Senate Bill sb1314e1

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    CS for CS for CS for SB 1314                   First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to independent living; amending

  3         s. 39.013, F.S.; authorizing a child in foster

  4         care to petition the court to retain

  5         jurisdiction of his or her case; limiting the

  6         court's continued jurisdiction to 1 year after

  7         the child's 18th birthday; identifying the

  8         issues to be considered by the court during its

  9         continued jurisdiction; providing that the

10         jurisdiction of the court terminates under

11         specified conditions; providing that the court

12         encourage the Statewide Guardian Ad Litem

13         Office to provide greater representation to

14         certain children; amending s. 39.701, F.S.;

15         requiring the Department of Children and Family

16         Services to include in its judicial review

17         study report verification that the child has

18         been provided with certain information about

19         the Road-to-Independence Scholarship Program

20         and with notice of the child's right to

21         petition the court for continuing jurisdiction;

22         amending s. 409.1451, F.S.; authorizing a child

23         who is eligible for the Road-to-Independence

24         Scholarship Program to continue to reside with

25         a licensed foster family or a group care

26         provider; requiring that the department enroll

27         certain young adults who were formerly in

28         foster care in the Florida KidCare program if

29         they do not otherwise have health insurance or

30         are not eligible for Medicaid; requiring that

31         the Independent Living Services Advisory


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    CS for CS for CS for SB 1314                   First Engrossed



 1         Council study the most effective way of

 2         providing health insurance for young adults in

 3         the program for independent living who are not

 4         eligible for the Florida KidCare program;

 5         requiring the council to report its

 6         recommendations to the Legislature; providing

 7         an appropriation; requiring the department to

 8         adopt rules; providing an effective date.

 9  

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

11  

12         Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 39.013, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended, and a new subsection (12) is added to

14  that section, to read:

15         39.013  Procedures and jurisdiction; right to

16  counsel.--

17         (2)  The circuit court shall have exclusive original

18  jurisdiction of all proceedings under this chapter, of a child

19  voluntarily placed with a licensed child-caring agency, a

20  licensed child-placing agency, or the department, and of the

21  adoption of children whose parental rights have been

22  terminated under pursuant to this chapter. Jurisdiction

23  attaches when the initial shelter petition, dependency

24  petition, or termination of parental rights petition is filed

25  or when a child is taken into the custody of the department.

26  The circuit court may assume jurisdiction over any such

27  proceeding regardless of whether the child was in the physical

28  custody of both parents, was in the sole legal or physical

29  custody of only one parent, caregiver, or some other person,

30  or was in the physical or legal custody of no person when the

31  event or condition occurred that brought the child to the


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 1  attention of the court. When the court obtains jurisdiction of

 2  any child who has been found to be dependent, the court shall

 3  retain jurisdiction, unless relinquished by its order, until

 4  the child reaches 18 years of age. However, if a youth

 5  petitions the court at any time before his or her 19th

 6  birthday requesting the court's continued jurisdiction, the

 7  juvenile court may retain jurisdiction under this chapter for

 8  a period not to exceed 1 year following the youth's 18th

 9  birthday for the purpose of determining whether appropriate

10  aftercare support, Road-to-Independence Scholarship,

11  transitional support, mental health, and developmental

12  disability services, to the extent otherwise authorized by

13  law, have been provided to the formerly dependent child who

14  was in the legal custody of the department immediately before

15  his or her 18th birthday. If a petition for special immigrant

16  juvenile status and an application for adjustment of status

17  have been filed on behalf of a foster child and the petition

18  and application have not been granted by the time the child

19  reaches 18 years of age, the court may retain jurisdiction

20  over the dependency case solely for the purpose of allowing

21  the continued consideration of the petition and application by

22  federal authorities. Review hearings for the child shall be

23  set solely for the purpose of determining the status of the

24  petition and application. The court's jurisdiction terminates

25  upon the final decision of the federal authorities. Retention

26  of jurisdiction in this instance does not affect the services

27  available to a young adult under s. 409.1451. The court may

28  not retain jurisdiction of the case after the immigrant

29  child's 22nd birthday.

