Senate Bill sb1686

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1686

    By Senator Cowin





    11-1520-02                                          See HB 821

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to substance abuse and mental

  3         health programs; amending s. 394.74, F.S.;

  4         deleting authority of the Department of

  5         Children and Family Services to use unit cost

  6         methods of payment in contracts for the

  7         provision of services for local substance abuse

  8         and mental health programs; specifying

  9         additional requirements relating to such

10         contracts; requiring reports to the

11         Legislature; providing an effective date.

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

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15         Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 394.74, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended, present subsections (4) and (5) of that

17  section are renumbered as subsections (5) and (6),

18  respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to that

19  section, to read:

20         394.74  Contracts for provision of local substance

21  abuse and mental health programs.--

22         (2)(a)  Contracts for service shall be consistent with

23  the approved district plan.

24         (b)  Notwithstanding s. 394.76(3)(a) and (c), the

25  department may use unit cost methods of payment in contracts

26  for purchasing mental health and substance abuse services. The

27  unit cost contracting system must account for those patient

28  fees that are paid on behalf of a specific client and those

29  that are earned and used by the provider for those services

30  funded in whole or in part by the department.

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






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1686
    11-1520-02                                          See HB 821




  1         (b)(c)  The department may reimburse actual

  2  expenditures for startup contracts and fixed capital outlay

  3  contracts in accordance with contract specifications.

  4         (4)  Within existing statewide or district resources,

  5  the department shall:

  6         (a)  Utilize multiyear contracts for large and

  7  established provider agencies.

  8         (b)  Require that contract funds be tied to individual

  9  client treatment or service plans and clinical status.

10         (c)  Require that contract renewal be based primarily

11  on customer and community satisfaction with services.

12         (d)  Privatize the preparation and ongoing

13  administration of contracts to allow for competitive

14  business-sector expertise to guide and shape day-to-day

15  management activities.

16         (e)  Incorporate clinical care criteria, including

17  evidence-based models and standards of care, into all existing

18  and new contracts.

19         (f)  Utilize electronic formats for all initial

20  contract material and subsequent revisions or amendments, to

21  include electronic signatures.

22         (g)  Utilize existing database and financial software,

23  in conjunction with Internet technology, to simplify and

24  expedite contract data collection and reimbursement.

25         (h)  Establish a district-level community contract

26  advisory board, consisting of legal and business

27  professionals, to provide input and recommendations regarding

28  recruitment, selection, and retention of the most efficient

29  and viable vendors.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1686
    11-1520-02                                          See HB 821




  1         (i)  Monitor vendors primarily on the basis of

  2  measurable results and provide an annual report card for each

  3  vendor that is accessible to the general public and media.

  4         (j)  Designate any program or agency meeting

  5  established criteria as eligible to contract with the

  6  department subject to availability of funds and congruence

  7  with statewide or district plans.

  8         (k)  Ensure that all state and local funding partners

  9  are participating at statutorily required levels.

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11  The department shall provide a biennial status report to the

12  Legislature on the activities and requirements described in

13  this subsection.

14         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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17                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

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      Removes authority of the Department of Children and
19    Family Services to use unit cost methods of payment in
      contracts for the provision of services for local
20    substance abuse and mental health programs. Specifies
      additional requirements for such contracts, and duties of
21    the department with respect to such requirements.
      Requires the department to report biennially to the
22    Legislature.

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