1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to forensic treatment and training; |
3 | amending s. 916.105, F.S.; revising legislative intent |
4 | with respect to the treatment or training of defendants |
5 | who have mental illness, mental retardation, or autism and |
6 | are committed to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities; |
7 | providing intent with respect to the use of restraint and |
8 | seclusion; amending s. 916.106, F.S.; providing and |
9 | revising definitions; amending s. 916.107, F.S., relating |
10 | to the rights of forensic clients; conforming provisions |
11 | to the transfer of duties from the Developmental |
12 | Disabilities Program Office within the Department of |
13 | Children and Family Services to the Agency for Persons |
14 | with Disabilities; revising provisions governing the |
15 | involuntary treatment of clients; requiring the |
16 | coordination of services between the department, the |
17 | agency, and the Department of Corrections; amending s. |
18 | 916.1075, F.S.; revising certain prohibitions on sexual |
19 | misconduct involving covered persons of the Department of |
20 | Children and Family Services or the Agency for Persons |
21 | with Disabilities; defining the term "covered person"; |
22 | requiring that notice of sexual misconduct be provided to |
23 | the inspector general of the agency or department; |
24 | amending s. 916.1081, F.S.; providing that an escape or an |
25 | attempt to escape from a civil or forensic facility |
26 | constitutes a second-degree felony; amending s. 916.1085, |
27 | F.S.; providing for certain prohibitions concerning |
28 | contraband articles to apply to facilities under the |
29 | supervision or control of the Agency for Persons with |
30 | Disabilities; deleting a cross-reference; amending s. |
31 | 916.1091, F.S.; authorizing the use of chemical weapons by |
32 | agency personnel; amending s. 916.1093, F.S.; authorizing |
33 | the agency to enter into contracts and adopt rules; |
34 | requiring department and agency rules to address the use |
35 | of restraint and seclusion; providing requirements for |
36 | such rules; amending s. 916.111, F.S.; revising provisions |
37 | governing the training of mental health experts; amending |
38 | s. 916.115, F.S.; requiring that the court appoint experts |
39 | to determine the mental condition of a criminal defendant; |
40 | requiring that the Department of Children and Family |
41 | Services annually provide the courts with a list of |
42 | certain mental health professionals; amending s. 916.12, |
43 | F.S.; revising provisions governing the evaluation of a |
44 | defendant's competence to proceed; amending s. 916.13, |
45 | F.S.; revising conditions under which a defendant may be |
46 | involuntarily committed for treatment; amending s. |
47 | 916.145, F.S., relating to dismissal of charges against a |
48 | defendant adjudicated incompetent; conforming provisions |
49 | to changes made by the act; amending s. 916.15, F.S.; |
50 | clarifying that the determination of not guilty by reason |
51 | of insanity is made under a specified Florida Rule of |
52 | Criminal Procedure; amending s. 916.16, F.S.; providing |
53 | for the continuing jurisdiction of the court over a |
54 | defendant involuntarily committed due to mental illness; |
55 | amending s. 916.17, F.S.; clarifying circumstances under |
56 | which the court may order the conditional release of a |
57 | defendant; amending s. 916.301, F.S.; requiring that |
58 | certain evaluations be conducted by certain qualified |
59 | experts; requiring that the Agency for Persons with |
60 | Disabilities provide the court with a list of certain |
61 | available retardation and autism professionals; conforming |
62 | provisions to the transfer of duties from the |
63 | Developmental Disabilities Program Office within the |
64 | Department of Children and Family Services to the agency; |
65 | amending s. 916.3012, F.S.; clarifying provisions |
66 | governing the determination of a defendant's mental |
67 | competence to proceed; amending s. 916.302, F.S., relating |
68 | to the involuntary commitment of a defendant; conforming |
69 | provisions to the transfer of duties from the |
70 | Developmental Disabilities Program Office within the |
71 | Department of Children and Family Services to the agency; |
72 | requiring that the department and agency submit an |
73 | evaluation to the court before the transfer of a defendant |
74 | from one civil or forensic facility to another; amending |
75 | s. 916.3025, F.S.; clarifying that the committing court |
76 | retains jurisdiction over a defendant placed on |
77 | conditional release; providing for the transfer of |
78 | continuing jurisdiction to another court where the |
79 | defendant resides; amending s. 916.303, F.S.; clarifying |
80 | provisions governing the dismissal of charges against a |
81 | defendant found to be incompetent to proceed due to |
82 | retardation or autism; amending s. 916.304, F.S.; |
83 | providing for the conditional release of a defendant to a |
84 | civil facility; amending ss. 921.137 and 985.223, F.S., |
85 | relating to provisions governing the imposition of the |
86 | death sentence upon a defendant with mental retardation |
87 | and the determination of incompetency in cases involving |
88 | juvenile delinquency; conforming provisions to the |
89 | transfer of duties from the Developmental Disabilities |
90 | Program Office within the Department of Children and |
91 | Family Services to the Agency for Persons with |
92 | Disabilities; amending ss. 287.057, 408.036, 943.0585, and |
93 | 943.059, F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing an |
94 | effective date. |
95 |
|
96 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
97 |
|
98 | Section 1. Section 916.105, Florida Statutes, is amended |
99 | to read: |
100 | 916.105 Legislative intent.-- |
101 | (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that the |
102 | Department of Children and Family Services and the Agency for |
103 | Persons with Disabilities, as appropriate, establish, locate, |
104 | and maintain separate and secure forensic facilities and |
105 | programs for the treatment or training of defendants who have |
106 | been are charged with a felony and who have been found to be |
107 | incompetent to proceed due to their mental illness, mental |
108 | retardation, or autism, or who have been acquitted of a felony |
109 | felonies by reason of insanity, and who, while still under the |
110 | jurisdiction of the committing court, are committed to the |
111 | department or agency under the provisions of this chapter. Such |
112 | The separate, secure facilities shall be sufficient to |
113 | accommodate the number of defendants committed under the |
114 | conditions noted above., Except for those defendants found by |
115 | the department or agency to be appropriate for treatment or |
116 | training in a civil treatment facility or program pursuant to |
117 | subsection (3), forensic. Such secure facilities shall be |
118 | designed and administered so that ingress and egress, together |
119 | with other requirements of this chapter, may be strictly |
120 | controlled by staff responsible for security in order to protect |
121 | the defendant, facility personnel, other clients, and citizens |
122 | in adjacent communities. |
123 | (2) It is further the intent of the Legislature that |
124 | treatment or training programs for defendants who are found to |
125 | have mental illness, mental retardation, or autism are found to |
126 | be mentally ill, retarded, or autistic and are involuntarily |
127 | committed to the department or agency, and who are still under |
128 | the jurisdiction of the committing court, be provided in such a |
129 | manner, subject to security requirements and other mandates of |
130 | this chapter, as to ensure the rights of the defendants as |
131 | provided in this chapter. |
132 | (3) It is the intent of the Legislature that evaluation |
133 | and services to defendants who have mental illness, mental |
134 | retardation, or autism are mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
135 | be provided in community settings, in community residential |
136 | facilities, or in civil, nonforensic facilities, whenever this |
137 | is a feasible alternative to treatment or training in a state |
138 | forensic facility. |
139 | (4) It is the intent of the Legislature to minimize and |
140 | achieve an ongoing reduction in the use of restraint and |
141 | seclusion on persons who are committed to a civil or forensic |
142 | facility under this chapter. |
143 | Section 2. Section 916.106, Florida Statutes, is amended |
144 | to read: |
145 | 916.106 Definitions.--For the purposes of this chapter, |
146 | the term: |
147 | (1) "Agency" means the Agency for Persons with |
148 | Disabilities. The agency is responsible for training forensic |
149 | clients who are developmentally disabled due to mental |
150 | retardation or autism and have been determined incompetent to |
151 | proceed. |
152 | (2)(1) "Autism" has the same meaning as in s. 393.063. |
153 | means a pervasive, neurologically based developmental disability |
154 | of extended duration which causes severe learning, |
155 | communication, and behavior disorders, with the age of onset of |
156 | autism occurring during infancy or childhood. Individuals with |
157 | autism exhibit impairment in reciprocal social interaction, |
158 | impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication and imaginative |
159 | ability, and a markedly restricted repertoire of activities and |
160 | interests. |
161 | (3)(2) "Chemical weapon" means any shell, cartridge, bomb, |
162 | gun, or other device capable of emitting chloroacetophenone |
163 | (CN), chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) or any derivatives thereof |
164 | in any form, or any other agent with lacrimatory properties, and |
165 | shall include products such as that commonly known as "mace." |
166 | (4)(3) "Civil facility" means: |
167 | (a) A mental health facility established within the |
168 | department or by contract with the department to serve |
169 | individuals committed pursuant to chapter 394 and those |
170 | defendants committed pursuant to this chapter who do not require |
171 | the security provided in a forensic facility; or. |
172 | (b) An intermediate care facility for the developmentally |
173 | disabled, a foster care facility, a group home facility, or a |
174 | supported living setting, as defined in s. 393.063, designated |
175 | by the agency to serve those defendants who do not require the |
176 | security provided in a forensic facility. |
177 | (5)(4) "Court" means the circuit court. |
178 | (6) "Defendant" means an adult, or a juvenile who is |
179 | prosecuted as an adult, who has been arraigned and charged with |
180 | a felony offense under the laws of this state. |
181 | (7)(5) "Department" means the Department of Children and |
182 | Family Services. The department is responsible for the treatment |
183 | of forensic clients who have been determined incompetent to |
184 | proceed due to mental illness or who have been acquitted of a |
185 | felony by reason of insanity. |
186 | (8)(6) "Express and informed consent" or "consent" means |
187 | consent given voluntarily in writing after a conscientious and |
188 | sufficient explanation and disclosure of the purpose of the |
189 | proposed treatment, the common side effects of the treatment, if |
190 | any, the expected duration of the treatment, and any alternative |
191 | treatment available. |
192 | (9)(7) "Forensic client" or "client" means any defendant |
193 | who has been is mentally ill, retarded, or autistic and who is |
194 | committed to the department or agency pursuant to s. 916.13, s. |
195 | 916.15, or s. 916.302. this chapter and: |
196 | (a) Who has been determined to need treatment for a mental |
197 | illness or training for retardation or autism; |
198 | (b) Who has been found incompetent to proceed on a felony |
199 | offense or has been acquitted of a felony offense by reason of |
200 | insanity; |
201 | (c) Who has been determined by the department to: |
202 | 1. Be dangerous to himself or herself or others; or |
203 | 2. Present a clear and present potential to escape; and |
204 | (d) Who is an adult or a juvenile prosecuted as an adult. |
205 | (10)(8) "Forensic facility" means a separate and secure |
206 | facility established within the department or agency to serve |
207 | forensic clients. A Such separate and secure facility means a |
208 | facilities shall be security-grade building for the purpose of |
209 | separately housing persons who have mental illness from persons |
210 | with retardation or autism and separately housing persons who |
211 | have been involuntarily committed pursuant to this chapter from |
212 | nonforensic residents buildings located on grounds distinct in |
213 | location from other facilities for persons who are mentally ill. |
214 | The Florida State Hospital shall not be required to maintain |
215 | separate facilities for mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
216 | defendants who are found incompetent to proceed or who are |
217 | acquitted of a criminal offense by reason of insanity. |
218 | (11)(9) "Incompetent to proceed" means unable to proceed |
219 | at any material stage of a criminal proceeding, which shall |
220 | include trial of the case, pretrial hearings involving questions |
221 | of fact on which the defendant might be expected to testify, |
222 | entry of a plea, proceedings for violation of probation or |
223 | violation of community control, sentencing, and hearings on |
224 | issues regarding a defendant's failure to comply with court |
225 | orders or conditions or other matters in which the mental |
226 | competence of the defendant is necessary for a just resolution |
227 | of the issues being considered. |
228 | (12)(10) "Institutional security personnel" means the |
229 | staff of forensic facilities members who meet or exceed the |
