Senate Bill sb0652
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2001 SB 652
By Senators Rossin, Miller and Lawson
35-341-01 See HB 95
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to mental health hospitals;
3 amending s. 394.453, F.S.; providing intent
4 under the Florida Mental Health Act that the
5 state shall maintain and operate mental health
6 hospitals, including certain existing ones;
7 amending s. 394.457, F.S.; providing that the
8 Department of Children and Family Services is
9 responsible for the maintenance and operation
10 of the state mental hospitals, including
11 certain existing ones; providing an effective
12 date.
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14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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16 Section 1. Section 394.453, Florida Statutes, is
17 amended to read:
18 394.453 Legislative intent.--It is the intent of the
19 Legislature to authorize and direct the Department of Children
20 and Family Services to evaluate, research, plan, and recommend
21 to the Governor and the Legislature programs designed to
22 reduce the occurrence, severity, duration, and disabling
23 aspects of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. It is
24 the intent of the Legislature that treatment programs for such
25 disorders shall include, but not be limited to, comprehensive
26 health, social, educational, and rehabilitative services to
27 persons requiring intensive short-term and continued treatment
28 in order to encourage them to assume responsibility for their
29 treatment and recovery. It is intended that such persons be
30 provided with emergency service and temporary detention for
31 evaluation when required; that they be admitted to treatment
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2001 SB 652
35-341-01 See HB 95
1 facilities on a voluntary basis when extended or continuing
2 care is needed and unavailable in the community; that
3 involuntary placement be provided only when expert evaluation
4 determines that it is necessary; that any involuntary
5 treatment or examination be accomplished in a setting which is
6 clinically appropriate and most likely to facilitate the
7 person's return to the community as soon as possible; and that
8 individual dignity and human rights be guaranteed to all
9 persons who are admitted to mental health facilities or who
10 are being held under s. 394.463. It is the further intent of
11 the Legislature that the least restrictive means of
12 intervention be employed based on the individual needs of each
13 person, within the scope of available services. It is also
14 the intent of the Legislature that the state shall maintain
15 and operate mental health hospitals, including, but not
16 limited to, the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee,
17 Gadsden County; the Northeast Florida State Hospital in
18 Macclenny, Baker County; and the G. Pierce Wood Memorial
19 Hospital in Arcadia, DeSoto County.
20 Section 2. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (2) of
21 section 394.457, Florida Statutes, to read:
22 394.457 Operation and administration.--
23 (2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.--The
24 department is responsible for:
25 (c) The maintenance and operation of state mental
26 hospitals, including, but not limited to, the Florida State
27 Hospital in Chattahoochee, Gadsden County; the Northeast
28 Florida State Hospital in Macclenny, Baker County; and the G.
29 Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital in Arcadia, DeSoto County.
30 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
31 law.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2001 SB 652
35-341-01 See HB 95
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2 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY
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Revises the Florida Mental Health Act to include intent
4 that the state shall maintain and operate mental health
hospitals and to provide that the Department of Children
5 and Family Services shall be responsible for the
maintenance and operation of the state mental hospitals,
6 including, specifically, the Florida State Hospital in
Chattahoochee, Gadsden County; the Northeast Florida
7 State Hospital in Macclenny, Baker County; and the G.
Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital in Arcadia, DeSoto County.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.