Florida Senate - 2020 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 1326
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LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: 1/AD/2R .
03/06/2020 04:02 PM .
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Senator Simpson moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraphs
6 (b), (d), and (e) of subsection (5) of section 20.19, Florida
7 Statutes, are amended to read:
8 20.19 Department of Children and Families.—There is created
9 a Department of Children and Families.
10 (1) MISSION AND PURPOSE.—
11 (b) The department shall develop a strategic plan for
12 fulfilling its mission and establish a set of measurable goals,
13 objectives, performance standards and metrics, and quality
14 assurance requirements to ensure that the department is
15 accountable to the people of Florida. Such goals shall, at a
16 minimum, include those specified in s. 409.986(2).
17 (5) COMMUNITY ALLIANCES.—
18 (b) The duties of the community alliance include, but are
19 not limited to:
20 1. Joint planning for resource utilization in the
21 community, including resources appropriated to the department
22 and any funds that local funding sources choose to provide.
23 2. Needs assessment and establishment of community
24 priorities for service delivery.
25 3. Determining community outcome goals to supplement state
26 required outcomes.
27 4. Serving as a catalyst for community resource
28 development, including, but not limited to, identifying existing
29 programs and services delivered by and assistance available from
30 community-based and faith-based organizations, and encouraging
31 the development and availability of such programs, services, and
32 assistance by such organizations. The community alliance shall
33 ensure that the community-based care lead agency is aware of
34 such programs, services, and assistance and work to facilitate
35 the lead agency’s appropriate use of these resources.
36 5. Providing for community education and advocacy on issues
37 related to delivery of services.
38 6. Promoting prevention and early intervention services.
39 (d) The initial membership of the community alliance in a
40 county shall at a minimum be composed of the following:
41 1. A representative from the department.
42 2. A representative from county government.
43 3. A representative from the school district.
44 4. A representative from the county United Way.
45 5. A representative from the county sheriff’s office.
46 6. A representative from the circuit court corresponding to
47 the county.
48 7. A representative from the county children’s board, if
49 one exists.
50 8. A representative of a faith-based organization involved
51 in efforts to prevent child maltreatment, strengthen families,
52 or promote adoption.
53 (e) At any time after the initial meeting of the community
54 alliance, The community alliance shall adopt bylaws and may
55 increase the membership of the alliance to include the state
56 attorney for the judicial circuit in which the community
57 alliance is located, or his or her designee, the public defender
58 for the judicial circuit in which the community alliance is
59 located, or his or her designee, and Other individuals and
60 organizations who represent funding organizations, are community
61 leaders, have knowledge of community-based service issues, or
62 otherwise represent perspectives that will enable them to
63 accomplish the duties listed in paragraph (b), if, in the
64 judgment of the alliance, such change is necessary to adequately
65 represent the diversity of the population within the community
66 alliance service circuits.
67 Section 2. Section 39.3065, Florida Statutes, is amended to
68 read:
69 39.3065 Sheriffs of certain counties to provide child
70 protective investigative services; procedures; funding.—
71 (1) As described in this section, the department of
72 Children and Families shall, by the end of fiscal year 1999
73 2000, transfer all responsibility for child protective
74 investigations for Pinellas County, Manatee County, Broward
75 County, and Pasco County to the sheriff of that county in which
76 the child abuse, neglect, or abandonment is alleged to have
77 occurred. Each sheriff is responsible for the provision of all
78 child protective investigations in his or her county. Each
79 individual who provides these services must complete the
80 training provided to and required of protective investigators
81 employed by the department of Children and Families.
82 (2) During fiscal year 1998-1999, the department of
83 Children and Families and each sheriff’s office shall enter into
84 a contract for the provision of these services. Funding for the
85 services will be appropriated to the department of Children and
86 Families, and the department shall transfer to the respective
87 sheriffs for the duration of fiscal year 1998-1999, funding for
88 the investigative responsibilities assumed by the sheriffs,
89 including federal funds that the provider is eligible for and
90 agrees to earn and that portion of general revenue funds which
91 is currently associated with the services that are being
92 furnished under contract, and including, but not limited to,
93 funding for all investigative, supervisory, and clerical
94 positions; training; all associated equipment; furnishings; and
95 other fixed capital items. The contract must specify whether the
96 department will continue to perform part or none of the child
97 protective investigations during the initial year. The sheriffs
98 may either conduct the investigations themselves or may, in
99 turn, subcontract with law enforcement officials or with
100 properly trained employees of private agencies to conduct
101 investigations related to neglect cases only. If such a
102 subcontract is awarded, the sheriff must take full
103 responsibility for any safety decision made by the subcontractor
104 and must immediately respond with law enforcement staff to any
105 situation that requires removal of a child due to a condition
106 that poses an immediate threat to the child’s life. The contract
107 must specify whether the services are to be performed by
108 departmental employees or by persons determined by the sheriff.
