HB 1589CS

CHAMBER ACTION




1The Committee on Public Safety & Crime Prevention recommends the
2following:
3
4     Committee Substitute
5     Remove the entire bill and insert:
6
A bill to be entitled
7An act relating to the juvenile justice system; amending
8s. 985.02, F.S.; requiring gender-specific programming
9within the Department of Juvenile Justice for children in
10this state; requiring the Office of Program Policy
11Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct an
12analysis of gender-specific programs in the Department of
13Juvenile Justice; providing certain gender-specific
14information to be included in the analysis; requiring the
15analysis to address the administration of psychotropic
16medication to youth in commitment facilities; reenacting
17s. 985.3045(1) and (3), F.S., relating to prevention
18service programs, for the purpose of incorporating the
19amendment to s. 985.02, F.S., in references thereto;
20providing an effective date.
21
22Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24     Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 985.02, Florida
25Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is added to said
26section, to read:
27     985.02  Legislative intent for the juvenile justice
28system.--
29     (1)  GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.--It is a purpose of
30the Legislature that the children of this state be provided with
31the following protections:
32     (a)  Protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
33     (b)  A permanent and stable home.
34     (c)  A safe and nurturing environment which will preserve a
35sense of personal dignity and integrity.
36     (d)  Adequate nutrition, shelter, and clothing.
37     (e)  Effective treatment to address physical, social, and
38emotional needs, regardless of geographical location.
39     (f)  Equal opportunity and access to quality and effective
40education, which will meet the individual needs of each child,
41and to recreation and other community resources to develop
42individual abilities.
43     (g)  Access to preventive services.
44     (h)  An independent, trained advocate when intervention is
45necessary, and a skilled guardian or caretaker in a safe
46environment when alternative placement is necessary.
47     (i)  Gender-specific programming and gender-specific
48program models and services that comprehensively address the
49needs of a targeted gender group.
50     (8)  GENDER-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.--
51     (a)  The Legislature finds that the prevention, treatment,
52and rehabilitation needs of youth served by the juvenile justice
53system are gender-specific.
54     (b)  Gender-specific programming refers to unique program
55models and services that comprehensively address the needs of a
56targeted gender group. Gender-specific services require the
57adherence to the principle of equity to ensure that the
58different interests of young women and men are recognized and
59varying needs are met, with equality as the desired outcome.
60Gender-specific programming focuses on the differences between
61young females' and young males' roles and responsibilities,
62positions in society, access to and use of resources, and social
63codes governing behavior. Gender-specific programs increase the
64effectiveness of programs by making interventions more
65appropriate to the specific needs of young women and men and
66ensuring that these programs do not unknowingly create,
67maintain, or reinforce gender roles or relations that may be
68damaging.
69     (c)  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
70Accountability shall conduct an analysis of programs for young
71females within the Department of Juvenile Justice. The analysis
72shall address the nature of young female offenders in this
73state, the percentage of young females who are incarcerated in
74the juvenile justice system for status offenses and violations
75of probation, and whether these young females could be better
76served in less costly community-based programs. In addition, the
77review shall analyze whether existing juvenile justice programs
78are designed to meet the gender-specific needs of young females
79and an analysis of the true cost of providing gender-specific
80services to young females. The analysis shall also address the
81administration of psychotropic medication by the department to
82youths in all commitment facilities. The analysis shall include
83the number of youths currently in commitment facilities who are
84receiving psychotropic medications, the type of medication, and
85the purpose of the administration of the medication.
86     Section 2.  For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
87to section 985.02, Florida Statutes, in references thereto,
88subsections (1) and (3) of section 985.3045, Florida Statutes,
89are reenacted to read:
90     985.3045  Prevention service program; monitoring; report;
91uniform performance measures.--
92     (1)  The department's prevention service program shall
93monitor all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or
94activities that are designed to prevent juvenile crime,
95delinquency, gang membership, or status offense behaviors and
96all state-funded programs, grants, appropriations, or activities
97that are designed to prevent a child from becoming a "child in
98need of services," as defined in chapter 984, in order to inform
99the Governor and the Legislature concerning efforts designed to
100further the policy of the state concerning juvenile justice and
101delinquency prevention, consistent with ss. 984.02 and 985.02.
102     (3)  The department shall expend funds related to the
103prevention of juvenile delinquency in a manner consistent with
104the policies expressed in ss. 984.02 and 985.02. The department
105shall expend said funds in a manner that maximizes public
106accountability and ensures the documentation of outcomes.
107     (a)  All entities that receive or use state moneys to fund
108juvenile delinquency prevention services through contracts or
109grants with the department shall design the programs providing
110such services to further one or more of the strategies specified
111in paragraphs (2)(a)-(d).
112     (b)  The department shall develop an outcome measure for
113each program strategy specified in paragraphs (2)(a)-(d) that
114logically relates to the risk factor addressed by the strategy.
115     (c)  All entities that receive or use state moneys to fund
116the juvenile delinquency prevention services through contracts
117or grants with the department shall, as a condition of receipt
118of state funds, provide the department with personal demographic
119information concerning all participants in the service
120sufficient to allow the department to verify criminal or
121delinquent history information, school attendance or academic
122information, employment information, or other requested
123performance information.
124     Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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