230 | requirements of s. 943.13 and who are responsible for providing |
231 | security, protecting for protection of clients and personnel, |
232 | enforcing for the enforcement of rules, preventing and |
233 | investigating for prevention and investigation of unauthorized |
234 | activities, and for safeguarding the interests of citizens in |
235 | the surrounding communities. |
236 | (13)(11) "Mental illness" means an impairment of the |
237 | emotional processes that exercise conscious control of one's |
238 | actions, or of the ability to perceive or understand reality, |
239 | which impairment substantially interferes with a defendant's |
240 | ability to meet the ordinary demands of living. For the purposes |
241 | of this chapter, the term does not apply to defendants with only |
242 | mental retardation or autism who are solely retarded or |
243 | autistic, and does not include intoxication or conditions |
244 | manifested only by antisocial behavior or substance abuse |
245 | impairment. |
246 | (14) "Restraint" means a physical device, method, or drug |
247 | used to control dangerous behavior. |
248 | (a) A physical restraint is any manual method or physical |
249 | or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or |
250 | adjacent to a person's body so that he or she cannot easily |
251 | remove the restraint and that restricts freedom of movement or |
252 | normal access to one's body. |
253 | (b) A drug used as a restraint is a medication used to |
254 | control the person's behavior or to restrict his or her freedom |
255 | of movement and not part of the standard treatment regimen of |
256 | the person with a diagnosed mental illness who is a client of |
257 | the department. Physically holding a person during a procedure |
258 | to forcibly administer psychotropic medication is a physical |
259 | restraint. |
260 | (c) Restraint does not include physical devices, such as |
261 | orthopedically prescribed appliances, surgical dressings and |
262 | bandages, supportive body bands, or other physical holding when |
263 | necessary for routine physical examinations and tests; for |
264 | purposes of orthopedic, surgical, or other similar medical |
265 | treatment; when used to provide support for the achievement of |
266 | functional body position or proper balance; or when used to |
267 | protect a person from falling out of bed. |
268 | (15)(12) "Retardation" has the same meaning as in s. |
269 | 393.063. means significantly subaverage general intellectual |
270 | functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive |
271 | behavior and manifested during the period from conception to age |
272 | 18. "Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning," |
273 | for the purpose of this definition, means performance which is |
274 | two or more standard deviations from the mean score on a |
275 | standardized intelligence test specified in the rules of the |
276 | department. "Adaptive behavior," for the purpose of this |
277 | definition, means the effectiveness or degree with which an |
278 | individual meets the standards of personal independence and |
279 | social responsibility expected of the individual's age, cultural |
280 | group, and community. |
281 | (16) "Seclusion" means the physical segregation of a |
282 | person in any fashion or the involuntary isolation of a person |
283 | in a room or area from which the person is prevented from |
284 | leaving. The prevention may be by physical barrier or by a staff |
285 | member who is acting in a manner, or who is physically situated, |
286 | so as to prevent the person from leaving the room or area. For |
287 | purposes of this chapter, the term does not mean isolation due |
288 | to a person's medical condition or symptoms, the confinement in |
289 | a forensic facility to a bedroom or area during normal hours of |
290 | sleep when there is not an active order for seclusion, or during |
291 | an emergency such as a riot or hostage situation when clients |
292 | may be temporarily placed in their rooms for their own safety. |
293 | (17)(13) "Social service professional," for the purposes |
294 | of part III, means a person whose minimum qualifications include |
295 | a bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of social work, |
296 | clinical practice, special education, habilitation, or |
297 | equivalent experience working directly with persons with |
298 | retardation, autism, or other developmental disabilities. |
299 | Section 3. Section 916.107, Florida Statutes, is amended |
300 | to read: |
301 | 916.107 Rights of forensic clients.-- |
302 | (1) RIGHT TO INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY.-- |
303 | (a) The policy of the state is that the individual dignity |
304 | of the client shall be respected at all times and upon all |
305 | occasions, including any occasion when the forensic client is |
306 | detained, transported, or treated. Clients with mental illness, |
307 | retardation, or autism Defendants who are mentally ill, |
308 | retarded, or autistic and who are charged with committing |
309 | felonies shall receive appropriate treatment or training. In a |
310 | criminal case involving a client defendant who has been |
311 | adjudicated incompetent to proceed or not guilty by reason of |
312 | insanity, a jail may be used as an emergency facility for up to |
313 | 15 days following from the date the department or agency |
314 | receives a completed copy of the court commitment order |
315 | containing all the documentation required by the applicable |
316 | Rules 3.212 and 3.217, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. For |
317 | a forensic client defendant who is mentally ill, retarded, or |
318 | autistic, who is held in a jail awaiting admission to a facility |
319 | of the department or agency, and who has been adjudicated |
320 | incompetent to proceed or not guilty by reason of insanity, |
321 | evaluation and treatment or training may shall be provided in |
322 | the jail by the local community mental health provider public |
323 | receiving facility for mental health services, or by the |
324 | developmental disabilities services program for persons with |
325 | retardation or autism, the client's physician or psychologist, |
326 | or any other appropriate program until the client is transferred |
327 | to a civil or forensic facility the custody of the department. |
328 | (b) Forensic clients Mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
329 | defendants who are committed to the department pursuant to this |
330 | chapter and who are initially placed in, or subsequently |
331 | transferred to, a civil facility as described in part I of |
332 | chapter 394 or to a residential facility as described in chapter |
333 | 393 shall have the same rights as other persons committed to |
334 | these facilities for as long as they remain there. |
335 | (2) RIGHT TO TREATMENT.-- |
336 | (a) The policy of the state is that neither the department |
337 | nor the agency shall not deny treatment or training to any |
338 | client and that no services shall be delayed at a facility |
339 | because the forensic client is indigent pursuant to s. 27.52 and |
340 | presently unable to pay. However, every reasonable effort to |
341 | collect appropriate reimbursement for the cost of providing |
342 | services to clients able to pay for the services, including |
343 | reimbursement from insurance or other third-party payments, |
344 | shall be made by facilities providing services pursuant to this |
345 | chapter and in accordance with the provisions of s. 402.33. |
346 | (b) Each forensic client shall be given, at the time of |
347 | admission and at regular intervals thereafter, a physical |
348 | examination, which shall include screening for communicable |
349 | disease by a health practitioner authorized by law to give such |
350 | screenings and examinations. |
351 | (c) Every forensic client committed pursuant to this act |
352 | shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in activities |
353 | designed to enhance self-image and the beneficial effects of |
354 | other treatments or training, as determined by the facility. |
355 | (d) Not more than 30 days after admission, each client |
356 | shall have and receive, in writing, an individualized treatment |
357 | or training plan which the client has had an opportunity to |
358 | assist in preparing. |
359 | (3) RIGHT TO EXPRESS AND INFORMED CONSENT.-- |
360 | (a) A forensic client committed to the department pursuant |
361 | to this act shall be asked to give express and informed written |
362 | consent for treatment. If a client in a forensic facility |
363 | refuses such treatment as is deemed necessary and essential by |
364 | the client's multidisciplinary treatment team at the forensic |
365 | facility for the appropriate care of the client and the safety |
366 | of the client or others, such treatment may be provided under |
367 | the following circumstances: |
368 | 1. In an emergency situation in which there is immediate |
369 | danger to the safety of the client or others, such treatment may |
370 | be provided upon the written order of a physician for a period |
371 | not to exceed 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays. |
372 | If, after the 48-hour period, the client has not given express |
373 | and informed consent to the treatment initially refused, the |
374 | administrator or designee of the civil or forensic facility |
375 | shall, within 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, |
376 | petition the committing court or the circuit court serving the |
377 | county in which the facility is located, at the option of the |
378 | facility administrator or designee, for an order authorizing the |
379 | continued treatment of the client. In the interim, the need for |
380 | treatment shall be reviewed every 48 hours and may be continued |
381 | without the consent of the client upon the continued written |
382 | order of a physician who has determined that the emergency |
383 | situation continues to present a danger to the safety of the |
384 | client or others. |
385 | 2. In a situation other than an emergency situation, the |
386 | administrator or designee of the forensic facility shall |
387 | petition the court for an order authorizing necessary and |
388 | essential the treatment for to the client. The order shall allow |
389 | such treatment for a period not to exceed 90 days following from |
390 | the date of the entry of the order. Unless the court is notified |
391 | in writing that the client has provided express and informed |
392 | consent in writing or that the client has been discharged by the |
393 | committing court, the administrator or designee shall, prior to |
394 | the expiration of the initial 90-day order, petition the court |
395 | for an order authorizing the continuation of treatment for |
396 | another 90-day period. This procedure shall be repeated until |
397 | the client provides consent or is discharged by the committing |
398 | court. |
399 | 3. At the hearing on the issue of whether the court should |
400 | enter an order authorizing treatment for which a client was |
401 | unable to or has refused to give express and informed consent, |
402 | the court shall determine by clear and convincing evidence that |
403 | the client has mental illness, retardation, or autism is |
404 | mentally ill, retarded, or autistic as defined in this chapter, |
405 | that the treatment not consented to is essential to the care of |
406 | the client, and that the treatment not consented to is not |
407 | experimental and does not present an unreasonable risk of |
408 | serious, hazardous, or irreversible side effects. In arriving at |
409 | the substitute judgment decision, the court must consider at |
410 | least the following factors: |
411 | a. The client's expressed preference regarding treatment; |
412 | b. The probability of adverse side effects; |
413 | c. The prognosis without treatment; and |
414 | d. The prognosis with treatment. |
415 |
|
416 | The hearing shall be as convenient to the client as may be |
417 | consistent with orderly procedure and shall be conducted in |
418 | physical settings not likely to be injurious to the client's |
419 | condition. The court may appoint a general or special magistrate |
420 | to preside at the hearing. The client or the client's guardian, |
421 | and the representative, shall be provided with a copy of the |
422 | petition and the date, time, and location of the hearing. The |
423 | client has the right to have an attorney represent him or her at |
424 | the hearing, and, if the client is indigent, the court shall |
425 | appoint the office of the public defender to represent the |
426 | client at the hearing. The client may testify or not, as he or |
427 | she chooses, and has the right to cross-examine witnesses and |
428 | may present his or her own witnesses. |
429 | (b) In addition to the provisions of paragraph (a), in the |
430 | case of surgical procedures requiring the use of a general |
431 | anesthetic or electroconvulsive treatment or nonpsychiatric |
432 | medical procedures, and prior to performing the procedure, |
433 | written permission shall be obtained from the client, if the |
434 | client is legally competent, from the parent or guardian of a |
435 | minor client, or from the guardian of an incompetent client. The |
436 | administrator or designee of the forensic facility or a |
437 | designated representative may, with the concurrence of the |
438 | client's attending physician, authorize emergency surgical or |
439 | nonpsychiatric medical treatment if such treatment is deemed |
440 | lifesaving or for a situation threatening serious bodily harm to |
441 | the client and permission of the client or the client's guardian |
442 | could not cannot be obtained before provision of the needed |
443 | treatment. |
444 | (4) QUALITY OF TREATMENT.-- |
445 | (a) Each forensic client committed pursuant to this |
446 | chapter shall receive treatment or training suited to the |
447 | client's needs, which shall be administered skillfully, safely, |