109 During this initial year, the department is responsible for
110 quality assurance, and the department retains the responsibility
111 for the performance of all child protective investigations. The
112 department must identify any barriers to transferring the entire
113 responsibility for child protective services to the sheriffs’
114 offices and must pursue avenues for removing any such barriers
115 by means including, but not limited to, applying for federal
116 waivers. By January 15, 1999, the department shall submit to the
117 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
118 Representatives, and the chairs of the Senate and House
119 committees that oversee departmental activities a report that
120 describes any remaining barriers, including any that pertain to
121 funding and related administrative issues. Unless the
122 Legislature, on the basis of that report or other pertinent
123 information, acts to block a transfer of the entire
124 responsibility for child protective investigations to the
125 sheriffs’ offices, the sheriffs of Pasco County, Manatee County,
126 Broward County, and Pinellas County, beginning in fiscal year
127 1999-2000, shall assume the entire responsibility for such
128 services, as provided in subsection (3).
129 (3)(a) Beginning in fiscal year 1999-2000, the sheriffs of
130 Pasco County, Manatee County, Broward County, and Pinellas
131 County have the responsibility to provide all child protective
132 investigations in their respective counties. Beginning in fiscal
133 year 2000-2001, the department of Children and Families is
134 authorized to enter into grant agreements with sheriffs of other
135 counties to perform child protective investigations in their
136 respective counties. The sheriffs of other counties with which
137 the department enters into grant agreements shall adopt the
138 child welfare practice model, as periodically modified by the
139 department, that is used by child protective investigators
140 employed by the department.
141 (b) The sheriffs shall operate, at a minimum, in accordance
142 with the performance standards and outcome measures established
143 by the Legislature for protective investigations conducted by
144 the department of Children and Families.
145 1. All sheriffs shall operate in accord with the same
146 federal performance standards and metrics that are imposed by
147 federal law, regulation, or funding requirements on child
148 protective investigators employed by the department.
149 2. Sheriffs of other counties with which the department
150 enters into grant agreements under paragraph (a) shall operate
151 in accordance with the same child welfare practice model
152 principles used by, and same state performance standards and
153 metrics that are imposed on, child protective investigators
154 employed by the department.
155
156 Each individual who provides these services must complete, at a
157 minimum, the training provided to and required of protective
158 investigators employed by the department of Children and
159 Families.
160 (c) Funds for providing child protective investigations
161 must be identified in the annual appropriation made to the
162 department of Children and Families, which shall award grants
163 for the full amount identified to the respective sheriffs’
164 offices. Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 216.181(16)(b)
165 and 216.351, the department of Children and Families may advance
166 payments to the sheriffs for child protective investigations.
167 Funds for the child protective investigations may not be
168 integrated into the sheriffs’ regular budgets. Budgetary data
169 and other data relating to the performance of child protective
170 investigations must be maintained separately from all other
171 records of the sheriffs’ offices and reported to the department
172 of Children and Families as specified in the grant agreement.
173 (d) The department and all sheriffs providing child
174 protective investigative services shall collaborate to monitor
175 program performance on an ongoing basis. The department and each
176 sheriff, or his or her designee, shall meet at least quarterly
177 to collaborate on federal and state quality assurance and
178 quality improvement initiatives.
179 (e)(d) The department shall conduct an annual evaluation of
180 the program performance of all sheriffs providing child
181 protective investigative services.
182 1. For the sheriffs of Pasco County, Manatee County,
183 Broward County, and Pinellas County, the evaluation shall only
184 be based on the same federal performance standards and metrics,
185 and those state performance standards and metrics that are not
186 specific to or based on the child welfare practice model, that
187 are imposed on child protective investigators employed by the
188 department.
189 2. For sheriffs of other counties with which the department
190 enters into grant agreements under paragraph (a), this
191 evaluation shall be based on the same child welfare practice
192 model principles used by, and federal and state performance
193 standards and metrics that are imposed on, child protective
194 investigators employed by criteria mutually agreed upon by the
195 respective sheriffs and the department of Children and Families.
196
197 The program performance evaluation must be standardized
198 statewide excepting state performance standards and metrics that
199 are not specific to or based on the child welfare practice model
200 not being applicable to certain sheriffs as provided in sub
201 paragraph (e)1. The department shall select random cases for
202 evaluation. The program performance evaluation shall be
203 conducted by a team of peer reviewers from the respective
204 sheriffs’ offices that perform child protective investigations
205 and representatives from the department.
206 (f) The department of Children and Families shall produce
207 submit an annual report regarding, at a minimum, quality
208 performance quality, outcome-measure attainment, and cost
209 efficiency of the services provided by all sheriffs providing
210 child protective investigative services. The annual report shall
211 include data and information on both the sheriffs’ and the
212 department’s performance of protective investigations. The
213 department shall submit the annual report to the President of
214 the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to
215 the Governor no later than November 1 January 31 of each year
216 the sheriffs are receiving general appropriations to provide
217 child protective investigations.
