed

25  to the Bureau of Public Safety Management of the Department of

26  Law Enforcement Community Affairs.

27         2.  Ninety-two percent of the money distributed to the

28  Additional Court Cost Clearing Trust Fund pursuant to s.

29  318.21 shall be earmarked to the Department of Law Enforcement

30  for deposit in the Criminal Justice Standards and Training

31  Trust Fund, and 8 percent of such money shall be deposited

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  1  into the Department of Law Enforcement Operating Trust Fund

  2  and shall be disbursed to the Bureau of Public Safety

  3  Management of the Department of Law Enforcement Community

  4  Affairs.

  5         3.  From the funds deposited into the Department of Law

  6  Enforcement Operating Trust Fund pursuant to this paragraph,

  7  the Department of Law Enforcement shall transfer funds to the

  8  Department of Children and Family Services to be used as

  9  matching funds for the administration of the Department of

10  Children and Family Services' prevention of domestic and

11  sexual violence program. The amount of the transfer shall be

12  determined by the Governor, in consultation with the

13  Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Children

14  and Family Services, and shall be based on the historic use of

15  these funds and the current needs of the prevention of

16  domestic and sexual violence program.

17         (b)  The funds deposited in the Criminal Justice

18  Standards and Training Trust Fund and the Department of Law

19  Enforcement Operating Trust Fund may be invested. Any interest

20  earned from investing such funds and any unencumbered funds

21  remaining at the end of the budget cycle shall remain in the

22  respective trust fund until the following year.

23         (c)  All funds in the Criminal Justice Standards and

24  Training Trust Fund earmarked to the Department of Law

25  Enforcement shall be disbursed only in compliance with s.

26  943.25(9).

27         Section 6.  Subsection (1) of section 943.25, Florida

28  Statutes, as amended by section 42 of chapter 2000-171, Laws

29  of Florida, is amended to read:

30         943.25  Criminal justice trust funds; source of funds;

31  use of funds.--

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  1         (1)  The Department of Law Enforcement Community

  2  Affairs may approve, for disbursement from its Operating Trust

  3  Fund, those appropriated sums necessary and required by the

  4  state for grant matching, implementing, administering,

  5  evaluating, and qualifying for such federal funds.

  6  Disbursements from the trust fund for the purpose of

  7  supplanting state general revenue funds may not be made

  8  without specific legislative appropriation.

  9         Section 7.  Section 402.185, Florida Statutes, is

10  repealed.

11         Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

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13            *****************************************

14                          HOUSE SUMMARY

15
      Adds Seminole County to the list of counties whose
16    sheriffs have responsibility for local child protective
      investigations. Revises the definition of "support
17    coordinator" in provisions relating to developmental
      disabilities, and eliminates requirement for support
18    coordinator review of individual or family support plans.
      Adds another federal reporting category of families
19    eligible for cash assistance under the temporary
      assistance for needy families program. Provides for
20    deposit of certain funds into the Additional Court Cost
      Clearing Trust Fund for use by the Department of Law
21    Enforcement, rather than the Department of Community
      Affairs. Provides that certain such funds shall be
22    transferred to the Department of Children and Family
      Services to provide matching funds for administration of
23    the department's prevention of domestic and sexual
      violence program. Repeals a provision that authorizes
24    certification of certain unused funds of the Department
      of Children and Family Services to be used for
25    productivity-enhancing technology.

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