448 | and humanely with full respect for the client's dignity and |
449 | personal integrity. Each client shall receive such medical, |
450 | vocational, social, educational, and rehabilitative services as |
451 | the client's condition requires to bring about a return to court |
452 | for disposition of charges or a return to the community. In |
453 | order to achieve this goal, the department and the agency shall |
454 | coordinate their services with each other, the Department of |
455 | Corrections, is directed to coordinate the services of the |
456 | Mental Health Program Office and the Developmental Disabilities |
457 | Program Office with all other programs of the department and |
458 | other appropriate state agencies. |
459 | (b) Forensic clients shall be free from the unnecessary |
460 | use of restraint or seclusion. Restraints shall be employed only |
461 | in emergencies or to protect the client or others from imminent |
462 | injury. Restraints may not be employed as punishment or for the |
463 | convenience of staff. |
464 | (5) COMMUNICATION, ABUSE REPORTING, AND VISITS.-- |
465 | (a) Each forensic client committed pursuant to the |
466 | provisions of this chapter has the right to communicate freely |
467 | and privately with persons outside the facility unless it is |
468 | determined that such communication is likely to be harmful to |
469 | the client or others. Clients shall have the right to contact |
470 | and to receive communication from their attorneys at any |
471 | reasonable time. |
472 | (a)(b) Each forensic client committed under the provisions |
473 | of this chapter shall be allowed to receive, send, and mail |
474 | sealed, unopened correspondence; and no client's incoming or |
475 | outgoing correspondence shall be opened, delayed, held, or |
476 | censored by the facility unless there is reason to believe that |
477 | it contains items or substances that which may be harmful to the |
478 | client or others, in which case the administrator or designee |
479 | may direct reasonable examination of such mail and may regulate |
480 | the disposition of such items or substances. For purposes of |
481 | this paragraph, the term "correspondence" does shall not include |
482 | parcels or packages. Forensic facilities may are authorized to |
483 | promulgate reasonable institutional policies to provide for the |
484 | inspection of parcels or packages and for the removal of |
485 | contraband items for health or security reasons prior to the |
486 | contents being given to a client. |
487 | (b)(c) If a client's right to communicate is restricted by |
488 | the administrator, written notice of such restriction and the |
489 | duration of the restriction shall be served on the client or his |
490 | or her legal guardian or representatives, and such restriction |
491 | shall be recorded on the client's clinical record with the |
492 | reasons therefor. The restriction of a client's right to |
493 | communicate shall be reviewed at least every 7 days. |
494 | (c)(d) Each forensic facility shall establish reasonable |
495 | institutional policies governing visitors, visiting hours, and |
496 | the use of telephones by clients in the least restrictive manner |
497 | possible. |
498 | (d)(e) Each forensic client committed pursuant to this |
499 | chapter shall have ready access to a telephone in order to |
500 | report an alleged abuse. The facility or program staff shall |
501 | orally and in writing inform each client of the procedure for |
502 | reporting abuse and shall present the information in a language |
503 | the client understands. A written copy of that procedure, |
504 | including the telephone number of the central abuse hotline and |
505 | reporting forms, shall be posted in plain view. |
506 | (e)(f) The department's or agency's forensic facilities |
507 | shall develop policies providing a procedure for reporting |
508 | abuse. Facility staff shall be required, as a condition of |
509 | employment, to become familiar with the procedures for the |
510 | reporting of abuse. |
511 | (6) CARE AND CUSTODY OF PERSONAL EFFECTS OF CLIENTS.--A |
512 | forensic client's right to possession of clothing and personal |
513 | effects shall be respected. The department or agency by rule, or |
514 | the administrator of any forensic facility by written |
515 | institutional policy, may declare certain items to be hazardous |
516 | to the health or welfare of clients or others or to the |
517 | operation of the facility. Such items may be restricted from |
518 | introduction into the facility or may be restricted from being |
519 | in a client's possession. The administrator or designee may take |
520 | temporary custody of such effects when required for medical and |
521 | safety reasons. Custody of such personal effects shall be |
522 | recorded in the client's clinical record. |
523 | (7) VOTING IN PUBLIC ELECTIONS.--A forensic client |
524 | committed pursuant to this chapter who is eligible to vote |
525 | according to the laws of the state has the right to vote in the |
526 | primary and general elections. The department and agency shall |
527 | establish rules to enable clients to obtain voter registration |
528 | forms, applications for absentee ballots, and absentee ballots. |
529 | (8) CLINICAL RECORD; CONFIDENTIALITY.--A clinical record |
530 | for each forensic client shall be maintained. The record shall |
531 | include data pertaining to admission and such other information |
532 | as may be required under rules of the department or the agency. |
533 | Unless waived by express and informed consent of the client or |
534 | the client's legal guardian or, if the client is deceased, by |
535 | the client's personal representative or by that family member |
536 | who stands next in line of intestate succession or except as |
537 | otherwise provided in this subsection, the clinical record is |
538 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
539 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. |
540 | (a) Such clinical record may be released: |
541 | 1. To such persons and agencies as are designated by the |
542 | client or the client's legal guardian. |
543 | 2. To persons authorized by order of court and to the |
544 | client's counsel when the records are needed by the counsel for |
545 | adequate representation. |
546 | 3. To a qualified researcher, as defined by rule; a staff |
547 | member of the facility; or an employee of the department or |
548 | agency when the administrator of the facility, or secretary or |
549 | director of the department or agency, deems it necessary for |
550 | treatment of the client, maintenance of adequate records, |
551 | compilation of treatment data, or evaluation of programs. |
552 | 4. For statistical and research purposes if the |
553 | information is abstracted in such a way as to protect the |
554 | identity of individuals. |
555 | 5. If a client receiving services pursuant to this chapter |
556 | has declared an intention to harm other persons. When such a |
557 | declaration has been made, the administrator shall authorize the |
558 | release of sufficient information to provide adequate warning to |
559 | the person threatened with harm by the client, and to the |
560 | committing court, the state attorney, and the attorney |
561 | representing the client. |
562 | 6. To the parent or next of kin of a client mentally ill, |
563 | retarded, or autistic person who is committed to, or is being |
564 | served by, a facility or program when such information is |
565 | limited to that person's service plan and current physical and |
566 | mental condition. Release of such information shall be in |
567 | accordance with the code of ethics of the profession involved |
568 | and must comply with all state and federal laws and regulations |
569 | pertaining to the release of personal health information. |
570 | (b) Notwithstanding other provisions of this subsection, |
571 | the department or agency may request or receive from or provide |
572 | to any of the following entities client information to |
573 | facilitate treatment, habilitation, rehabilitation, and |
574 | continuity of care of any forensic client: |
575 | 1. The Social Security Administration and the United |
576 | States Department of Veterans Affairs; |
577 | 2. Law enforcement agencies, state attorneys, defense |
578 | attorneys, and judges in regard to the client's status; |
579 | 3. Jail personnel in the jail in to which a client may be |
580 | housed returned; and |
581 | 4. Community agencies and others expected to provide |
582 | followup care to the client upon the client's return to the |
583 | community. |
584 | (c) The department or agency may provide notice to any |
585 | client's next of kin or first representative regarding any |
586 | serious medical illness or the death of the client. |
587 | (d)1. Any law enforcement agency, facility, or other |
588 | governmental agency that receives information pursuant to this |
589 | subsection shall maintain the confidentiality of such |
590 | information except as otherwise provided herein. |
591 | 2. Any agency or private practitioner who acts in good |
592 | faith in releasing information pursuant to this subsection is |
593 | not subject to civil or criminal liability for such release. |
594 | (9) HABEAS CORPUS.-- |
595 | (a) At any time, and without notice, a forensic client |
596 | detained by a facility, or a relative, friend, guardian, |
597 | representative, or attorney on behalf of such client, may |
598 | petition for a writ of habeas corpus to question the cause and |
599 | legality of such detention and request that the committing court |
600 | issue a writ for release. Each client committed pursuant to this |
601 | chapter shall receive a written notice of the right to petition |
602 | for a writ of habeas corpus. |
603 | (b) A client or his or her legal guardian or |
604 | representatives or attorney may file a petition in the circuit |
605 | court in the county where the client is committed alleging that |
606 | the client is being unjustly denied a right or privilege granted |
607 | herein or that a procedure authorized herein is being abused. |
608 | Upon the filing of such a petition, the circuit court shall have |
609 | the authority to conduct a judicial inquiry and to issue any |
610 | appropriate order to correct an abuse of the provisions of this |
611 | chapter. |
612 | (10) TRANSPORTATION.-- |
613 | (a) The sheriff shall consult with the governing board of |
614 | the county as to the most appropriate and cost-effective means |
615 | of transportation for forensic clients who have been committed |
616 | for treatment or training. Such consultation shall include, but |
617 | is not limited to, consideration of the cost to the county of |
618 | transportation performed by sheriff's department personnel as |
619 | opposed to transportation performed by other means and, if |
620 | sheriff's department personnel are to be used for |
621 | transportation, the effect such use will have, if any, on |
622 | service delivery levels of the sheriff's road patrol. After such |
623 | consultation with the governing board of the county, the sheriff |
624 | shall determine the most appropriate and cost-effective means of |
625 | transportation for forensic clients committed for treatment or |
626 | training. |
627 | (b) The governing board of each county is authorized to |
628 | contract with private transport companies for the transportation |
629 | of such clients to and from a facility. |
630 | (c) Any company that transports a client pursuant to this |
631 | section is considered an independent contractor and is solely |
632 | liable for the safe and dignified transportation of the client. |
633 | Any transport company that contracts with the governing board of |
634 | a county for the transport of clients as provided for in this |
635 | section shall be insured and provide no less than $100,000 in |
636 | liability insurance with respect to the transportation of the |
637 | clients. |
638 | (d) Any company that contracts with a governing board of a |
639 | county to transport clients shall comply with the applicable |
640 | rules of the department or agency to ensure the safety and |
641 | dignity of the clients. |
642 | (11) LIABILITY FOR VIOLATIONS.--Any person who violates or |
643 | abuses any rights or privileges of a forensic client in the |
644 | custody of the department or agency that are provided under this |
645 | chapter shall be by this act is liable for damages as determined |
646 | by law. Any person who acts in good faith in complying with the |
647 | provisions of this chapter act is immune from civil or criminal |
648 | liability for his or her actions in connection with the |
649 | admission, diagnosis, treatment, training, or discharge of a |
650 | client to or from a facility. However, this subsection does not |
651 | relieve any person from liability if he or she is negligent. |
652 | Section 4. Subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of |
653 | section 916.1075, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
654 | 916.1075 Sexual misconduct prohibited; reporting required; |
655 | penalties.-- |
656 | (1) As used in this section, the term: |
657 | (a) "Covered person" means an employee," includes any paid |
658 | staff member, volunteer, or intern of the department or agency; |
659 | any person under contract with the department or agency; and any |
660 | person providing care or support to a forensic client on behalf |
661 | of the department, the agency, or their its providers. |
662 | (b) "Sexual activity" means: |
663 | 1. Fondling the genital area, groin, inner thighs, |
664 | buttocks, or breasts of a person. |
665 | 2. The oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by or union with |
666 | the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration |
667 | of another by any other object. |
668 | 3. Intentionally touching in a lewd or lascivious manner |
669 | the breasts, genitals, the genital area, or buttocks, or the |