218 Section 3. Section 402.402, Florida Statutes, is amended to
219 read:
220 402.402 Child protection and child welfare personnel;
221 attorneys employed by the department.—
222 (1) CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATION PROFESSIONAL STAFF
223 REQUIREMENTS.—The department is responsible for recruitment of
224 qualified professional staff to serve as child protective
225 investigators and child protective investigation supervisors.
226 The department shall make every effort to recruit and hire
227 persons qualified by their education and experience to perform
228 social work functions. The department’s efforts shall be guided
229 by the goal that by July 1, 2019, at least half of all child
230 protective investigators and supervisors will have a bachelor’s
231 degree or a master’s degree in social work from a college or
232 university social work program accredited by the Council on
233 Social Work Education. The department, in collaboration with the
234 lead agencies, subcontracted provider organizations, the Florida
235 Institute for Child Welfare created pursuant to s. 1004.615, and
236 other partners in the child welfare system, shall develop a
237 protocol for screening candidates for child protective positions
238 which reflects the preferences specified in paragraphs (a)-(f).
239 The following persons shall be given preference in the
240 recruitment of qualified professional staff, but the preferences
241 serve only as guidance and do not limit the department’s
242 discretion to select the best available candidates:
243 (a) Individuals with baccalaureate degrees in social work
244 and child protective investigation supervisors with master’s
245 degrees in social work from a college or university social work
246 program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
247 (b) Individuals with baccalaureate or master’s degrees in
248 psychology, sociology, counseling, special education, education,
249 human development, child development, family development,
250 marriage and family therapy, and nursing.
251 (c) Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who have a
252 combination of directly relevant work and volunteer experience,
253 preferably in a public service field related to children’s
254 services, demonstrating critical thinking skills, formal
255 assessment processes, communication skills, problem solving, and
256 empathy; a commitment to helping children and families; a
257 capacity to work as part of a team; an interest in continuous
258 development of skills and knowledge; and personal strength and
259 resilience to manage competing demands and handle workplace
260 stresses.
261 (2) SPECIALIZED TRAINING.—All child protective
262 investigators and child protective investigation supervisors
263 employed by the department or a sheriff’s office must complete
264 specialized training either focused on serving a specific
265 population, including, but not limited to, medically fragile
266 children, sexually exploited children, children under 3 years of
267 age, or families with a history of domestic violence, mental
268 illness, or substance abuse, or focused on performing certain
269 aspects of child protection practice, including, but not limited
270 to, investigation techniques and analysis of family dynamics.
271 The specialized training may be used to fulfill continuing
272 education requirements under s. 402.40(3)(e). Individuals hired
273 before July 1, 2014, shall complete the specialized training by
274 June 30, 2016, and individuals hired on or after July 1, 2014,
275 shall complete the specialized training within 2 years after
276 hire. An individual may receive specialized training in multiple
277 areas.
278 (3) STAFF SUPPORT.—The department shall implement policies
279 and programs that mitigate and prevent the impact of secondary
280 traumatic stress and burnout among child protective
281 investigations staff, including, but not limited to:
282 (a) Initiatives to encourage and inspire child protective
283 investigations staff, including recognizing their achievements
284 on a recognition wall within their unit.
285 (b) Formal procedures for providing support to child
286 protective investigations staff after a critical incident such
287 as a child fatality.
288 (c) Initial training upon appointment to a supervisory
289 position and annual continuing education for all supervisors on
290 how to prevent secondary traumatic stress and burnout among the
291 employees they supervise.
292 (d) Monitoring levels of secondary traumatic stress and
293 burnout among individual employees and intervening as needed.
294 The department shall closely monitor and respond to levels of
295 secondary traumatic stress and burnout among employees during
296 the first 2 years after hire.
297 (e) Ongoing training in self-care for all child protective
298 investigations staff.
299
300 Such programs may also include, but are not limited, to formal
301 peer counseling and support programs.
302 (4)(3) REPORT.—By each October 1, the department shall
303 submit a report on the educational qualifications, turnover,
304 professional advancement, and working conditions of the child
305 protective investigators and supervisors to the Governor, the
306 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
307 Representatives.
308 (5)(4) ATTORNEYS EMPLOYED BY OR CONTRACTING WITH THE
309 DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE CHILD WELFARE CASES.—Attorneys hired or
310 contracted with on or after July 1, 2014, whose primary
311 responsibility is representing the department in child welfare
312 cases shall, within the first 6 months of employment, receive
313 training in:
314 (a) The dependency court process, including the attorney’s
315 role in preparing and reviewing documents prepared for
316 dependency court for accuracy and completeness.;
317 (b) Preparing and presenting child welfare cases, including
318 at least 1 week shadowing an experienced children’s legal
319 services attorney preparing and presenting cases.;
320 (c) Safety assessment, safety decisionmaking tools, and
321 safety plans.;
322 (d) Developing information presented by investigators and
323 case managers to support decisionmaking in the best interest of
324 children.; and
325 (e) The experiences and techniques of case managers and
326 investigators, including shadowing an experienced child
327 protective investigator and an experienced case manager for at
328 least 8 hours.