30         (12) The court shall encourage the Statewide Guardian

31  Ad Litem Office to provide greater representation to those


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 1  children who are within 1 year of transferring out of foster

 2  care.

 3         Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section

 4  39.701, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         39.701  Judicial review.--

 6         (6)(a)  In addition to the provisions of paragraphs

 7  (1)(a) and (2)(a), the court shall hold a judicial review

 8  hearing within 90 days after a youth's 17th birthday and shall

 9  continue to hold timely judicial review hearings. In addition,

10  the court may review the status of the child more frequently

11  during the year prior to the youth's 18th birthday if

12  necessary. At each review held under pursuant to this

13  subsection, in addition to any information or report provided

14  to the court, the foster parent, legal custodian, guardian ad

15  litem, and the child shall be given the opportunity to address

16  the court with any information relevant to the child's best

17  interests, particularly as it relates to the provision of

18  independent living transition services. In addition to any

19  information or report provided to the court, the department

20  shall include in its judicial review social study report

21  written verification that the child:

22         1.  Has been provided with a current Medicaid card and

23  has been provided all necessary information concerning the

24  Medicaid program sufficient to prepare the youth to apply for

25  coverage upon reaching age 18, if such application would be

26  appropriate.

27         2.  Has been provided with a certified copy of his or

28  her birth certificate and, if the child does not have a valid

29  driver's license, a Florida identification card issued under

30  pursuant to s. 322.051.

31  


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 1         3.  Has been provided information relating to Social

 2  Security Insurance benefits if the child is eligible for these

 3  such benefits. If the child has received these benefits and

 4  they are being held in trust for the child, a full accounting

 5  of those funds must shall be provided and the child must be

 6  informed about how to access those funds.

 7         4.  Has been provided with information and training

 8  related to budgeting skills, interviewing skills, and

 9  parenting skills.

10         5.  Has been provided with all relevant information

11  related to the Road-to-Independence Scholarship, including,

12  but not limited to, eligibility requirements, forms necessary

13  to apply, and assistance in completing the forms. The child

14  shall also be informed that, if he or she is eligible for the

15  Road-to-Independence Scholarship Program, he or she may reside

16  with the licensed foster family or group care provider with

17  whom the child was residing at the time of attaining his or

18  her 18th birthday or may reside in another licensed foster

19  home or with a group care provider arranged by the department.

20         6.  Has an open bank account, or has identification

21  necessary to open such an account, and has been provided with

22  essential banking skills.

23         7.  Has been provided with information on public

24  assistance and how to apply.

25         8.  Has been provided a clear understanding of where he

26  or she will be living on his or her 18th birthday, how living

27  expenses will be paid, and what educational program or school

28  he or she will be enrolled in.

29         9.  Has been provided with notice of the youth's right

30  to petition for the court's continuing jurisdiction for 1 year

31  


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 1  after the youth's 18th birthday as specified in s. 39.013(2)

 2  and with information on how to obtain access to the court.

 3         10.  Has been encouraged to attend all judicial review

 4  hearings occurring after his or her 17th birthday.

 5         Section 3.  Paragraphs (b) and (d) of subsection (5) of

 6  section 409.1451, Florida Statutes, are amended, present

 7  subsection (9) of that section is redesignated as subsection

 8  (10), and a new subsection (9) is added to that section, to

 9  read:

10         409.1451  Independent living transition services.--

11         (5)  SERVICES FOR YOUNG ADULTS FORMERLY IN FOSTER

12  CARE.--Based on the availability of funds, the department

13  shall provide or arrange for the following services to young

14  adults formerly in foster care who meet the prescribed

15  conditions and are determined eligible by the department. The

16  categories of services available to assist a young adult

17  formerly in foster care to achieve independence are:

18         (b)  Road-to-Independence Scholarship Program.--

19         1.  The Road-to-Independence Scholarship Program is

20  intended to help eligible students who are former foster

21  children in this state to receive the educational and

22  vocational training needed to achieve independence. The amount

23  of the award shall be based on the living and educational

24  needs of the young adult and may be up to, but may shall not

25  exceed, the amount of earnings that the student would have

26  been eligible to earn working a 40-hour-a-week federal minimum

27  wage job.

