ENROLLED

2008 LegislatureCS for SB 988, 1st Engrossed

2008988er

1

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

task force to assess the need for health care transition

9

services and provide a report to the Governor and the

10

Legislature; providing an effective date.

11

12

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

13

14

     Section 1. Health Care Transition Services Task Force for

15

Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities.--

16

     (1) The Department of Health shall create a statewide

17

Health Care Transition Services Task Force for Youth and Young

18

Adults with Disabilities. It is the intent of the Legislature

19

that the task force assess the need for health care transition

20

services for youth with disabilities, develop strategies to

21

ensure successful transition from the pediatric to the adult

22

health care system, and identify existing and potential funding

23

sources. The task force shall be composed of 14 members and shall

24

have representatives from at least three geographic areas in the

25

state, representing rural, suburban, and urban areas.

26

     (2) The task force shall be composed of the following

27

persons:

28

     (a) The Deputy Secretary of Children's Medical Services

29

within the Department of Health or his or her designee who shall

30

be the chairperson of the task force.

31

     (b) A representative from the children's health care

32

medical community.

33

     (c) A representative from the adult health care medical

34

community.

35

     (d) The director of the Agency for Persons with

36

Disabilities or his or her designee.

37

     (e) Two representatives of associations that advocate for

38

persons who have chronic medical conditions or disabilities, such

39

as the American Diabetes Association, the Sickle Cell Foundation,

40

the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, United Cerebral Palsy, the Spina

41

Bifida Association, or the Down Syndrome Association.

42

     (f) Two young adults who have chronic health problems or

43

developmental disabilities or a family member of such young

44

adults.

45

     (g) The deputy commissioner of the Division of Vocational

46

Rehabilitation within the Department of Education or his or her

47

designee.

48

     (h) The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.

49

     (i) The Secretary of Health Care Administration or his or

50

her designee.

51

     (j) The Secretary of Children and Family Services or his or

52

her designee.

53

     (k) A person appointed by the President of the Senate.

54

     (l) A person appointed by the Speaker of the House of

55

Representatives.

56

     (3) The Department of Health shall provide staff support to

57

the task force. Task force members who are not public officers or

58

employees shall serve without compensation, but are entitled to

59

reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred as

60

provided in s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, in carrying out their

61

duties, which shall be paid by the Department of Health. Members

62

who are public officers or employees shall be reimbursed by the

63

budget entity through which they are compensated.

64

     (4) The task force shall:

65

     (a) Convene by August 31, 2008.

66

     (b) Obtain input from key stakeholders, community

67

stakeholders, public agencies, the medical practice community,

68

and youth who have chronic special health care needs and

69

disabilities and their families to assess the need for health

70

care transition services and to identify barriers that impede

71

access to comprehensive medical treatment and health care for

72

youth and young adults who have chronic special health care needs

73

and disabilities.

74

     (c) Develop a statewide plan to promote the development of

75

health care transition services. The plan should put forth

76

different models that accommodate the geographic and cultural

77

diversity in the state and that are adapted to the local needs of

78

communities and to local health services delivery systems.

79

Furthermore, the plan should promote the integration of health

80

care transition services with transition programs for education,

81

vocation, and independent living.

82

     (d) Identify common or comparable performance measures for

83

all entities that serve the needs for health care transition

84

services of youth and young adults who have chronic special

85

health care needs and disabilities.

86

     (e) Collect and disseminate information concerning best

87

practices in health care transition services for youth and young

88

adults who have chronic special health care needs and

89

disabilities.

90

     (f) Identify existing and potential funding sources to

91

create health care transition services within communities.

92

     (5) The task force shall present a final report of its

93

findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of

94

the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by

95

January 1, 2009, and shall expire upon the submission of the

96

report.

97

     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

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