329 Section 4. Section 402.715, Florida Statutes, is created to
330 read:
331 402.715 Office of Quality.—Subject to an appropriation, the
332 department shall establish a department-wide Office of Quality
333 to ensure that the department and its contracted service
334 providers achieve high levels of performance. Duties of the
335 office include, but are not limited to:
336 (1) Identifying performance standards and metrics for the
337 department and all contracted service providers, including, but
338 not limited to, law enforcement agencies, managing entities,
339 community-based care lead agencies, and attorney services. Such
340 performance standards and metrics shall be reflected in the
341 strategic plan required under s. 20.19(1). Performance standards
342 and metrics for the child welfare system shall, at a minimum,
343 incorporate measures used in the results-oriented accountability
344 system under s. 409.997.
345 (2) Strengthening the department’s data and analytic
346 capabilities to identify systemic strengths and deficiencies.
347 (3) Recommending, in consultation with the relevant program
348 office, initiatives to correct programmatic and systemic
349 deficiencies.
350 (4) Engaging and collaborating with contractors,
351 stakeholders, and other relevant entities to improve quality,
352 efficiency, and effectiveness of department programs and
353 services.
354 (5) Reporting systemic or persistent failures to meet
355 performance standards and recommending corrective action to the
356 secretary.
357 Section 5. Section 402.7305, Florida Statutes, is amended
358 to read:
359 402.7305 Department of Children and Families; procurement
360 of contractual services; contract management.—
361 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
362 (a) “Contract manager” means the department employee who is
363 responsible for enforcing the compliance with administrative and
364 programmatic terms and conditions of a contract. The contract
365 manager is the primary point of contact through which all
366 contracting information flows between the department and the
367 contractor. The contract manager is responsible for day-to-day
368 contract oversight, including approval of contract deliverables
369 and invoices. All actions related to the contract shall be
370 initiated by or coordinated with the contract manager. The
371 contract manager maintains the official contract files.
372 (b) “Contract monitor” means the department employee who is
373 responsible for observing, recording, and reporting to the
374 contract manager and other designated entities the information
375 necessary to assist the contract manager and program management
376 in determining whether the contractor is in compliance with the
377 administrative and programmatic terms and conditions of the
378 contract.
379 (c) “Department” means the Department of Children and
380 Families.
381 (d) “Outsourcing” means the process of contracting with an
382 external service provider to provide a service, in whole or in
383 part, while the department retains the responsibility and
384 accountability for the service.
385 (2) PROCUREMENT OF COMMODITIES AND CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.—
386 (a) Notwithstanding s. 287.057(3)(e)12., if the department
387 intends to contract with a public postsecondary institution to
388 provide a service, the department must allow all public
389 postsecondary institutions in this state that are accredited by
390 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to bid on the
391 contract. Thereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of
392 law, if a public postsecondary institution intends to
393 subcontract for any service awarded in the contract, the
394 subcontracted service must be procured by competitive
395 procedures.
396 (b) When it is in the best interest of a defined segment of
397 its consumer population, the department may competitively
398 procure and contract for systems of treatment or service that
399 involve multiple providers, rather than procuring and
400 contracting for treatment or services separately from each
401 participating provider. The department must ensure that all
402 providers that participate in the treatment or service system
403 meet all applicable statutory, regulatory, service quality, and
404 cost control requirements. If other governmental entities or
405 units of special purpose government contribute matching funds to
406 the support of a given system of treatment or service, the
407 department shall formally request information from those funding
408 entities in the procurement process and may take the information
409 received into account in the selection process. If a local
410 government contributes matching funds to support the system of
411 treatment or contracted service and if the match constitutes at
412 least 25 percent of the value of the contract, the department
413 shall afford the governmental match contributor an opportunity
414 to name an employee as one of the persons required by s.
415 287.057(16) to evaluate or negotiate certain contracts, unless
416 the department sets forth in writing the reason why the
417 inclusion would be contrary to the best interest of the state.
418 Any employee so named by the governmental match contributor
419 shall qualify as one of the persons required by s. 287.057(16).
420 A governmental entity or unit of special purpose government may
421 not name an employee as one of the persons required by s.
422 287.057(16) if it, or any of its political subdivisions,
423 executive agencies, or special districts, intends to compete for
424 the contract to be awarded. The governmental funding entity or
425 contributor of matching funds must comply with all procurement
426 procedures set forth in s. 287.057 when appropriate and
427 required.
428 (c) The department may procure and contract for or provide
429 assessment and case management services independently from
430 treatment services.