28         2.  A young adult who has reached 18 years of age but

29  is not yet 21 years of age is eligible for the initial award,

30  and a young adult under 23 years of age is eligible for

31  renewal awards, if he or she:


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 1         a.  Was a dependent child, under pursuant to chapter

 2  39, and was living in licensed foster care or in subsidized

 3  independent living at the time of his or her 18th birthday;

 4         b.  Spent at least 6 months living in foster care

 5  before reaching his or her 18th birthday;

 6         c.  Is a resident of this state as defined in s.

 7  1009.40; and

 8         d.  Meets one of the following qualifications:

 9         (I)  Has earned a standard high school diploma or its

10  equivalent as described in s. 1003.43 or s. 1003.435, or has

11  earned a special diploma or special certificate of completion

12  as described in s. 1003.438, and has been admitted for

13  full-time enrollment in an eligible postsecondary education

14  institution as defined in s. 1009.533;

15         (II)  Is enrolled full time in an accredited high

16  school; or

17         (III)  Is enrolled full time in an accredited adult

18  education program designed to provide the student with a high

19  school diploma or its equivalent.

20         3.  A young adult applying for a Road-to-Independence

21  Scholarship must apply for any other grants and scholarships

22  for which he or she may qualify. The department shall assist

23  the young adult in the application process and may use the

24  federal financial aid grant process to determine the funding

25  needs of the young adult.

26         4.  The amount of the award, whether it is being used

27  by a young adult working toward completion of a high school

28  diploma or its equivalent or working toward completion of a

29  postsecondary education program, shall be determined based on

30  an assessment of the funding needs of the young adult. This

31  assessment must shall consider the young adult's living and


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 1  educational costs and other grants, scholarships, waivers,

 2  earnings, and other income to be received by the young adult.

 3  An award shall be available only to the extent that other

 4  grants and scholarships are not sufficient to meet the living

 5  and educational needs of the young adult, but an award may

 6  shall not be less than $25 in order to maintain Medicaid

 7  eligibility for the young adult as provided in s. 409.903.

 8         5.a.  The department must advertise the availability of

 9  the program and must ensure that the children and young adults

10  leaving foster care, foster parents, or family services

11  counselors are informed of the availability of the program and

12  the application procedures.

13         b.  A young adult must apply for the initial award

14  during the 6 months immediately preceding his or her 18th

15  birthday, and the department shall provide assistance with the

16  application process. A young adult who fails to make an

17  initial application, but who otherwise meets the criteria for

18  an initial award, may make one application for the initial

19  award if the such application is made before the young adult's

20  21st birthday. If the young adult does not apply for an

21  initial award before his or her 18th birthday, the department

22  shall inform that young adult of the opportunity to apply

23  before turning 21 years of age.

24         c.  If funding for the program is available, the

25  department shall issue awards from the scholarship program for

26  each young adult who meets all the requirements of the

27  program.

28         d.  An award shall be issued at the time the eligible

29  student reaches 18 years of age.

30         e.  A young adult who is eligible for the

31  Road-to-Independence Program and who so desires shall be


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 1  allowed to reside with remain in the licensed foster family or

 2  group care provider with whom he or she was residing at the

 3  time of attaining his or her 18th birthday or to reside in

 4  another licensed foster home or with a group care provider

 5  arranged by the department.

 6         f.  If the award recipient transfers from one eligible

 7  institution to another and continues to meet eligibility

 8  requirements, the award must be transferred with the

 9  recipient.

10         g.  Scholarship funds awarded to any eligible young

11  adult under this program are in addition to any other services

12  provided to the young adult by the department through its

13  independent living transition services.

14         h.  The department shall provide information concerning

15  young adults receiving the Road-to-Independence Scholarship to

16  the Department of Education for inclusion in the student

17  financial assistance database, as provided in s. 1009.94.