670 | clothing covering them, of a person, or forcing or enticing a |
671 | person to touch the perpetrator. |
672 | 4. Intentionally masturbating in the presence of another |
673 | person. |
674 | 5. Intentionally exposing the genitals in a lewd or |
675 | lascivious manner in the presence of another person. |
676 | 6. Intentionally committing any other sexual act that does |
677 | not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the victim, |
678 | including, but not limited to, sadomasochistic abuse, sexual |
679 | bestiality, or the simulation of any act involving sexual |
680 | activity in the presence of a victim. |
681 | (c) "Sexual misconduct" means any sexual activity between |
682 | a covered person an employee and a forensic client in the |
683 | custody of the department or agency, regardless of the consent |
684 | of the client. The term does not include an act done for a bona |
685 | fide medical purpose or an internal search conducted in the |
686 | lawful performance of duty by a covered person an employee. |
687 | (2) A covered person An employee who engages in sexual |
688 | misconduct with a forensic client who resides in a civil or |
689 | forensic facility commits a felony of the second degree, |
690 | punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. |
691 | Such person An employee may be found guilty of violating this |
692 | subsection without having committed the crime of sexual battery. |
693 | (3) The consent of a forensic the client to sexual |
694 | activity is not a defense to prosecution under this section. |
695 | (4) This section does not apply to a covered person an |
696 | employee who: |
697 | (a) Is legally married to the client; or |
698 | (b) Has no reason to believe that the person with whom the |
699 | covered person employee engaged in sexual misconduct is a client |
700 | receiving services as described in subsection (2). |
701 | (5) A covered person An employee who witnesses sexual |
702 | misconduct, or who otherwise knows or has reasonable cause to |
703 | suspect that a person has engaged in sexual misconduct, shall |
704 | immediately report the incident to the department's central |
705 | abuse hotline and to the appropriate local law enforcement |
706 | agency. The covered person Such employee shall also prepare, |
707 | date, and sign an independent report that specifically describes |
708 | the nature of the sexual misconduct, the location and time of |
709 | the incident, and the persons involved. For an allegation |
710 | pertaining to a forensic client committed to the department or |
711 | agency, the covered person employee shall deliver the report |
712 | directly to the department's or agency's inspector general, as |
713 | appropriate, or to the supervisor or program director, who shall |
714 | provide copies to the department's or agency's is responsible |
715 | for providing copies to the department's inspector general. The |
716 | inspector general shall immediately conduct an appropriate |
717 | administrative investigation, and, if there is probable cause to |
718 | believe that sexual misconduct has occurred, the inspector |
719 | general shall notify the state attorney in the circuit in which |
720 | the incident occurred. |
721 | Section 5. Section 916.1081, Florida Statutes, is amended |
722 | to read: |
723 | 916.1081 Escape from program; penalty.-- |
724 | (1) A forensic client who is A defendant involuntarily |
725 | committed to the department or agency, who is in the custody of |
726 | the department or agency, and under the provisions of this |
727 | chapter who escapes or attempts to escape from a civil or |
728 | forensic facility or program commits a felony of the second |
729 | degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. |
730 | 775.084. |
731 | (2) A person who is involuntarily committed to the |
732 | department or the agency, who is in the custody of the |
733 | Department of Corrections, and who escapes or attempts to escape |
734 | from a facility or program commits a felony of the second |
735 | degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. |
736 | 775.084. Any punishment of imprisonment imposed under this |
737 | subsection shall run consecutive to any former sentence imposed |
738 | upon the person. |
739 | Section 6. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection |
740 | (2) of section 916.1085, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
741 | 916.1085 Introduction or removal of certain articles |
742 | unlawful; penalty.-- |
743 | (1)(a) Except as authorized by law or as specifically |
744 | authorized by the person in charge of a facility, it is unlawful |
745 | to introduce into or upon the grounds of any facility under the |
746 | supervision or control of the department or agency, or to take |
747 | or attempt to take or send therefrom, any of the following |
748 | articles, which are hereby declared to be contraband for the |
749 | purposes of this section: |
750 | 1. Any intoxicating beverage or beverage which causes or |
751 | may cause an intoxicating effect; |
752 | 2. Any controlled substance as defined in chapter 893; |
753 | 3. Any firearm or deadly weapon; or |
754 | 4. Any other item as determined by the department or the |
755 | agency, and as designated by departmental rule or by the |
756 | administrator of any facility, and designated by written |
757 | institutional policies, to be hazardous to the welfare of |
758 | clients patients or the operation of the facility. |
759 | (b) It is unlawful to transmit to, attempt to transmit to, |
760 | or cause or attempt to cause to be transmitted to or received by |
761 | any client of any facility under the supervision or control of |
762 | the department or agency any article or thing declared by this |
763 | section to be contraband, at any place that which is outside of |
764 | the grounds of such facility, except as authorized by law or as |
765 | specifically authorized by the person in charge of such |
766 | facility. |
767 | (2) |
768 | (b) These provisions shall be enforced by institutional |
769 | security personnel as defined in s. 916.106(10) or by a law |
770 | enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10. |
771 | Section 7. Section 916.1091, Florida Statutes, is amended |
772 | to read: |
773 | 916.1091 Duties, functions, and powers of institutional |
774 | security personnel.--In case of emergency, and when necessary to |
775 | provide protection and security to any client, to the personnel, |
776 | equipment, buildings, or grounds of a department or agency |
777 | facility, or to citizens in the surrounding community, |
778 | institutional security personnel may, when authorized by the |
779 | administrator of the facility or her or his designee when the |
780 | administrator is not present, use a chemical weapon against a |
781 | patient housed in a forensic facility. However, such weapon |
782 | shall be used only to the extent necessary to provide such |
783 | protection and security. Under no circumstances shall any such |
784 | officer carry a chemical weapon on her or his person except |
785 | during the period of the emergency for which its use was |
786 | authorized. All chemical weapons shall be placed in secure |
787 | storage when their use is not authorized as provided in this |
788 | section. |
789 | Section 8. Section 916.1093, Florida Statutes, is amended |
790 | to read: |
791 | 916.1093 Operation and administration; rules.-- |
792 | (1) The department or agency may is authorized to enter |
793 | into contracts and do such things as may be necessary and |
794 | incidental to assure compliance with and to carry out the |
795 | provisions of this chapter in accordance with the stated |
796 | legislative intent. |
797 | (2) The department and agency are authorized has authority |
798 | to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to |
799 | implement the provisions of this chapter. Such rules must |
800 | address the use of restraint and seclusion in forensic |
801 | facilities and must be consistent with recognized best |
802 | practices; prohibit inherently dangerous restraint or seclusion |
803 | procedures; establish limitations on the use and duration of |
804 | restraint and seclusion; establish measures to ensure the safety |
805 | of clients and staff during an incident of restraint or |
806 | seclusion; establish procedures for staff to follow before, |
807 | during, and after incidents of restraint or seclusion; establish |
808 | professional qualifications of and training for staff who may |
809 | order or be engaged in the use of restraint or seclusion; |
810 | provide data reporting and data collection procedures relating |
811 | to the use of restraint and seclusion; and provide for the |
812 | documentation of the use of restraint or seclusion in the |
813 | client's facility record. |
814 | Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 916.111, Florida |
815 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
816 | 916.111 Training of mental health experts.--The evaluation |
817 | of defendants for competency to proceed or for sanity at the |
818 | time of the commission of the offense shall be conducted in such |
819 | a way as to ensure uniform application of the criteria |
820 | enumerated in Rules 3.210 and 3.216, Florida Rules of Criminal |
821 | Procedure. The department shall develop, and may contract with |
822 | accredited institutions: |
823 | (1) To provide: |
824 | (a) A plan for training community mental health |
825 | professionals to perform forensic evaluations and to standardize |
826 | the criteria and procedures to be used in these evaluations; |
827 | (b) Clinical protocols and procedures based upon the |
828 | criteria of Rules 3.210 and 3.216, Florida Rules of Criminal |
829 | Procedure; and |
830 | (c) Training for community mental health professionals in |
831 | the application of these protocols and procedures in performing |
832 | forensic evaluations and providing reports to the courts; and |
833 | Section 10. Section 916.115, Florida Statutes, is amended |
834 | to read: |
835 | 916.115 Appointment of experts.-- |
836 | (1)(a) Annually, the department shall provide the courts |
837 | with a list of mental health professionals who have completed |
838 | approved training as experts. |
839 | (b) The court shall may appoint no more than three experts |
840 | to determine issues of the mental condition of a defendant in a |
841 | criminal case, including the issues of competency to proceed, |
842 | insanity, and involuntary hospitalization or placement, and |
843 | treatment. The experts An expert may evaluate the defendant in |
844 | jail or in another appropriate local facility or in a facility |
845 | of the Department of Corrections. |
846 | (a)(c) To the extent possible, the an appointed experts |
847 | expert shall have completed forensic evaluator training approved |
848 | by the department and each shall be either a psychiatrist, |
849 | licensed psychologist, or physician. |
850 | (b) The department shall maintain and annually provide the |
851 | courts with a list of available mental health professionals who |
852 | have completed the approved training as experts. |
853 | (2) Expert witnesses appointed by the court to evaluate |
854 | the mental condition of a defendant in a criminal case shall be |
855 | allowed reasonable fees for services rendered as evaluators of |
856 | competence or sanity and as witnesses. |
857 | (a)1. The court shall pay for any expert that it appoints |
858 | by court order, upon motion of counsel for the defendant or the |
859 | state or upon its own motion. If the defense or the state |
860 | retains an expert and waives the confidentiality of the expert's |
861 | report, the court may pay for no more than two additional |
862 | experts appointed by court order. If an expert appointed by the |
863 | court upon motion of counsel for the defendant specifically to |
864 | evaluate the competence of the defendant to proceed also |
865 | addresses in his or her evaluation issues related to sanity as |
866 | an affirmative defense, the court shall pay only for that |
867 | portion of the expert's fees relating to the evaluation on |
868 | competency to proceed, and the balance of the fees shall be |
869 | chargeable to the defense. |
870 | (a)2. Pursuant to s. 29.006, the office of the public |
871 | defender shall pay for any expert retained by the office. |
872 | (b)3. Pursuant to s. 29.005, the office of the state |
873 | attorney shall pay for any expert retained by the office and. |
874 | Notwithstanding subparagraph 1., the office of the state |
875 | attorney shall pay for any expert whom the office retains and |
876 | whom the office moves the court to appoint in order to ensure |
877 | that the expert has access to the defendant. |
878 | (c)4. An expert retained by the defendant who is |
879 | represented by private counsel appointed under s. 27.5303 shall |
880 | be paid by the Justice Administrative Commission. |
881 | (d)5. An expert retained by a defendant who is indigent |
882 | for costs as determined by the court and who is represented by |
883 | private counsel, other than private counsel appointed under s. |
884 | 27.5303, on a fee or pro bono basis, or who is representing |
885 | himself or herself, shall be paid by the Justice Administrative |
886 | Commission from funds specifically appropriated for these |
887 | expenses. |
888 | (e)(b) State employees shall be reimbursed for paid |
889 | expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. |
890 | (f)(c) The fees shall be taxed as costs in the case. |
891 | (g)(d) In order for an expert to be paid for the services |
892 | rendered, the expert's report and testimony must explicitly |
893 | address each of the factors and follow the procedures set out in |
894 | this chapter and in the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
895 | Section 11. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section |
896 | 916.12, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
897 | 916.12 Mental competence to proceed.-- |