431 (3) CONTRACT MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS.—The
432 Department of Children and Families shall review the time period
433 for which the department executes contracts and shall execute
434 multiyear contracts to make the most efficient use of the
435 resources devoted to contract processing and execution. Whenever
436 the department chooses not to use a multiyear contract, a
437 justification for that decision must be contained in the
438 contract. Notwithstanding s. 287.057(14), the department is
439 responsible for establishing a contract management process that
440 requires a member of the department’s Senior Management or
441 Selected Exempt Service to assign in writing the responsibility
442 of a contract to a contract manager. The department shall
443 maintain a set of procedures describing its contract management
444 process which must minimally include the following requirements:
445 (a) The contract manager shall maintain the official
446 contract file throughout the duration of the contract and for a
447 period not less than 6 years after the termination of the
448 contract.
449 (b) The contract manager shall review all invoices for
450 compliance with the criteria and payment schedule provided for
451 in the contract and shall approve payment of all invoices before
452 their transmission to the Department of Financial Services for
453 payment.
454 (c) The contract manager shall maintain a schedule of
455 payments and total amounts disbursed and shall periodically
456 reconcile the records with the state’s official accounting
457 records.
458 (d) For contracts involving the provision of direct client
459 services, the contract manager shall periodically visit the
460 physical location where the services are delivered and speak
461 directly to clients receiving the services and the staff
462 responsible for delivering the services.
463 (e) The contract manager shall meet at least once a month
464 directly with the contractor’s representative and maintain
465 records of such meetings.
466 (f) The contract manager shall periodically document any
467 differences between the required performance measures and the
468 actual performance measures. If a contractor fails to meet and
469 comply with the performance measures established in the
470 contract, the department may allow a reasonable period for the
471 contractor to correct performance deficiencies. If performance
472 deficiencies are not resolved to the satisfaction of the
473 department within the prescribed time, and if no extenuating
474 circumstances can be documented by the contractor to the
475 department’s satisfaction, the department must terminate the
476 contract. The department may not enter into a new contract with
477 that same contractor for the services for which the contract was
478 previously terminated for a period of at least 24 months after
479 the date of termination. The contract manager shall obtain and
480 enforce corrective action plans, if appropriate, and maintain
481 records regarding the completion or failure to complete
482 corrective action items.
483 (g) The contract manager shall document any contract
484 modifications, which shall include recording any contract
485 amendments as provided for in this section.
486 (h) The contract manager shall be properly trained before
487 being assigned responsibility for any contract.
488 (4) CONTRACT MONITORING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS.—The
489 department shall establish contract monitoring units staffed by
490 career service employees who report to a member of the Selected
491 Exempt Service or Senior Management Service and who have been
492 properly trained to perform contract monitoring. At least one
493 member of the contract monitoring unit must possess specific
494 knowledge and experience in the contract’s program area. The
495 department shall establish a contract monitoring process that
496 includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements:
497 (a) Performing a risk assessment at the start of each
498 fiscal year and preparing an annual contract monitoring schedule
499 that considers the level of risk assigned. The department may
500 monitor any contract at any time regardless of whether such
501 monitoring was originally included in the annual contract
502 monitoring schedule.
503 (b) Preparing a contract monitoring plan, including
504 sampling procedures, before performing onsite monitoring at
505 external locations of a service provider. The plan must include
506 a description of the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative
507 components that will be monitored on site. If appropriate,
508 clinical and therapeutic components may be included.
509 (c) Conducting analyses of the performance and compliance
510 of an external service provider by means of desk reviews if the
511 external service provider will not be monitored on site during a
512 fiscal year.
513 (d) Unless the department sets forth in writing the need
514 for an extension, providing a written report presenting the
515 results of the monitoring within 30 days after the completion of
516 the onsite monitoring or desk review.
517 (e) Developing and maintaining a set of procedures
518 describing the contract monitoring process.
519
520 Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the
521 department shall limit monitoring of a child-caring or child
522 placing services provider under this subsection to only once per
523 year. Such monitoring may not duplicate administrative
524 monitoring that is included in the survey of a child welfare
525 provider conducted by a national accreditation organization
526 specified under s. 402.7306(1).
527 Section 6. Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (1) of
528 section 409.988, Florida Statutes, to read:
529 409.988 Lead agency duties; general provisions.—
530 (1) DUTIES.—A lead agency:
531 (l) Shall identify an employee to serve as a liaison with
532 the community alliance and community-based and faith-based
533 organizations interested in collaborating with the lead agency
534 or offering services or other assistance on a volunteer basis to
535 the children and families served by the lead agency. The lead
536 agency shall ensure that appropriate lead agency staff and
537 subcontractors, including, but not limited to, case managers,
538 are informed of the specific services or assistance available
539 from community-based and faith-based organizations.
540 Section 7. Section 409.996, Florida Statutes, is amended to
541 read:
542 409.996 Duties of the Department of Children and Families.
543 The department shall contract for the delivery, administration,
544 or management of care for children in the child protection and
545 child welfare system. In doing so, the department retains
546 responsibility for the quality of contracted services and
547 programs and shall ensure that, at a minimum, services are
548 delivered in accordance with applicable federal and state
549 statutes and regulations and the performance standards and
550 metrics specified in the strategic plan created under s.