18         i.  Scholarship funds are intended to help eligible

19  students who are former foster children in this state to

20  receive the educational and vocational training needed to

21  become independent and self-supporting. The Such funds shall

22  be terminated when the young adult has attained one of four

23  postsecondary goals under pursuant to subsection (3) or

24  reaches 23 years of age, whichever occurs earlier. In order to

25  initiate postsecondary education, to allow for a change in

26  career goal, or to obtain additional skills in the same

27  educational or vocational area, a young adult may earn no more

28  than two diplomas, certificates, or credentials. A young adult

29  attaining an associate of arts or associate of science degree

30  shall be permitted to work toward completion of a bachelor of

31  arts or a bachelor of science degree or an equivalent


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 1  undergraduate degree. Road-to-Independence Scholarship funds

 2  may shall not be used for education or training after a young

 3  adult has attained a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science

 4  degree or an equivalent undergraduate degree.

 5         j.  The department shall evaluate and renew each award

 6  annually during the 90-day period before the young adult's

 7  birthday. In order to be eligible for a renewal award for the

 8  subsequent year, the young adult must:

 9         (I)  Complete the number of hours, or the equivalent

10  considered full time by the educational institution, in the

11  last academic year in which the young adult earned a

12  scholarship, except for a young adult who meets the

13  requirements of s. 1009.41.

14         (II)  Maintain appropriate progress as required by the

15  educational institution, except that, if the young adult's

16  progress is insufficient to renew the scholarship at any time

17  during the eligibility period, the young adult may restore

18  eligibility by improving his or her progress to the required

19  level.

20         k.  Scholarship funds may be terminated during the

21  interim between an award and the evaluation for a renewal

22  award if the department determines that the award recipient is

23  no longer enrolled in an educational institution as defined in

24  sub-subparagraph 2.d., or is no longer a state resident. The

25  department shall notify a student who is terminated and inform

26  the student of his or her right to appeal.

27         l.  An award recipient who does not qualify for a

28  renewal award or who chooses not to renew the award may

29  subsequently apply for reinstatement. An application for

30  reinstatement must be made before the young adult reaches 23

31  years of age, and a student may not apply for reinstatement


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 1  more than once. In order to be eligible for reinstatement, the

 2  young adult must meet the eligibility criteria and the

 3  criteria for award renewal for the scholarship program.

 4         (d)  Payment of aftercare, scholarship, or transitional

 5  support funds.--Payment of aftercare, scholarship, or

 6  transitional support funds shall be made directly to the

 7  recipient unless the recipient requests in writing to the

 8  community-based care lead agency, or the department, that the

 9  payments or a portion of the payments be made directly on the

10  recipient's behalf in order to secure services such as

11  housing, counseling, education, or employment training as part

12  of the young adult's own efforts to achieve self-sufficiency.

13  The young adult who resides continues with a foster family may

14  shall not be included as a child in calculating any licensing

15  restriction on the number of children in the foster home.

16         (9)  MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR YOUNG ADULTS FORMERLY IN

17  FOSTER CARE.--The department shall enroll in the Florida

18  KidCare program, outside the open enrollment period, each

19  young adult who is eligible as described in s. 409.1451(2)(b)

20  and who has not yet reached his or her 19th birthday.

21         (a)  A young adult who was formerly in foster care at

22  the time of his or her 18th birthday and who is 18 years of

23  age but not yet 19, shall pay the premium for the Florida

24  KidCare program as required in s. 409.814.

25         (b)  A young adult who has health insurance coverage

26  from a third party through his or her employer or who is

27  eligible for Medicaid is not eligible for enrollment under

28  this subsection.

29         Section 4.  The Independent Living Services Advisory

30  Council shall conduct a study to determine the most effective

31  way to address the health insurance needs of young adults who


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 1  are in the Independent Living Program of the Department of

 2  Children and Family Services once the young adults are no

 3  longer eligible for the Florida KidCare program. The

 4  department and the Agency for Health Care Administration shall

 5  assist the advisory council in conducting the study. The

 6  advisory council shall provide a report containing

 7  recommendations to the Legislature by January 2, 2006.

 8         Section 5.  The nonrecurring sum of $1,100,000 from the

 9  General Revenue Fund shall be appropriated to the Department

10  of Children and Family Services for Fiscal Year 2005-2006 to

11  implement the provisions of this act.

12         Section 6.  The Department of Children and Family

13  Services shall adopt rules to administer this act.

14         Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

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