Senate Bill sb0394

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 394

    By Senator Wise





    5-335A-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to transitional services for

  3         young adults with disabilities; creating a

  4         Health and Transition Services Program;

  5         assigning the program for administrative

  6         purposes to Children's Medical Services in the

  7         Department of Health; providing purposes of the

  8         program; delineating the target population;

  9         describing participating service providers and

10         the services that they are to provide;

11         providing for an evaluation of the program;

12         providing an effective date.

13  

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

15  

16         Section 1.  Health and Transition Services Program;

17  creation; purposes; participating agencies and services

18  provided; evaluation.--

19         (1)  A Health and Transition Services Program is

20  created for the purpose of assisting adolescents and young

21  adults who have special needs relating to health care and

22  educational and vocational services in making a smooth

23  transition from the child health care and educational system

24  to the adult health care system and to employment. For

25  administrative purposes, the program is located in Children's

26  Medical Services in the Department of Health.

27         (2)  The target population for the program comprises

28  persons who are 14 through 26 years of age and have chronic

29  health-related or developmental conditions.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 394
    5-335A-07




 1         (3)  The following elements must be in place in order

 2  to ensure the success of the Health and Transition Services

 3  Program:

 4         (a)  A consultative partnership between adult and

 5  pediatric health care providers in a major medical health care

 6  organization or academic medical setting for the purpose of

 7  training and transferring adolescents and young adults to

 8  adult health care services.

 9         (b)  A primary care clinic established in a major

10  medical health care organization for the purpose of fostering

11  the partnership between adult and pediatric health care

12  providers.

13         (c)  Community-based health care services that are

14  provided pursuant to agreements with major health care

15  organizations or academic medical centers for purposes of

16  providing consultation concerning the management of special

17  health care needs.

18         (d)  Community-based support organizations that can

19  provide assistance with services such as supported living and

20  employment, health insurance, and support services to maintain

21  the young adult in the community.

22         (4)  The following services shall be offered to

23  individuals who are enrolled in the Health and Transition

24  Services Program:

25         (a)  An assessment of health needs, educational and

26  vocational status and needs, and health insurance status.

27         (b)  In coordination with the educational system,

28  community-based organizations, and the vocational system, a

29  plan for transition which includes adult health services,

30  education, habilitative services, independent living, adult

31  employment, and health insurance.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 394
    5-335A-07




 1         (c)  A medical home that provides for coordinated and

 2  multidisciplinary care and focuses on engaging adult health

 3  care providers in the care and treatment of the adolescent or

 4  young adult.

 5         (d)  Disease self-management programs.

 6         (5)  The Health and Transition Services Program shall

 7  be directed by a medical director having experience in

 8  adolescent health. A project coordinator shall assist the

 9  medical director in developing and implementing the program.

10  Other staff may be included in order to provide a full range

11  of health and transition services.

12         (6)  The Health and Transition Services Program shall

13  be evaluated by an organization or university that has

14  expertise and experience in evaluating health care programs.

15  The evaluation must be formative and cumulative and must

16  include program process and outcome measures as well as client

17  outcomes. The results of the evaluation may be used to improve

18  and replicate the health and transition program statewide.

19         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

20  

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22                          SENATE SUMMARY

23    Creates the Health and Transition Services Program to
      provide disabled young adults with transitional services
24    relating to health care and educational and vocational
      goals. Assigns the program for administrative purposes to
25    the Department of Health. Describes participating service
      providers and the services that they are to provide.
26    Provides for an evaluation of the program.

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