551 20.19(1).
552 (1) The department shall enter into contracts with lead
553 agencies for the performance of the duties by the lead agencies
554 established in pursuant to s. 409.988. At a minimum, the
555 contracts must:
556 (a) Provide for the services needed to accomplish the
557 duties established in s. 409.988 and provide information to the
558 department which is necessary to meet the requirements for a
559 quality assurance program under pursuant to subsection (19) (18)
560 and the child welfare results-oriented accountability system
561 under pursuant to s. 409.997.
562 (b) Provide for tiered interventions and graduated
563 penalties for failure to comply with contract terms or in the
564 event of performance deficiencies. Such interventions and
565 penalties shall may include, but are not limited to:
566 1. financial penalties, Enhanced monitoring and reporting.,
567 2. Corrective action plans., and
568 3. Requirements to accept technical assistance and
569 consultation from the department under subsection (4).
570 4. Financial penalties, which shall require a lead agency
571 to reallocate funds from administrative costs to direct care for
572 children.
573 5. Early termination of contracts, as provided in s.
574 402.1705(3)(f) or other appropriate action to ensure contract
575 compliance. The financial penalties shall require a lead agency
576 to reallocate funds from administrative costs to direct care for
577 children.
578 (c) Ensure that the lead agency shall furnish current and
579 accurate information on its activities in all cases in client
580 case records in the state’s statewide automated child welfare
581 information system.
582 (d) Specify the procedures to be used by the parties to
583 resolve differences in interpreting the contract or to resolve
584 disputes as to the adequacy of the parties’ compliance with
585 their respective obligations under the contract.
586 (2) The department must adopt written policies and
587 procedures for monitoring the contract for delivery of services
588 by lead agencies which must be posted on the department’s
589 website. These policies and procedures must, at a minimum,
590 address the evaluation of fiscal accountability and program
591 operations, including provider achievement of performance
592 standards, provider monitoring of subcontractors, and timely
593 followup of corrective actions for significant monitoring
594 findings related to providers and subcontractors. These policies
595 and procedures must also include provisions for reducing the
596 duplication of the department’s program monitoring activities
597 both internally and with other agencies, to the extent possible.
598 The department’s written procedures must ensure that the written
599 findings, conclusions, and recommendations from monitoring the
600 contract for services of lead agencies are communicated to the
601 director of the provider agency and the community alliance as
602 expeditiously as possible.
603 (3) The department shall receive federal and state funds as
604 appropriated for the operation of the child welfare system,
605 transmit these funds to the lead agencies as agreed to in the
606 contract, and provide information on its website of the
607 distribution of the federal funds. The department retains
608 responsibility for the appropriate spending of these funds. The
609 department shall monitor lead agencies to assess compliance with
610 the financial guidelines established under pursuant to s.
611 409.992 and other applicable state and federal laws.
612 (4) The department may shall provide technical assistance
613 and consultation to lead agencies as necessary for the
614 achievement of performance standards, including, but not limited
615 to, providing additional resources to assist the lead agencies
616 to implement best practices or institute operational
617 efficiencies in the provision of care to children in the child
618 protection and child welfare system.
619 (5) The department retains the responsibility for the
620 review, approval or denial, and issuances of all foster home
621 licenses.
622 (6) The department shall process all applications submitted
623 by lead agencies for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of
624 Children and the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical
625 Assistance.
626 (7) The department shall assist lead agencies with access
627 to and coordination with other service programs within the
628 department.
629 (8) The department shall determine Medicaid eligibility for
630 all referred children and shall coordinate services with the
631 Agency for Health Care Administration.
632 (9) The department shall develop, in cooperation with the
633 lead agencies, a third-party credentialing entity approved under
634 pursuant to s. 402.40(3), and the Florida Institute for Child
635 Welfare established under pursuant to s. 1004.615, a
636 standardized competency-based curriculum for certification
637 training for child protection staff.
638 (10) The department shall maintain the statewide adoptions
639 website and provide information and training to the lead
640 agencies relating to the website.
641 (11) The department shall provide training and assistance
642 to lead agencies regarding the responsibility of lead agencies
643 relating to children receiving supplemental security income,
644 social security, railroad retirement, or veterans’ benefits.
645 (12) With the assistance of a lead agency, the department
646 shall develop and implement statewide and local interagency
647 agreements needed to coordinate services for children and
648 parents involved in the child welfare system who are also
649 involved with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the
650 Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Education, the
651 Department of Health, and other governmental organizations that
652 share responsibilities for children or parents in the child
653 welfare system.
654 (13) With the assistance of a lead agency, the department
655 shall develop and implement a working agreement between the lead
656 agency and the substance abuse and mental health managing entity
657 to integrate services and supports for children and parents
658 serviced in the child welfare system.
659 (14) The department shall work with the Agency for Health
660 Care Administration to provide each Medicaid-eligible child with
661 early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment,
662 including 72-hour screening, periodic child health checkups, and
663 prescribed followup for ordered services, including, but not
664 limited to, medical, dental, and vision care.