898 | (1) A defendant is incompetent to proceed within the |
899 | meaning of this chapter if the defendant does not have |
900 | sufficient present ability to consult with her or his lawyer |
901 | with a reasonable degree of rational understanding or if the |
902 | defendant has no rational, as well as factual, understanding of |
903 | the proceedings against her or him. |
904 | (2) Mental health experts appointed pursuant to s. 916.115 |
905 | An expert shall first determine whether the defendant has a |
906 | mental illness person is mentally ill and, if so, consider the |
907 | factors related to the issue of whether the defendant meets the |
908 | criteria for competence to proceed as described in subsection |
909 | (1); that is, whether the defendant has sufficient present |
910 | ability to consult with counsel with a reasonable degree of |
911 | rational understanding and whether the defendant has a rational, |
912 | as well as factual, understanding of the pending proceedings. A |
913 | defendant must be evaluated by no fewer than two experts before |
914 | the court commits the defendant or takes other action authorized |
915 | by this chapter or the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, |
916 | except if one expert finds that the defendant is incompetent to |
917 | proceed and the parties stipulate to that finding, the court may |
918 | commit the defendant or take other action authorized by this |
919 | chapter or the rules without further evaluation or hearing, or |
920 | the court may appoint no more than two additional experts to |
921 | evaluate the defendant. Notwithstanding any stipulation by the |
922 | state and the defendant, the court may require a hearing with |
923 | testimony from the expert or experts before ordering the |
924 | commitment of a defendant. |
925 | (3) In considering the issue of competence to proceed, an |
926 | examining expert shall first consider and specifically include |
927 | in his or her report the defendant's capacity to: |
928 | (a) Appreciate the charges or allegations against the |
929 | defendant.; |
930 | (b) Appreciate the range and nature of possible penalties, |
931 | if applicable, that may be imposed in the proceedings against |
932 | the defendant.; |
933 | (c) Understand the adversarial nature of the legal |
934 | process.; |
935 | (d) Disclose to counsel facts pertinent to the proceedings |
936 | at issue.; |
937 | (e) Manifest appropriate courtroom behavior.; and |
938 | (f) Testify relevantly.; |
939 | (g) and include in his or her report Any other factor |
940 | deemed relevant by the expert. |
941 | Section 12. Section 916.13, Florida Statutes, is amended |
942 | to read: |
943 | 916.13 Involuntary commitment of defendant adjudicated |
944 | incompetent.-- |
945 | (1) Every defendant who is charged with a felony and who |
946 | is adjudicated incompetent to proceed, pursuant to the |
947 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, may be |
948 | involuntarily committed for treatment upon a finding by the |
949 | court of clear and convincing evidence that: |
950 | (a) The defendant has a mental illness is mentally ill and |
951 | because of the mental illness: |
952 | 1. The defendant is manifestly incapable of surviving |
953 | alone or with the help of willing and responsible family or |
954 | friends, including available alternative services, and, without |
955 | treatment, the defendant is likely to suffer from neglect or |
956 | refuse to care for herself or himself and such neglect or |
957 | refusal poses a real and present threat of substantial harm to |
958 | the defendant's well-being; or and |
959 | 2. There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
960 | future the defendant will inflict serious bodily harm on herself |
961 | or himself or another person, as evidenced by recent behavior |
962 | causing, attempting, or threatening such harm; |
963 | (b) All available, less restrictive treatment |
964 | alternatives, including treatment in community residential |
965 | facilities or community inpatient or outpatient settings, which |
966 | would offer an opportunity for improvement of the defendant's |
967 | condition have been judged to be inappropriate; and |
968 | (c) There is a substantial probability that the mental |
969 | illness causing the defendant's incompetence will respond to |
970 | treatment and the defendant will regain competency to proceed in |
971 | the reasonably foreseeable future. |
972 | (2) A defendant who has been charged with a felony and who |
973 | has been adjudicated incompetent to proceed due to mental |
974 | illness, and who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment |
975 | to the department under the provisions of this chapter, may be |
976 | committed to the department, and the department shall retain and |
977 | treat the defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
978 | admission and or at the end of any period of extended |
979 | commitment, or at any time the administrator or designee shall |
980 | have determined that the defendant has regained competency to |
981 | proceed or no longer meets the criteria for continued |
982 | commitment, the administrator or designee shall file a report |
983 | with the court pursuant to the applicable Florida Rules of |
984 | Criminal Procedure. |
985 | Section 13. Section 916.145, Florida Statutes, is amended |
986 | to read: |
987 | 916.145 Adjudication of incompetency due to mental |
988 | illness; Dismissal of charges.--The charges against any |
989 | defendant adjudicated incompetent to proceed due to the |
990 | defendant's mental illness shall be dismissed without prejudice |
991 | to the state if the defendant remains incompetent to proceed 5 |
992 | years after such determination, unless the court in its order |
993 | specifies its reasons for believing that the defendant will |
994 | become competent to proceed within the foreseeable future and |
995 | specifies the time within which the defendant is expected to |
996 | become competent to proceed. The charges against the defendant |
997 | are dismissed without prejudice to the state to refile the |
998 | charges should the defendant be declared competent to proceed in |
999 | the future. |
1000 | Section 14. Section 916.15, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1001 | to read: |
1002 | 916.15 Involuntary commitment of defendant adjudicated not |
1003 | guilty by reason of insanity.-- |
1004 | (1) The determination of whether a defendant is not guilty |
1005 | by reason of insanity shall be determined in accordance with |
1006 | Rule 3.217, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
1007 | (2)(1) A defendant who is acquitted of criminal charges |
1008 | because of a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity may be |
1009 | involuntarily committed pursuant to such finding if the |
1010 | defendant has a mental illness is mentally ill and, because of |
1011 | the illness, is manifestly dangerous to himself or herself or |
1012 | others. |
1013 | (3)(2) Every defendant acquitted of criminal charges by |
1014 | reason of insanity and found to meet the criteria for |
1015 | involuntary commitment may be committed and treated in |
1016 | accordance with the provisions of this section and the |
1017 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. The department |
1018 | shall admit a defendant so adjudicated to an appropriate |
1019 | facility or program for treatment and shall retain and treat |
1020 | such defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
1021 | admission, prior to the end of any period of extended |
1022 | commitment, or at any time the administrator or designee shall |
1023 | have determined that the defendant no longer meets the criteria |
1024 | for continued commitment placement, the administrator or |
1025 | designee shall file a report with the court pursuant to the |
1026 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
1027 | (4)(3) In all proceedings under this section subsection, |
1028 | both the defendant and the state shall have the right to a |
1029 | hearing before the committing court. Evidence at such hearing |
1030 | may be presented by the hospital administrator or the |
1031 | administrator's designee as well as by the state and the |
1032 | defendant. The defendant shall have the right to counsel at any |
1033 | such hearing. In the event that a defendant is determined to be |
1034 | indigent pursuant to s. 27.52, the public defender shall |
1035 | represent the defendant. The parties shall have access to the |
1036 | defendant's records at the treating facilities and may interview |
1037 | or depose personnel who have had contact with the defendant at |
1038 | the treating facilities. |
1039 | Section 15. Section 916.16, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1040 | to read: |
1041 | 916.16 Jurisdiction of committing court.-- |
1042 | (1) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction over in |
1043 | the case of any defendant involuntarily committed due to a |
1044 | determination of incompetency hospitalized as incompetent to |
1045 | proceed due to mental illness or because of a finding of not |
1046 | guilty by reason of insanity pursuant to this chapter. The No |
1047 | such defendant may not be released except by order of the |
1048 | committing court. An The administrative hearing examiner does |
1049 | not shall have no jurisdiction to determine issues of continuing |
1050 | commitment hospitalization or release of any defendant |
1051 | involuntarily committed admitted pursuant to this chapter. |
1052 | (2) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
1053 | case of any defendant placed on conditional release pursuant to |
1054 | s. 916.17. No Such defendant may not be released from the |
1055 | conditions of release except by order of the committing court. |
1056 | Section 16. Section 916.17, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1057 | to read: |
1058 | 916.17 Conditional release.-- |
1059 | (1) Except for an inmate currently serving a prison |
1060 | sentence, The committing court may order a conditional release |
1061 | of any defendant who has been found to be incompetent to proceed |
1062 | or not guilty by reason of insanity, based on an approved plan |
1063 | for providing appropriate outpatient care and treatment. the |
1064 | committing court may order a conditional release of any |
1065 | defendant in lieu of an involuntary commitment to a facility |
1066 | pursuant to s. 916.13 or s. 916.15 based upon an approved plan |
1067 | for providing appropriate outpatient care and treatment. Upon a |
1068 | recommendation that outpatient treatment of the defendant is |
1069 | appropriate, a written plan for outpatient treatment, including |
1070 | recommendations from qualified professionals, must be filed with |
1071 | the court, with copies to all parties. Such a plan may also be |
1072 | submitted by the defendant and filed with the court with copies |
1073 | to all parties. The plan shall include: |
1074 | (a) Special provisions for residential care or adequate |
1075 | supervision of the defendant. |
1076 | (b) Provisions for outpatient mental health services. |
1077 | (c) If appropriate, recommendations for auxiliary services |
1078 | such as vocational training, educational services, or special |
1079 | medical care. |
1080 |
|
1081 | In its order of conditional release, the court shall specify the |
1082 | conditions of release based upon the release plan and shall |
1083 | direct the appropriate agencies or persons to submit periodic |
1084 | reports to the court regarding the defendant's compliance with |
1085 | the conditions of the release and progress in treatment, with |
1086 | copies to all parties. |
1087 | (2) Upon the filing of an affidavit or statement under |
1088 | oath by any person that the defendant has failed to comply with |
1089 | the conditions of release, that the defendant's condition has |
1090 | deteriorated to the point that inpatient care is required, or |
1091 | that the release conditions should be modified, the court shall |
1092 | hold a hearing within 7 days after receipt of the affidavit or |
1093 | statement under oath. After the hearing, the court may modify |
1094 | the release conditions. The court may also order that the |
1095 | defendant be returned to the department if it is found, after |
1096 | the appointment and report of experts, that the person meets the |
1097 | criteria for involuntary commitment under s. 916.13 or s. 916.15 |
1098 | treatment. |
1099 | (3) If at any time it is determined after a hearing that |
1100 | the defendant who has been conditionally released under |
1101 | subsection (1) no longer requires court-supervised followup |
1102 | care, the court shall terminate its jurisdiction in the cause |
1103 | and discharge the defendant. |
1104 | Section 17. Section 916.301, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1105 | to read: |
1106 | 916.301 Appointment of experts.-- |
1107 | (1) All evaluations ordered by the court under this part |
1108 | must be conducted by qualified experts who have expertise in |
1109 | evaluating persons with retardation or autism. The agency |
1110 | department shall maintain and provide the courts annually with a |
1111 | list of available retardation and autism professionals who are |
1112 | appropriately licensed and qualified to perform evaluations of |
1113 | defendants alleged to be incompetent to proceed due to |
1114 | retardation or autism. The courts may use professionals from |
1115 | this list when appointing experts and ordering evaluations under |
1116 | this part for defendants suspected of being retarded or |
1117 | autistic. |
1118 | (2) If a defendant's suspected mental condition is |
1119 | retardation or autism, the court shall appoint the following: |
1120 | two experts, one of whom must be the developmental services |
1121 | program of the department, each of whom will evaluate whether |
1122 | the defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, |
1123 | if so, whether the defendant is competent to proceed. |
