Florida Senate - 2008 (Reformatted) SB 176
By Senator Wilson
33-00080-08 2008176__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to school health services; creating s.
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381.0058, F.S., relating to public-private partnerships
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for the provision of school nurse services; providing
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legislative intent and purpose; providing duties of the
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Department of Health and the Department of Education;
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providing a process for proposal submission and review;
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providing for the scope of services to be provided;
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providing for review and selection criteria; providing
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legislative intent relating to funding of the act;
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providing an appropriation; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. This act may be cited as the "One School, One
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Nurse Act."
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Section 2. Section 381.0058, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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381.0058 Matching funds for school nurse services; public-
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private partnerships.--
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(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that matching
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funds, in addition to those provided under s. 381.0056 for the
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School Health Services Act and s. 381.0057 for school health
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services funding, be provided in those communities where interest
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in school health services is evidenced by the participation of
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public or private entities in the funding or delivery of school
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nurse services. The purpose of this funding is to encourage the
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development of those programs that offer the greatest potential
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for promoting the health of students, increasing the availability
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of and access to nurses in the school setting, and fostering
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greater community participation in the delivery of school nurse
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services. Matching funds shall be available specifically for
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and 402.3026 which are designed to meet the particular needs of
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the community. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that
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tobacco-settlement revenue be used to pay for health and human
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services for children.
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(2) The Secretary of Health, or his or her designee, in
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cooperation with the Commissioner of Education, or his or her
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designee, shall publicize the availability of matching funds for
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public and private entities committed to enhancing the
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availability of school nurse services, as reflected in formal
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agreements that are part of the local school health services
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plan.
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(3) The Secretary of Health, or his or her designees, in
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cooperation with the Commissioner of Education, or his or her
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designees, in equal representation, shall form a committee to
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determine the eligibility of sites to receive matching funds.
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(4) Any community that seeks to receive state matching
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funds under this section must submit a proposal to the committee
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established in subsection (3). The proposal must state the goals
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of the program, provide specific plans for enhancing local
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resources available for school nurse services, and describe all
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of the health services to be made available to students from
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matching funds provided under this section. A county health
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department or school district that receives matching funds may
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not supplant more than 50 percent of the current local
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contributions to school health services funding, as documented in
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the local school health services plan.
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(5) In addition to the merits of a proposal, the award of
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matching funds must be based on those proposals from sites that
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include county health departments and school districts that most
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closely meet the following criteria:
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(a) Have evidence of a comprehensive inservice staff
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development plan.
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(b) Have evidence of a cooperative working relationship
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between the county health department and the school district and
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have community, as well as parental, support.
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(c) Have a high percentage of subsidized school lunches.
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(d) Have a high incidence of medically underserved high-
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risk children, low-birthweight babies, infant mortality, or
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teenage pregnancy.
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(e) Have a high incidence of children who have chronic
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health conditions or high-risk behavioral problems.
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(f) Have documented in the local school health services
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plan a commitment from community entities to fund or provide
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other direct resources for the enhanced availability of school
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health services.
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(g) Have a plan to ensure billing for Medicaid funding for
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services rendered under the certified school match program or the
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county health department certified match program as specified in
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s. 409.9122.
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Although these criteria are part of the review process for
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proposals, they are not to be construed as the sole factors to be
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considered in the proposal-review process. A site's ability to
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address, and interest in addressing, locally identified needs and
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priorities must also be considered. In addition, receipt of
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matching funds is not intended to diminish a site's eligibility
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for base funding for school health services.
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Section 3. It is the intent of the Legislature that
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sufficient resources be made available to fund a nurse in every
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public school in the state as provided in this act. The
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Legislature recognizes that extensive resources will be necessary
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to achieve this intent, and that a portion of these resources can
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be found from a variety of existing resources. The Legislature
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recognizes that existing funding for basic and comprehensive
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school health services and full-service schools, as created under
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partial funding. The Legislature further recognizes that funding
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earned by local school districts and county health departments
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from the Agency for Health Care Administration from the delivery
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of services to Medicaid-eligible students can also be used as
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partial funding. Finally, the Legislature recognizes that another
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source of funding is local funding currently being used for
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school health services, which can now be eligible for matching
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funds under school nurse services provided through public-private
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partnerships as created by this act. It is the intent of the
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Legislature that the remainder of resources necessary for placing
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a nurse in every school be derived from the state's tobacco-
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settlement revenue.
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Section 4. The sum of $75,000 is appropriated from the
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General Revenue Fund to the Department of Health for the purpose
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of convening a school health summit as recommended by Senate
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Interim Project Report 98-30, September 1998.
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Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.