665 (15) The department shall assist lead agencies in
666 developing an array of services in compliance with the Title IV
667 E waiver and shall monitor the provision of such services.
668 (16) The department shall provide a mechanism to allow lead
669 agencies to request a waiver of department policies and
670 procedures that create inefficiencies or inhibit the performance
671 of the lead agency’s duties.
672 (17) The department may shall directly or through contract
673 provide attorneys to prepare and present cases in dependency
674 court and shall ensure that the court is provided with adequate
675 information for informed decisionmaking in dependency cases,
676 including, at a minimum, a face sheet for each case which lists
677 the names and contact information for any child protective
678 investigator, child protective investigation supervisor, case
679 manager, and case manager supervisor, and the regional
680 department official responsible for the lead agency contract.
681 The department shall provide to the court the case information
682 and recommendations provided by the lead agency or
683 subcontractor. For the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the department
684 shall contract with the state attorney for the provision of
685 these services.
686 (18)(a) The department may contract for the provision of
687 children’s legal services to prepare and present cases in
688 dependency court. The contracted attorneys shall ensure that the
689 court is provided with adequate information for informed
690 decisionmaking in dependency cases, including, at a minimum, a
691 face sheet for each case which lists the names and contact
692 information for any child protective investigator, child
693 protective investigator supervisor, and the regional department
694 official responsible for the lead agency contract. The
695 contracted attorneys shall provide to the court the case
696 information and recommendations provided by the lead agency or
697 subcontractor. For the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the department
698 shall contract with the state attorney for the provision of
699 these services.
700 (b) The contracted attorneys shall adopt the child welfare
701 practice model, as periodically updated by the department, that
702 is used by attorneys employed by the department. The contracted
703 attorneys shall operate in accordance with the same federal and
704 state performance standards and metrics imposed on children’s
705 legal services attorneys employed by the department.
706 (c) The department and contracted attorneys providing
707 children’s legal services shall collaborate to monitor program
708 performance on an ongoing basis. The department and contracted
709 attorneys, or a representative from such contracted attorneys’
710 offices, shall meet at least quarterly to collaborate on federal
711 and state quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives.
712 (d) The department shall conduct an annual program
713 performance evaluation which shall be based on the same child
714 welfare practice model principles and federal and state
715 performance standards that are imposed on children’s legal
716 services attorneys employed by the department. The program
717 performance evaluation must be standardized statewide and the
718 department shall select random cases for evaluation. The program
719 performance evaluation shall be conducted by a team of peer
720 reviewers from the respective contracted attorneys’ offices that
721 perform children’s legal services and representatives from the
722 department.
723 (e) The department shall publish an annual report
724 regarding, at a minimum, performance quality, outcome-measure
725 attainment, and cost efficiency of the services provided by the
726 contracted attorneys. The annual report must include data and
727 information on the performance of both the contracted attorneys
728 and the department’s attorneys. The department shall submit the
729 annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
730 the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
731 November 1 of each year that the contracted attorneys are
732 receiving appropriations to provide children’s legal services
733 for the department.
734 (19)(18) The department, in consultation with lead
735 agencies, shall establish a quality assurance program for
736 contracted services to dependent children. The quality assurance
737 program shall, at a minimum, be based on standards established
738 by federal and state law, and national accrediting
739 organizations, and the Office of Quality established under s.
740 402.715, and must be consistent with the child welfare results
741 oriented accountability system required by s. 409.997.
742 (a) The department must evaluate each lead agency under
743 contract at least annually. These evaluations shall cover the
744 programmatic, operational, and fiscal operations of the lead
745 agency and must be consistent with the child welfare results
746 oriented accountability system required by s. 409.997. The
747 department must consult with dependency judges in the circuit or
748 circuits served by the lead agency on the performance of the
749 lead agency.
750 (b) The department and each lead agency shall monitor out
751 of-home placements, including the extent to which sibling groups
752 are placed together or provisions to provide visitation and
753 other contacts if siblings are separated. The data shall
754 identify reasons for sibling separation. Information related to
755 sibling placement shall be incorporated into the results
756 oriented accountability system required under pursuant to s.
757 409.997 and into the evaluation of the outcome specified in s.
758 409.986(2)(e). The information related to sibling placement
759 shall also be made available to the institute established under
760 pursuant s. 1004.615 for use in assessing the performance of
761 child welfare services in relation to the outcome specified in
762 s. 409.986(2)(e).
763 (c) The department shall, to the extent possible, use
764 independent financial audits provided by the lead agency to
765 eliminate or reduce the ongoing contract and administrative
766 reviews conducted by the department. If the department
767 determines that such independent financial audits are
768 inadequate, other audits, as necessary, may be conducted by the
769 department. This paragraph does not abrogate the requirements of
770 s. 215.97.
