House Bill hb1861e3

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                                      HB 1861, Third Engrossed/ntc



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to trust funds; creating the

  3         Quality of Long-Term Care Facility Improvement

  4         Trust Fund within the Agency for Health Care

  5         Administration; providing for sources of funds

  6         and purposes; providing for annual carryforward

  7         of funds; providing for future review and

  8         termination or re-creation of the trust fund;

  9         providing a contingent effective date.

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

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13         Section 1.  Quality of Long-Term Care Facility

14  Improvement Trust Fund.--

15         (1)  There is created within the Agency for Health Care

16  Administration a Quality of Long-Term Care Facility

17  Improvement Trust Fund to support activities and programs

18  directly related to improvement of the care of nursing home

19  and assisted living facility residents. The trust fund shall

20  be funded through proceeds generated pursuant to ss. 400.0238

21  and 400.4298, Florida Statutes, through funds specifically

22  appropriated by the Legislature, and through gifts,

23  endowments, and other charitable contributions allowed under

24  federal and state law.

25         (2)  Expenditures from the trust fund shall be

26  allowable for direct support of the following:

27         (a)  Development and operation of a mentoring program,

28  in consultation with the Department of Health and the

29  Department of Elderly Affairs, for increasing the competence,

30  professionalism, and career preparation of long-term care

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                                      HB 1861, Third Engrossed/ntc



  1  facility direct care staff, including nurses, nursing

  2  assistants, and social service and dietary personnel.

  3         (b)  Development and implementation of specialized

  4  training programs for long-term care facility personnel who

  5  provide direct care for residents with Alzheimer's Disease and

  6  other dementias, residents at risk of developing pressure

  7  sores, and residents with special nutrition and hydration

  8  needs.

  9         (c)  Provision of economic and other incentives to

10  enhance the stability and career development of the nursing

11  home direct care workforce, including paid sabbaticals for

12  exemplary direct care career staff to visit facilities

13  throughout the state to train and motivate younger workers to

14  commit to careers in long-term care.

15         (d)  Promotion and support for the formation and active

16  involvement of resident and family councils in the improvement

17  of nursing home care.

18         (3)  The agency shall carry out through the trust fund

19  the priorities and directives specified in legislative

20  appropriations.

21         (4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301,

22  Florida Statutes, and pursuant to s. 216.351, Florida

23  Statutes, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any

24  fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the

25  year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of

26  the trust fund.

27         (5)  In accordance with s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the

28  State Constitution, the Quality of Long-Term Care Facility

29  Improvement Trust Fund shall, unless terminated sooner, be

30  terminated on July 1, 2005. Before its scheduled termination,

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                                      HB 1861, Third Engrossed/ntc



  1  the trust fund shall be reviewed as provided in s. 215.3206(1)

  2  and (2), Florida Statutes.

  3         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001, if

  4  SB 1202 or similar legislation is adopted in the same

  5  legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes law.

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