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The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs (Storms)

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recommended the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

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     Between line(s) 65 and 66

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insert and renumber subsequent sections:

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     Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 394.4572, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     394.4572  Screening of mental health personnel.--

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     (1)(a)  The department and the Agency for Health Care

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Administration shall require employment screening for mental

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health personnel using the standards for level 2 screening set

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forth in chapter 435. "Mental health personnel" includes all

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program directors, professional clinicians, staff members, and

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volunteers working in public or private mental health programs

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and facilities who have direct contact with unmarried patients

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under the age of 18 years. For purposes of this chapter,

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employment screening of mental health personnel shall also

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include, but is not limited to, employment screening as provided

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under chapter 435.

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     (b)  Students in the health care professions who are

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interning in a mental health facility licensed under chapter 395,

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where the primary purpose of the facility is not the treatment of

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minors, are exempt from the fingerprinting and screening

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requirements, provided they are under direct supervision in the

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actual physical presence of a licensed health care professional.

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     (c) Mental health personnel working in a facility licensed

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under chapter 395 who have less than 15 hours per week of direct

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contact with patients or who are health care professionals

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licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration or a board

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thereunder are exempt from the fingerprinting and screening

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requirements, except for persons working in mental health

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facilities where the primary purpose of the facility is the

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treatment of minors.

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     (d)(c) A volunteer who assists on an intermittent basis for

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less than 40 hours per month is exempt from the fingerprinting

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and screening requirements, provided the volunteer is under

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direct and constant supervision by persons who meet the screening

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requirements of paragraph (a).

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================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     Delete line(s) 2

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and insert:

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An act relating to mental health and substance abuse;

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amending s. 394.4572, F.S.; requiring a level II screening

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for all personnel who work with persons with mental

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illness;

3/26/2008  8:39:00 AM     CF.CF.05830