HB 793

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to transitional services for young adults
3	with disabilities; creating a health care transition
4	services task force within the Department of Health;
5	providing legislative intent; providing for membership,
6	duties, and responsibilities of the task force; providing
7	for reimbursement of members for expenses; requiring the
8	Legislature to allocate funds to the task force; requiring
9	the task force to assess the need for health care
10	transition services and provide a report to the Governor
11	and the Legislature; creating the Don Davis Health and
12	Transition Services Program of Jacksonville; assigning the
13	program for administrative purposes to the Children's
14	Medical Services Network within the Department of Health;
15	providing purposes of the program; describing
16	participating service providers and the services to be
17	provided; providing for an evaluation of the program;
18	providing an appropriation; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  Health Care Transition Services Task Force for
23	Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities; membership, duties,
24	and responsibilities.--
25	(1)  The Department of Health shall create a statewide
26	Health Care Transition Services Task Force for Youth and Young
27	Adults with Disabilities. It is the intent of the Legislature
28	that the task force assess the need for health care transition
29	services for youth and young adults with disabilities, develop
30	strategies to ensure successful transition from the pediatric to
31	the adult health care system, and identify existing and
32	potential funding sources. The task force shall be composed of
33	15 members. The task force shall have representatives from at
34	least three geographic areas in the state representing rural,
35	suburban, and urban areas.
36	(2)  The task force shall be composed of the following
37	persons:
38	(a)  The Deputy Secretary for Children's Medical Services
39	within the Department of Health or his or her designee.
40	(b)  A representative from the children's health care
41	medical community.
42	(c)  A representative from the adult health care medical
43	community.
44	(d)  The director of the Agency for Persons with
45	Disabilities or his or her designee.
46	(e)  Two representatives of associations that advocate for
47	persons who have chronic medical conditions or disabilities,
48	such as the American Diabetes Association, the Sickle Cell
49	Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, United Cerebral
50	Palsy, the Spina Bifida Association, or the Down Syndrome
51	Association.
52	(f)  Two young adults who have chronic health problems or
53	developmental disabilities or a family member.
54	(g)  The deputy commissioner of the Division of Vocational
55	Rehabilitation within the Department of Education or his or her
56	designee.
57	(h)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
58	(i)  The Secretary of Health Care Administration or his or
59	her designee.
60	(j)  The Director of Children's Medical Services or his or
61	her designee.
62	(k)  A representative of a medical school.
63	(l)  A person appointed by the President of the Senate.
64	(m)  A person appointed by the Speaker of the House of
65	Representatives.
66	(3)  The Deputy Secretary for Children's Medical Services
67	or his or her designee shall be the chair of the task force. The
68	Department of Health shall provide staff support to the task
69	force. Task force members shall serve without compensation but
70	are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses
71	incurred as provided in s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, in
72	carrying out their duties. Members who are public officers or
73	employees shall be reimbursed through the budget entity through
74	which they are compensated.
75	(4)  The task force shall:
76	(a)  Convene by August 31, 2008.
77	(b)  Obtain input from key stakeholders, community
78	stakeholders, public agencies, the medical practice community,
79	and youth and young adults who have chronic special health care
80	needs or disabilities and their families to assess the need for
81	health care transition services and to identify barriers that
82	impede access to comprehensive medical treatment and health care
83	for youth and young adults who have chronic special health care
84	needs or disabilities.
85	(c)  Develop a statewide plan to promote the development of
86	health care transition services. The plan should put forth
87	different models that accommodate the geographic and cultural
88	diversity in the state and that are adapted to the local needs
89	of communities and to local health services delivery systems.
90	Furthermore, the plan should promote the integration of health
91	care transition services with transition programs for education,
92	vocational rehabilitation, and independent living.
93	(d)  Identify common or comparable performance measures for
94	all entities that serve the needs for health care transition
95	services of youth and young adults who have chronic special
96	health care needs or disabilities.
97	(e)  Collect and disseminate information concerning best
98	practices in health care transition services for youth and young
99	adults who have chronic special health care needs or
100	disabilities.
101	(f)  Identify existing and potential funding sources to
102	create health care transition services within communities.
103	(5)  The Legislature shall allocate up to $100,000 to
104	offset expenses incurred by the activities of the task force.
105	The task force shall present a final report of its findings and
106	recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
107	and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1,
108	2009.
109	Section 2.  The Don Davis Health and Transition Services
110	Program of Jacksonville; creation; purposes; participating
111	agencies and services provided; evaluation.--
112	(1)  The Don Davis Health and Transition Services Program
113	of Jacksonville is created for the purpose of assisting youth
114	and young adults who have special needs relating to health care
115	and educational and vocational rehabilitation services in making
116	a smooth transition from the children's health care and
117	educational system to the adult health care system and to
118	employment. For administrative purposes, the program shall be
119	located in the Children's Medical Services Network within the
120	Department of Health.
121	(2)  The program shall provide services for persons who are
122	14 through 26 years of age residing in Baker, Clay, Duval,
123	Nassau, and St. Johns Counties and who have chronic special
124	health care needs or developmental disabilities.
125	(3)  The following elements must be in place in order to
126	ensure the success of the Don Davis Health and Transition
127	Services Program of Jacksonville:
128	(a)  A consultative partnership between adult and pediatric
129	health care providers in a major medical health care
130	organization or academic medical setting for the purpose of
131	training and transferring adolescents and young adults to adult
132	health care services.
133	(b)  A primary care clinic established in a major medical
134	health care organization for the purpose of fostering the
135	partnership between adult and pediatric health care providers.
136	(c)  Community-based health care services that are provided
137	pursuant to agreements with major health care organizations or
138	academic medical centers for purposes of providing consultation
139	concerning the management of special health care needs.
140	(d)  Community-based support organizations that can provide
141	assistance with services such as supported living and
142	employment, health insurance, and support services to maintain
143	the young adult in the community.
144	(4)  The following services shall be offered to individuals
145	who are enrolled in the Don Davis Health and Transition Services
146	Program of Jacksonville:
147	(a)  An assessment of health needs, educational and
148	vocational status and needs, and health insurance status.
149	(b)  In coordination with the educational system,
150	community-based organizations, and the vocational system, a plan
151	for transition that includes adult health care services,
152	education, habilitative services, independent living, adult
153	employment, and health insurance.
154	(c)  A medical home that provides for coordinated and
155	multidisciplinary care and focuses on engaging adult health care
156	providers in the care and treatment of the adolescent or young
157	adult.
158	(d)  Self-management of specific health conditions,
159	preventive health services, and the use of primary care and
160	specialty health care services.
161	(5)  The Don Davis Health and Transition Services Program
162	of Jacksonville shall be codirected by two physicians having
163	experience in pediatric and adult health care. A project
164	coordinator shall assist the physicians in developing and
165	implementing the program. A nurse coordinator shall provide care
166	coordination services. Other staff may be included in order to
167	provide a full range of health and transition services.
168	(6)  The Don Davis Health and Transition Services Program
169	of Jacksonville shall conduct an evaluation that is formative
170	and cumulative and must include program process and outcome
171	measures as well as client outcomes. The results of the
172	evaluation may be used to improve and develop other health and
173	transition programs statewide.
174	Section 3.  The sum of $650,000 is appropriated from the
175	General Revenue Fund to the Children's Medical Services Network
176	within the Department of Health for operational and expansion
177	costs for the Don Davis Health and Transition Services Program
178	of Jacksonville during the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
179	Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

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