Senate Bill sb2894c1

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2894

    By the Committee on Children and Families; and Senator Webster





    300-2422-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to mental health services;

  3         amending s. 394.9084, F.S.; providing for a

  4         client-directed and choice-based pilot program;

  5         authorizing the expansion of the project;

  6         authorizing the development and implementation

  7         of a pilot project for children; requiring the

  8         Department of Children and Family Services to

  9         develop procedures for operating these pilot

10         projects; requiring an independent evaluation

11         of the projects; specifying areas that must be

12         addressed as a part of the evaluation;

13         requiring reports to the Legislature; providing

14         an effective date.

15  

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

17  

18         Section 1.  Section 394.9084, Florida Statutes, is

19  amended to read:

20         394.9084  Pilot project; client-directed and

21  choice-based adult mental health services.--

22         (1)  The department of Children and Family Services

23  shall conduct develop a client-directed and choice-based pilot

24  project in district 4 to provide mental health treatment and

25  support services to adults who have a serious and persistent

26  mental illness. The project shall test a payment model in

27  which each client controls the money that is available for

28  that client's mental health treatment and support services.

29         (2)  The department may expand the client-directed and

30  choice-based pilot project to one additional district to be

31  selected by the department. The department may also develop

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2894
    300-2422-04




 1  and implement a pilot project in one district to provide

 2  mental health treatment and support services for children who

 3  live at home. If established, any staff who work with children

 4  must be screened under s. 435.04. The administrative costs for

 5  conducting the projects may not be paid from funds

 6  appropriated for direct client services. Prior to expanding

 7  the project beyond district 4, the department shall establish

 8  procedures applicable for the project sites which include:

 9         (a)  A description of the project and its purpose;

10         (b)  The eligibility requirements for project

11  participants;

12         (c)  The scope of services for which project funding

13  may be used, including services provided by the administrative

14  entity, services provided by a behavioral healthcare provider,

15  and the goods and services for recovery-related goals; and

16         (d)  The eligibility requirements and responsibilities

17  of the administrative entity, including all services to be

18  provided by the entity, the responsibilities of staff employed

19  or under contract with the entity for the pilot project,

20  financial management and recordkeeping requirements, and

21  documentations requirements relating to client participation

22  in the project.

23         (3)  The projects project shall be evaluated by an

24  independent entity whose evaluation must include an assessment

25  of:

26         (a)  The criteria for selecting adult mental health

27  clients who are with serious mental illness eligible for

28  participation in the projects project.

29         (b)  The duties and responsibilities of the

30  administrative entity and the staff who are employed by or

31  under contract for the projects care coordinator.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2894
    300-2422-04




 1         (c)  The accessibility and quality of services provided

 2  under the projects by available community-based providers

 3  selected by the client, compared to those services that are

 4  available without the projects project.

 5         (d)  The input by the clients in the development of

 6  treatment plans compared to other clients not participating in

 7  the projects project.

 8         (e)  The achievement of individual treatment goals or

 9  outcome measures established for each client participating in

10  the projects project compared to other mental health clients.

11         (f)  Any demonstrated improvements and or cost savings

12  in the delivery of community-based mental health treatment and

13  support services, including an explanation of the analyses

14  used in determining cost savings.

15         (g)  All monitoring and oversight conducted by the

16  Department of Children and Family Services or the Agency for

17  Health Care Administration.

18         (h)  Any existing or appointed local advisory group

19  assisting in the design and implementation of the projects

20  project.

21         (i)  The implementation status of the project in each

22  district and identification of any problems with

23  implementation.

24         (j)  Any adverse outcomes resulting from the projects,

25  including conflicts of interest.

26  

27  A report of the independent evaluation of these projects which

28  addresses the findings and recommendations of the evaluation

29  shall be provided to the appropriate legislative substantive

30  committees and the department. A preliminary report is due by

31  December 31, 2005, and the final report is due by December 31,

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2894
    300-2422-04




 1  2006, including the elements specified in this subsection and

 2  recommendations concerning whether and how to expand the

 3  client-directed and choice-based pilot project and the pilot

 4  project for children.

 5         (4)  The department shall work with the agency and the

 6  Division of Vocational Rehabilitation of the Department of

 7  Education to determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness

 8  of obtaining federal waivers to support the expansion of the

 9  client-directed and choice-based pilot project.

10  Recommendations relating to the use of waiver funding which

11  address any requirements relating to eligibility for funding

12  and the management of the funding must be included in the

13  report to the Legislature.

14         (5)  The department shall submit reports to the

15  Legislature reflecting the progress of the client-directed and

16  choice-based project and the pilot project for children. At a

17  minimum, the reports must include how project funds are

18  allocated and managed for each district, project staffing, the

19  number of participants in the project, the number of

20  participants who leave the project and why they leave, the

21  percentage of service plan and recovery plan goals that are

22  met by program participants, and how recommendations from the

23  annual independent evaluation are incorporated into practice.

24  The first report is due to the appropriate legislative

25  committees by December 31, 2005, and a final report is due by

26  December 31, 2006.

27         (6)  This section expires July 1, 2007.

28         (2)  The Department of Children and Family Services

29  shall submit a report concerning the progress of the project

30  to the appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 2002,

31  and December 1, 2003.

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    Florida Senate - 2004                           CS for SB 2894
    300-2422-04




 1         (3)  This section expires July 1, 2004.

 2         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

 3  

 4          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 5                         Senate Bill 2894

 6                                 

 7  Continues the client-directed and choice-based pilot project
    in District 4 and authorizes the Department of Children and
 8  Families to expand the pilot to one additional district rather
    than implementing the initiative statewide.
 9  
    Authorizes the Department of Children and Families to
10  implement a pilot mental health treatment and support services
    project for children rather than directing the department to
11  do so.

12  Directs the department to establish procedures for the
    operation of the pilot projects prior to expanding the
13  projects.

14  Directs the department to work with the Agency for Health Care
    Administration and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
15  to explore obtaining federal waivers to support the expansion
    of the pilot project rather than directing these organizations
16  to implement the waivers statewide.

17  Modifies requirements for reports to the Legislature from the
    independent evaluator and the department.
18  
    Extends the expiration date of the section governing the pilot
19  projects from July 1, 2004 to July 1, 2007.

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