1124 | (a)(3) At least one, or at the request of any party, two |
1125 | experts the court may appoint one additional expert to evaluate |
1126 | the defendant. The expert appointed by the court will evaluate |
1127 | whether the defendant meets the definition of retardation or |
1128 | autism and, if so, whether the defendant is competent to |
1129 | proceed. |
1130 | (b)(4) The developmental services program shall select A |
1131 | psychologist selected by the agency who is licensed or |
1132 | authorized by law to practice in this state, with experience in |
1133 | evaluating persons suspected of having retardation or autism, |
1134 | and a social service professional, with experience in working |
1135 | with persons with retardation or autism to evaluate the |
1136 | defendant. |
1137 | 1.(a) The psychologist shall evaluate whether the |
1138 | defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, if |
1139 | so, whether the defendant is incompetent to proceed due to |
1140 | retardation or autism. |
1141 | 2.(b) The social service professional shall provide a |
1142 | social and developmental history of the defendant. |
1143 | (5) All evaluations ordered by the court must be from |
1144 | qualified experts with experience in evaluating persons with |
1145 | retardation or autism. |
1146 | (3)(6) The panel of experts may examine the defendant in |
1147 | jail, in another appropriate local facility, in a facility of |
1148 | the Department of Corrections, or on an outpatient basis. |
1149 | (4)(7) Experts Expert witnesses appointed by the court to |
1150 | evaluate the mental condition of a defendant in a criminal case |
1151 | shall be allowed reasonable fees for services rendered as |
1152 | evaluators and as witnesses, which shall be paid by the court. |
1153 | State employees shall be paid expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. |
1154 | The fees shall be taxed as costs in the case. In order for the |
1155 | experts to be paid for the services rendered, the reports and |
1156 | testimony must explicitly address each of the factors and follow |
1157 | the procedures set out in this chapter and in the Florida Rules |
1158 | of Criminal Procedure. |
1159 | Section 18. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section |
1160 | 916.3012, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
1161 | 916.3012 Mental competence to proceed.-- |
1162 | (1) A defendant whose suspected mental condition is |
1163 | retardation or autism is incompetent to proceed within the |
1164 | meaning of this chapter if the defendant does not have |
1165 | sufficient present ability to consult with the defendant's |
1166 | lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding or if |
1167 | the defendant has no rational, as well as factual, understanding |
1168 | of the proceedings against the defendant. |
1169 | (2) The Experts in retardation or autism appointed |
1170 | pursuant to s. 916.301 shall first consider whether the |
1171 | defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, if |
1172 | so, consider the factors related to the issue of whether the |
1173 | defendant meets the criteria for competence to proceed as |
1174 | described in subsection (1); that is, whether the defendant has |
1175 | sufficient present ability to consult with counsel with a |
1176 | reasonable degree of rational understanding and whether the |
1177 | defendant has a rational, as well as factual, understanding of |
1178 | the pending proceedings. |
1179 | (3) In considering the issue of competence to proceed, the |
1180 | examining experts shall first consider and specifically include |
1181 | in their report the defendant's capacity to: |
1182 | (a) Appreciate the charges or allegations against the |
1183 | defendant.; |
1184 | (b) Appreciate the range and nature of possible penalties, |
1185 | if applicable, that may be imposed in the proceedings against |
1186 | the defendant.; |
1187 | (c) Understand the adversarial nature of the legal |
1188 | process.; |
1189 | (d) Disclose to counsel facts pertinent to the proceedings |
1190 | at issue.; |
1191 | (e) Manifest appropriate courtroom behavior.; and |
1192 | (f) Testify relevantly.; |
1193 | (g) and include in their report Any other factor deemed |
1194 | relevant by the experts. |
1195 | Section 19. Section 916.302, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1196 | to read: |
1197 | 916.302 Involuntary commitment of defendant determined to |
1198 | be incompetent to proceed due to retardation or autism.-- |
1199 | (1) CRITERIA.--Every defendant who is charged with a |
1200 | felony and who is adjudicated found to be incompetent to proceed |
1201 | due to retardation or autism, pursuant to this chapter and the |
1202 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, may be |
1203 | involuntarily committed for training upon a finding by the court |
1204 | of clear and convincing evidence that: |
1205 | (a) The defendant has retardation or autism is retarded or |
1206 | autistic; |
1207 | (b) There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
1208 | future the defendant will inflict serious bodily harm on himself |
1209 | or herself or another person, as evidenced by recent behavior |
1210 | causing, attempting, or threatening such harm; |
1211 | (c) All available, less restrictive alternatives, |
1212 | including services provided in community residential facilities |
1213 | or other community settings, which would offer an opportunity |
1214 | for improvement of the condition have been judged to be |
1215 | inappropriate; and |
1216 | (d) There is a substantial probability that the |
1217 | retardation or autism causing the defendant's incompetence will |
1218 | respond to training and the defendant will regain competency to |
1219 | proceed in the reasonably foreseeable future. |
1220 | (2) ADMISSION TO A FACILITY.-- |
1221 | (a) A defendant who has been charged with a felony and who |
1222 | is found to be incompetent to proceed due to retardation or |
1223 | autism, and who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment to |
1224 | the agency department under the provisions of this chapter, |
1225 | shall be committed to the agency department, and the agency |
1226 | department shall retain and provide appropriate training for |
1227 | serve the defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
1228 | admission or at the end of any period of extended commitment or |
1229 | at any time the administrator or designee shall have determined |
1230 | that the defendant has regained competency to proceed or no |
1231 | longer meets the criteria for continued commitment, the |
1232 | administrator or designee shall file a report with the court |
1233 | pursuant to this chapter and the applicable Florida Rules of |
1234 | Criminal Procedure. |
1235 | (b) A defendant determined to be incompetent to proceed |
1236 | due to retardation or autism may be ordered by a circuit court |
1237 | into a forensic secure facility designated by the agency |
1238 | department for retarded or autistic defendants who have mental |
1239 | retardation or autism. |
1240 | (c) The agency department may transfer a defendant from a |
1241 | designated forensic secure facility to another designated |
1242 | forensic secure facility and must notify the court of the |
1243 | transfer within 30 days after the transfer is completed. |
1244 | (d) The agency department may not transfer a defendant |
1245 | from a designated forensic secure facility to a civil nonsecure |
1246 | facility without first notifying the court, and all parties, 30 |
1247 | days before the proposed transfer. If the court objects to the |
1248 | proposed transfer to a nonsecure facility, it must send its |
1249 | written objection to the agency department. The agency |
1250 | department may transfer the defendant unless it receives the |
1251 | written objection from the court within 30 days after the |
1252 | court's receipt of the notice of the proposed transfer. |
1253 | (3) PLACEMENT OF DUALLY DIAGNOSED DEFENDANTS.-- |
1254 | (a) If a defendant has is both mental retardation or |
1255 | autism retarded or autistic and has a mental illness mentally |
1256 | ill, evaluations must address which condition is primarily |
1257 | affecting the defendant's competency to proceed. Referral of the |
1258 | defendant should be made to a civil or forensic the facility or |
1259 | program most appropriate to address the symptoms that which are |
1260 | the cause of the defendant's incompetence. |
1261 | (b) Transfer from one civil or forensic facility or |
1262 | program to another civil or forensic facility or program may |
1263 | occur when, in the department's and agency's judgment, it is in |
1264 | the defendant's best treatment or training interests. The |
1265 | department and agency shall submit an evaluation and |
1266 | justification for the transfer to the court. The court may |
1267 | consult with an outside expert if necessary. Transfer will |
1268 | require an amended order from the committing court. |
1269 | Section 20. Section 916.3025, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1270 | to read: |
1271 | 916.3025 Jurisdiction of committing court.-- |
1272 | (1) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
1273 | case of any defendant found to be incompetent to proceed due to |
1274 | retardation or autism and ordered into a forensic secure |
1275 | facility designated by the agency department for retarded or |
1276 | autistic defendants who have mental retardation or autism. A No |
1277 | defendant may not be released except by the order of the |
1278 | committing court. An administrative hearing examiner does not |
1279 | have jurisdiction to determine issues of continuing commitment |
1280 | or release of any defendant involuntarily committed pursuant to |
1281 | this chapter. |
1282 | (2) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
1283 | case of any defendant placed on conditional release pursuant to |
1284 | s. 916.304. No Such defendant may not be released from the |
1285 | conditions of release except by order of the committing court. |
1286 | (3) The committing court shall consider a the petition to |
1287 | involuntarily admit a defendant whose charges have been |
1288 | dismissed to residential services provided by the agency |
1289 | department's developmental services program a person whose |
1290 | charges have been dismissed, and, when applicable, to continue |
1291 | secure placement of such person as provided in s. 916.303. The |
1292 | committing court shall retain jurisdiction over such person so |
1293 | long as he or she remains in secure placement or is on |
1294 | conditional release as provided in s. 916.304. However, upon |
1295 | request, the court may transfer continuing jurisdiction to the |
1296 | court in the circuit where the defendant resides. The defendant |
1297 | may not be released from an order for secure placement except by |
1298 | order of the court. |
1299 | Section 21. Section 916.303, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1300 | to read: |
1301 | 916.303 Determination of incompetency due to retardation |
1302 | or autism; dismissal of charges.-- |
1303 | (1) The charges against any defendant found to be |
1304 | incompetent to proceed due to retardation or autism shall be |
1305 | dismissed without prejudice to the state if the defendant |
1306 | remains incompetent to proceed within a reasonable time after |
1307 | such determination, not to exceed 2 years, unless the court in |
1308 | its order specifies its reasons for believing that the defendant |
1309 | will become competent to proceed within the foreseeable future |
1310 | and specifies the time within which the defendant is expected to |
1311 | become competent to proceed. The charges may be refiled by the |
1312 | state if against the defendant are dismissed without prejudice |
1313 | to the state to refile the charges should the defendant is be |
1314 | declared competent to proceed in the future. |
1315 | (2)(a) If the charges are dismissed and if the defendant |
1316 | is considered to lack sufficient capacity to give express and |
1317 | informed consent to a voluntary application for services and |
1318 | lacks the basic survival and self-care skills to provide for his |
1319 | or her well-being or is likely to physically injure himself or |
1320 | herself or others if allowed to remain at liberty, the agency |
1321 | department, the state attorney, or the defendant's attorney |
1322 | shall may apply to the committing court to involuntarily admit |
1323 | the defendant to residential services pursuant to s. 393.11. |
1324 | (3)(b) If the defendant is considered to need involuntary |
1325 | residential services for reasons described in subsection (2) |
1326 | under s. 393.11 and, further, there is a substantial likelihood |
1327 | that the defendant will injure another person or continues to |
1328 | present a danger of escape, and all available less restrictive |
1329 | alternatives, including services in community residential |
1330 | facilities or other community settings, which would offer an |
1331 | opportunity for improvement of the condition have been judged to |
1332 | be inappropriate, then the agency person or entity filing the |
1333 | petition under s. 393.11, the state attorney, or the defendant's |
1334 | counsel may request, the petitioning commission, or the |
1335 | department may also petition the committing court to continue |
1336 | the defendant's placement in a secure facility or program |
1337 | pursuant to this part section. Any placement so continued under |
1338 | this subsection must be defendant involuntarily admitted under |
1339 | this paragraph shall have his or her status reviewed by the |
1340 | court at least annually at a hearing. The annual review and |
1341 | hearing shall determine whether the defendant continues to meet |
1342 | the criteria described in this subsection for involuntary |
1343 | residential services and, if so, whether the defendant still |
1344 | requires involuntary placement in a secure facility or program |
1345 | because the court finds that the defendant is likely to |
1346 | physically injure others as specified in s. 393.11 and whether |
1347 | the defendant is receiving adequate care, treatment, |
1348 | habilitation, and rehabilitation, including psychotropic |
1349 | medication and behavioral programming. Notice of the annual |
1350 | review and review hearing shall be given to the state attorney |
1351 | and to the defendant's attorney. In no instance may a |
1352 | defendant's placement in a secure facility or program exceed the |
1353 | maximum sentence for the crime for which the defendant was |
1354 | charged. |
1355 | Section 22. Section 916.304, Florida Statutes, is amended |
1356 | to read: |
1357 | 916.304 Conditional release.-- |
1358 | (1) Except for an inmate currently serving a prison |
1359 | sentence, the committing court may order a conditional release |
1360 | of any defendant who has been found to be incompetent to proceed |
1361 | due to retardation or autism, based on an approved plan for |
1362 | providing continuing community-based training. The committing |
1363 | criminal court may order a conditional release of any defendant |
1364 | to a civil facility in lieu of an involuntary commitment to a |
1365 | forensic facility pursuant to s. 916.302. Upon a recommendation |
1366 | that community-based training for the defendant is appropriate, |
1367 | a written plan for community-based training, including |
1368 | recommendations from qualified professionals, may be filed with |
1369 | the court, with copies to all parties. Such a plan may also be |
1370 | submitted by the defendant and filed with the court, with copies |
1371 | to all parties. The plan must shall include: |
1372 | (a) Special provisions for residential care and adequate |
1373 | supervision of the defendant, including recommended location of |
1374 | placement. |
1375 | (b) Recommendations for auxiliary services such as |
1376 | vocational training, psychological training, educational |
1377 | services, leisure services, and special medical care. |
1378 |
|
1379 | In its order of conditional release, the court shall specify the |
1380 | conditions of release based upon the release plan and shall |
1381 | direct the appropriate agencies or persons to submit periodic |
1382 | reports to the courts regarding the defendant's compliance with |
1383 | the conditions of the release and progress in training, with |
1384 | copies to all parties. |
1385 | (2) Upon the filing of an affidavit or statement under |
1386 | oath by any person that the defendant has failed to comply with |
1387 | the conditions of release, that the defendant's condition has |
1388 | deteriorated, or that the release conditions should be modified, |
1389 | the court shall hold a hearing within 7 days after receipt of |
1390 | the affidavit or statement under oath. With notice to the court |
1391 | and all parties, the agency may detain a defendant in a forensic |
1392 | facility until the hearing occurs. After the hearing, the court |
1393 | may modify the release conditions. The court may also order that |
1394 | the defendant be placed into more appropriate programs for |
1395 | further training or may order the defendant to be committed |
1396 | returned to a forensic facility involuntary residential services |
1397 | of the department if it is found, after the appointment and |
1398 | report of experts, that the defendant meets the criteria for |
1399 | placement in a forensic facility involuntary residential |
1400 | services. |
1401 | (3) If at any time it is determined after a hearing that |
1402 | the defendant conditionally released under subsection (1) no |
1403 | longer requires court-supervised followup care, the court shall |
1404 | terminate its jurisdiction in the cause and discharge the |
1405 | defendant. |
1406 | Section 23. Subsection (1) of section 921.137, Florida |
1407 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
1408 | 921.137 Imposition of the death sentence upon a mentally |
1409 | retarded defendant with mental retardation prohibited.-- |
1410 | (1) As used in this section, the term "mental retardation" |
1411 | means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning |
1412 | existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and |
1413 | manifested during the period from conception to age 18. The term |
1414 | "significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning," for |
1415 | the purpose of this section, means performance that is two or |
1416 | more standard deviations from the mean score on a standardized |
1417 | intelligence test specified in the rules of the Agency for |
1418 | Persons with Disabilities Department of Children and Family |
1419 | Services. The term "adaptive behavior," for the purpose of this |
1420 | definition, means the effectiveness or degree with which an |
1421 | individual meets the standards of personal independence and |
1422 | social responsibility expected of his or her age, cultural |
1423 | group, and community. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities |
1424 | Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules to |
1425 | specify the standardized intelligence tests as provided in this |
1426 | subsection. |
1427 | Section 24. Paragraphs (d), (e), (g), and (h) of |
1428 | subsection (1), subsections (2), (3), and (4), paragraph (b) of |
1429 | subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section |
1430 | 985.223, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
1431 | 985.223 Incompetency in juvenile delinquency cases.-- |
1432 | (1) If, at any time prior to or during a delinquency case, |
1433 | the court has reason to believe that the child named in the |
1434 | petition may be incompetent to proceed with the hearing, the |
1435 | court on its own motion may, or on the motion of the child's |
1436 | attorney or state attorney must, stay all proceedings and order |
1437 | an evaluation of the child's mental condition. |
1438 | (d) For incompetency evaluations related to mental |
1439 | illness, the Department of Children and Family Services shall |
1440 | maintain and annually provide the courts with a list of |
1441 | available mental health professionals who have completed a |
1442 | training program approved by the Department of Children and |
1443 | Family Services to perform the evaluations. |
1444 | (e) For incompetency evaluations related to mental |
1445 | retardation or autism, the court shall order the Agency for |
1446 | Persons with Disabilities Developmental Disabilities Program |
1447 | Office within the Department of Children and Family Services to |
1448 | examine the child to determine if the child meets the definition |
1449 | of "retardation" or "autism" in s. 393.063 and, if so, whether |
1450 | the child is competent to proceed with delinquency proceedings. |
1451 | (g) Immediately upon the filing of the court order finding |
1452 | a child incompetent to proceed, the clerk of the court shall |
1453 | notify the Department of Children and Family Services and the |
1454 | Agency for Persons with Disabilities and fax or hand deliver to |
1455 | the department and to the agency of Children and Family Services |
1456 | a referral packet that which includes, at a minimum, the court |
1457 | order, the charging documents, the petition, and the court- |
1458 | appointed evaluator's reports. |
1459 | (h) After placement of the child in the appropriate |
1460 | setting, the Department of Children and Family Services in |
1461 | consultation with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, as |
1462 | appropriate, must, within 30 days after placement of the |
1463 | Department of Children and Family Services places the child, |
1464 | prepare and submit to the court a treatment or training plan for |
1465 | the child's restoration of competency. A copy of the treatment |
1466 | plan must be served upon the child's attorney, the state |
1467 | attorney, and the attorneys representing the Department of |
1468 | Juvenile Justice. |
1469 | (2) A child who is mentally ill or retarded, who is |
1470 | adjudicated incompetent to proceed, and who has committed a |
1471 | delinquent act or violation of law, either of which would be a |
1472 | felony if committed by an adult, must be committed to the |
1473 | Department of Children and Family Services for treatment or |
1474 | training. A child who has been adjudicated incompetent to |
1475 | proceed because of age or immaturity, or for any reason other |
1476 | than for mental illness or retardation or autism, must not be |
1477 | committed to the department or to the Department of Children and |
1478 | Family Services for restoration-of-competency treatment or |
1479 | training services. For purposes of this section, a child who has |
1480 | committed a delinquent act or violation of law, either of which |
1481 | would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, may not be |
1482 | committed to the department or to the Department of Children and |
1483 | Family Services for restoration-of-competency treatment or |
1484 | training services. |
1485 | (3) If the court finds that a child has mental illness, |
1486 | mental retardation, or autism is mentally ill or retarded and |
1487 | adjudicates the child incompetent to proceed, the court must |
1488 | also determine whether the child meets the criteria for secure |
1489 | placement. A child may be placed in a secure facility or program |
1490 | if the court makes a finding by clear and convincing evidence |
1491 | that: |
1492 | (a) The child has mental illness, mental retardation, or |
1493 | autism is mentally ill and because of the mental illness, mental |
1494 | retardation, or autism; or the child is mentally retarded and |
1495 | because of the mental retardation: |
1496 | 1. The child is manifestly incapable of surviving with the |
1497 | help of willing and responsible family or friends, including |
1498 | available alternative services, and without treatment or |
1499 | training the child is likely to either suffer from neglect or |
1500 | refuse to care for self, and such neglect or refusal poses a |
1501 | real and present threat of substantial harm to the child's well- |
1502 | being; or |
1503 | 2. There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
1504 | future the child will inflict serious bodily harm on self or |
1505 | others, as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or |
1506 | threatening such harm; and |
1507 | (b) All available less restrictive alternatives, including |
1508 | treatment or training in community residential facilities or |
1509 | community settings which would offer an opportunity for |
1510 | improvement of the child's condition, are inappropriate. |
1511 | (4) A child who is determined to have mental illness, |
1512 | mental retardation, or autism be mentally ill or retarded, who |
1513 | has been adjudicated incompetent to proceed, and who meets the |
1514 | criteria set forth in subsection (3), must be committed to the |
1515 | Department of Children and Family Services, and receive |
1516 | treatment or training the Department of Children and Family |
1517 | Services must treat or train the child in a secure facility or |
1518 | program that which is the least restrictive alternative |
1519 | consistent with public safety. Any placement of a child to a |
1520 | secure residential program must be separate from adult forensic |
1521 | programs. If the child attains competency, then custody, case |
1522 | management, and supervision of the child will be transferred to |
1523 | the department in order to continue delinquency proceedings; |
1524 | however, the court retains authority to order the Department of |
1525 | Children and Family Services to provide continued treatment or |
1526 | training to maintain competency. |
1527 | (a) A child adjudicated incompetent due to mental |
1528 | retardation or autism may be ordered into a secure program or |
1529 | facility designated by the Department of Children and Family |
1530 | Services for retarded children with mental retardation or |
1531 | autism. |
1532 | (b) A child adjudicated incompetent due to mental illness |
1533 | may be ordered into a secure program or facility designated by |
1534 | the Department of Children and Family Services for mentally ill |
1535 | children have mental illnesses. |
1536 | (c) Whenever a child is placed in a secure residential |
1537 | facility, the department will provide transportation to the |
1538 | secure residential facility for admission and from the secure |
1539 | residential facility upon discharge. |
1540 | (d) The purpose of the treatment or training is the |
1541 | restoration of the child's competency to proceed. |
1542 | (e) The service provider must file a written report with |
1543 | the court pursuant to the applicable Florida Rules of Juvenile |
1544 | Procedure not later than 6 months after the date of commitment, |
1545 | or at the end of any period of extended treatment or training, |
1546 | and at any time the Department of Children and Family Services, |
1547 | through its service provider determines the child has attained |
1548 | competency or no longer meets the criteria for secure placement, |
1549 | or at such shorter intervals as ordered by the court. A copy of |
1550 | a written report evaluating the child's competency must be filed |
1551 | by the provider with the court and with the state attorney, the |
1552 | child's attorney, the department, and the Department of Children |
1553 | and Family Services. |
1554 | (5) |
1555 | (b) Whenever the provider files a report with the court |
1556 | informing the court that the child will never become competent |
1557 | to proceed, the Department of Children and Family Services will |
1558 | develop a discharge plan for the child prior to any hearing |
1559 | determining whether the child will ever become competent to |
1560 | proceed and send the. The Department of Children and Family |
1561 | Services must send the proposed discharge plan to the court, the |
1562 | state attorney, the child's attorney, and the attorneys |
1563 | representing the Department of Juvenile Justice. The provider |
1564 | will continue to provide services to the child until the court |
1565 | issues the order finding the child will never become competent |
1566 | to proceed. |
1567 | (6)(a) If a child is determined to have mental illness, |
1568 | mental retardation, or autism be mentally ill or retarded and is |
1569 | found to be incompetent to proceed but does not meet the |
1570 | criteria set forth in subsection (3), the court shall commit the |
1571 | child to the Department of Children and Family Services and |
1572 | shall order the Department of Children and Family Services to |
1573 | provide appropriate treatment and training in the community. The |
1574 | purpose of the treatment or training is the restoration of the |
1575 | child's competency to proceed. |
1576 | Section 25. Paragraph (b) of subsection (14) of section |
1577 | 287.057, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
1578 | 287.057 Procurement of commodities or contractual |
1579 | services.-- |
1580 | (14) |
1581 | (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the Department of |
1582 | Children and Family Services may enter into agreements, not to |
1583 | exceed 20 years, with a private provider to finance, design, and |
1584 | construct a forensic treatment facility, as defined in s. |
1585 | 916.106(10)(8), of at least 200 beds and to operate all aspects |
1586 | of daily operations within the forensic treatment facility. The |
1587 | selected contractor is authorized to sponsor the issuance of |
1588 | tax-exempt certificates of participation or other securities to |
1589 | finance the project, and the state is authorized to enter into a |
1590 | lease-purchase agreement for the forensic treatment facility. |
1591 | This paragraph expires July 1, 2006. |
1592 | Section 26. Paragraph (r) of subsection (3) of section |
1593 | 408.036, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
1594 | 408.036 Projects subject to review; exemptions.-- |
1595 | (3) EXEMPTIONS.--Upon request, the following projects are |
1596 | subject to exemption from the provisions of subsection (1): |
1597 | (r) For beds in state mental health treatment facilities |
1598 | defined in s. 394.455 operated under s. 394.455(30) and state |
1599 | mental health forensic facilities operated under chapter 916 s. |
1600 | 916.106(8). |
1601 | Section 27. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section |
1602 | 943.0585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
1603 | 943.0585 Court-ordered expunction of criminal history |
1604 | records.--The courts of this state have jurisdiction over their |
1605 | own procedures, including the maintenance, expunction, and |
1606 | correction of judicial records containing criminal history |
1607 | information to the extent such procedures are not inconsistent |
1608 | with the conditions, responsibilities, and duties established by |
1609 | this section. Any court of competent jurisdiction may order a |
1610 | criminal justice agency to expunge the criminal history record |
1611 | of a minor or an adult who complies with the requirements of |
1612 | this section. The court shall not order a criminal justice |
1613 | agency to expunge a criminal history record until the person |
1614 | seeking to expunge a criminal history record has applied for and |
1615 | received a certificate of eligibility for expunction pursuant to |
1616 | subsection (2). A criminal history record that relates to a |
1617 | violation of s. 393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794, |
1618 | s. 796.03, s. 800.04, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s. 827.071, |
1619 | chapter 839, s. 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s. 893.135, |
1620 | s. 916.1075, or a violation enumerated in s. 907.041 may not be |
1621 | expunged, without regard to whether adjudication was withheld, |
1622 | if the defendant was found guilty of or pled guilty or nolo |
1623 | contendere to the offense, or if the defendant, as a minor, was |
1624 | found to have committed, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to |
1625 | committing, the offense as a delinquent act. The court may only |
1626 | order expunction of a criminal history record pertaining to one |
1627 | arrest or one incident of alleged criminal activity, except as |
1628 | provided in this section. The court may, at its sole discretion, |
1629 | order the expunction of a criminal history record pertaining to |
1630 | more than one arrest if the additional arrests directly relate |
1631 | to the original arrest. If the court intends to order the |
1632 | expunction of records pertaining to such additional arrests, |
1633 | such intent must be specified in the order. A criminal justice |
1634 | agency may not expunge any record pertaining to such additional |
1635 | arrests if the order to expunge does not articulate the |
1636 | intention of the court to expunge a record pertaining to more |
1637 | than one arrest. This section does not prevent the court from |
1638 | ordering the expunction of only a portion of a criminal history |
1639 | record pertaining to one arrest or one incident of alleged |
1640 | criminal activity. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a |
1641 | criminal justice agency may comply with laws, court orders, and |
1642 | official requests of other jurisdictions relating to expunction, |
1643 | correction, or confidential handling of criminal history records |
1644 | or information derived therefrom. This section does not confer |
1645 | any right to the expunction of any criminal history record, and |
1646 | any request for expunction of a criminal history record may be |
1647 | denied at the sole discretion of the court. |
1648 | (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD EXPUNCTION.--Any |
1649 | criminal history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered |
1650 | expunged by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this |
1651 | section must be physically destroyed or obliterated by any |
1652 | criminal justice agency having custody of such record; except |
1653 | that any criminal history record in the custody of the |
1654 | department must be retained in all cases. A criminal history |
1655 | record ordered expunged that is retained by the department is |
1656 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
1657 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and not available to |
1658 | any person or entity except upon order of a court of competent |
1659 | jurisdiction. A criminal justice agency may retain a notation |
1660 | indicating compliance with an order to expunge. |
1661 | (a) The person who is the subject of a criminal history |
1662 | record that is expunged under this section or under other |
1663 | provisions of law, including former s. 893.14, former s. 901.33, |
1664 | and former s. 943.058, may lawfully deny or fail to acknowledge |
1665 | the arrests covered by the expunged record, except when the |
1666 | subject of the record: |
1667 | 1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice |
1668 | agency; |
1669 | 2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution; |
1670 | 3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under |
1671 | this section or s. 943.059; |
1672 | 4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar; |
1673 | 5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract |
1674 | with the Department of Children and Family Services or the |
1675 | Department of Juvenile Justice or to be employed or used by such |
1676 | contractor or licensee in a sensitive position having direct |
1677 | contact with children, the developmentally disabled, the aged, |
1678 | or the elderly as provided in s. 110.1127(3), s. 393.063, s. |
1679 | 394.4572(1), s. 397.451, s. 402.302(3), s. 402.313(3), s. |
1680 | 409.175(2)(i), s. 415.102(4), chapter 916 s. 916.106(10) and |
1681 | (13), s. 985.407, or chapter 400; or |
1682 | 6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department |
1683 | of Education, any district school board, any university |
1684 | laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial |
1685 | school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child |
1686 | care facilities. |
1687 | Section 28. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section |
1688 | 943.059, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
1689 | 943.059 Court-ordered sealing of criminal history |
1690 | records.--The courts of this state shall continue to have |
1691 | jurisdiction over their own procedures, including the |
1692 | maintenance, sealing, and correction of judicial records |
1693 | containing criminal history information to the extent such |
1694 | procedures are not inconsistent with the conditions, |
1695 | responsibilities, and duties established by this section. Any |
1696 | court of competent jurisdiction may order a criminal justice |
1697 | agency to seal the criminal history record of a minor or an |
1698 | adult who complies with the requirements of this section. The |
1699 | court shall not order a criminal justice agency to seal a |
1700 | criminal history record until the person seeking to seal a |
1701 | criminal history record has applied for and received a |
1702 | certificate of eligibility for sealing pursuant to subsection |
1703 | (2). A criminal history record that relates to a violation of s. |
1704 | 393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794, s. 796.03, s. |
1705 | 800.04, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s. 827.071, chapter 839, s. |
1706 | 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s. 893.135, s. 916.1075, or |
1707 | a violation enumerated in s. 907.041 may not be sealed, without |
1708 | regard to whether adjudication was withheld, if the defendant |
1709 | was found guilty of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to the |
1710 | offense, or if the defendant, as a minor, was found to have |
1711 | committed or pled guilty or nolo contendere to committing the |
1712 | offense as a delinquent act. The court may only order sealing of |
1713 | a criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or one |
1714 | incident of alleged criminal activity, except as provided in |
1715 | this section. The court may, at its sole discretion, order the |
1716 | sealing of a criminal history record pertaining to more than one |
1717 | arrest if the additional arrests directly relate to the original |
1718 | arrest. If the court intends to order the sealing of records |
1719 | pertaining to such additional arrests, such intent must be |
1720 | specified in the order. A criminal justice agency may not seal |
1721 | any record pertaining to such additional arrests if the order to |
1722 | seal does not articulate the intention of the court to seal |
1723 | records pertaining to more than one arrest. This section does |
1724 | not prevent the court from ordering the sealing of only a |
1725 | portion of a criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or |
1726 | one incident of alleged criminal activity. Notwithstanding any |
1727 | law to the contrary, a criminal justice agency may comply with |
1728 | laws, court orders, and official requests of other jurisdictions |
1729 | relating to sealing, correction, or confidential handling of |
1730 | criminal history records or information derived therefrom. This |
1731 | section does not confer any right to the sealing of any criminal |
1732 | history record, and any request for sealing a criminal history |
1733 | record may be denied at the sole discretion of the court. |
1734 | (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD SEALING.--A criminal |
1735 | history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered sealed by |
1736 | a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this section is |
1737 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
1738 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and is available only |
1739 | to the person who is the subject of the record, to the subject's |
1740 | attorney, to criminal justice agencies for their respective |
1741 | criminal justice purposes, or to those entities set forth in |
1742 | subparagraphs (a)1., 4., 5., and 6. for their respective |
1743 | licensing and employment purposes. |
1744 | (a) The subject of a criminal history record sealed under |
1745 | this section or under other provisions of law, including former |
1746 | s. 893.14, former s. 901.33, and former s. 943.058, may lawfully |
1747 | deny or fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the sealed |
1748 | record, except when the subject of the record: |
1749 | 1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice |
1750 | agency; |
1751 | 2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution; |
1752 | 3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under |
1753 | this section or s. 943.0585; |
1754 | 4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar; |
1755 | 5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract |
1756 | with the Department of Children and Family Services or the |
1757 | Department of Juvenile Justice or to be employed or used by such |
1758 | contractor or licensee in a sensitive position having direct |
1759 | contact with children, the developmentally disabled, the aged, |
1760 | or the elderly as provided in s. 110.1127(3), s. 393.063, s. |
1761 | 394.4572(1), s. 397.451, s. 402.302(3), s. 402.313(3), s. |
1762 | 409.175(2)(i), s. 415.102(4), s. 415.103, chapter 916 s. |
1763 | 916.106(10) and (13), s. 985.407, or chapter 400; or |
1764 | 6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department |
1765 | of Education, any district school board, any university |
1766 | laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial |
1767 | school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child |
1768 | care facilities. |
1769 | Section 29. This act shall take effect upon becoming a |
1770 | law. |