771 (d) The department may suggest additional items to be
772 included in such independent financial audits to meet the
773 department’s needs.
774 (e) The department may outsource programmatic,
775 administrative, or fiscal monitoring oversight of lead agencies.
776 (f) A lead agency must assure that all subcontractors are
777 subject to the same quality assurance activities as the lead
778 agency.
779 (20)(19) The department and its attorneys, including
780 contracted attorneys, have the responsibility to ensure that the
781 court is fully informed about issues before it, to make
782 recommendations to the court, and to present competent evidence,
783 including testimony by the department’s employees, contractors,
784 and subcontractors, as well as other individuals, to support all
785 recommendations made to the court. The department’s attorneys
786 shall coordinate lead agency or subcontractor staff to ensure
787 that dependency cases are presented appropriately to the court,
788 giving consideration to the information developed by the case
789 manager and direction to the case manager if more information is
790 needed.
791 (21)(20) The department, in consultation with lead
792 agencies, shall develop a dispute resolution process so that
793 disagreements between legal staff, investigators, and case
794 management staff can be resolved in the best interest of the
795 child in question before court appearances regarding that child.
796 (22)(21) The department shall periodically, and before
797 procuring a lead agency, solicit comments and recommendations
798 from the community alliance established in s. 20.19(5), any
799 other community groups, or public hearings. The recommendations
800 must include, but are not limited to:
801 (a) The current and past performance of a lead agency.
802 (b) The relationship between a lead agency and its
803 community partners.
804 (c) Any local conditions or service needs in child
805 protection and child welfare.
806 (23)(22) The department shall develop, in collaboration
807 with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, lead agencies,
808 service providers, current and former foster children placed in
809 residential group care, and other community stakeholders, a
810 statewide accountability system for residential group care
811 providers based on measureable quality standards.
812 (a) The accountability system must:
813 1. Promote high quality in services and accommodations,
814 differentiating between shift and family-style models and
815 programs and services for children with specialized or
816 extraordinary needs, such as pregnant teens and children with
817 Department of Juvenile Justice involvement.
818 2. Include a quality measurement system with domains and
819 clearly defined levels of quality. The system must measure the
820 level of quality for each domain, using criteria that
821 residential group care providers must meet in order to achieve
822 each level of quality. Domains may include, but are not limited
823 to, admissions, service planning, treatment planning, living
824 environment, and program and service requirements. The system
825 may also consider outcomes 6 months and 12 months after a child
826 leaves the provider’s care. However, the system may not assign a
827 single summary rating to residential group care providers.
828 3. Consider the level of availability of trauma-informed
829 care and mental health and physical health services, providers’
830 engagement with the schools children in their care attend, and
831 opportunities for children’s involvement in extracurricular
832 activities.
833 (b) After development and implementation of the
834 accountability system in accordance with paragraph (a), the
835 department and each lead agency shall use the information from
836 the accountability system to promote enhanced quality in
837 residential group care within their respective areas of
838 responsibility. Such promotion may include, but is not limited
839 to, the use of incentives and ongoing contract monitoring
840 efforts.
841 (c) The department shall submit a report to the Governor,
842 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
843 Representatives by October 1 of each year, with the first report
844 due October 1, 2017. The report must, at a minimum, include an
845 update on the development of a statewide accountability system
846 for residential group care providers and a plan for department
847 oversight and implementation of the statewide accountability
848 system. After implementation of the statewide accountability
849 system, the report must also include a description of the
850 system, including measures and any tools developed, a
851 description of how the information is being used by the
852 department and lead agencies, an assessment of placement of
853 children in residential group care using data from the
854 accountability system measures, and recommendations to further
855 improve quality in residential group care.
856 (d) The accountability system must be implemented by July
857 1, 2022.
858 (e) Nothing in this subsection impairs the department’s
859 licensure authority under s. 409.175.
860 (f) The department may adopt rules to administer this
861 subsection.
862 (24) In collaboration with lead agencies, service
863 providers, and other community stakeholders, the department
864 shall develop a statewide accountability system based on
865 measurable quality standards. The accountability system must be
866 implemented by July 1, 2021.
867 (a) The accountability system must:
868 1. Assess the overall health of the child welfare system,
869 by circuit, using grading criteria established by the
870 department.
871 2. Include a quality measurement system with domains and
872 clearly defined levels of quality. The system must measure the
873 performance standards for child protective investigators, lead
874 agencies, and children’s legal services throughout the system of
875 care, using criteria established by the department, and, at a
876 minimum, address applicable federal- and state-mandated metrics.
877 3. Align with the principles of the results-oriented
878 accountability program established under s. 409.997.
879 (b) After the development and implementation of the
880 accountability system under this subsection, the department and
881 each lead agency shall use the information from the
882 accountability system to promote enhanced quality service
883 delivery within their respective areas of responsibility.
884 (c) By December 1 of each year, the department shall submit
885 a report on the overall health of the child welfare system to
886 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
887 the House of Representatives.
888 (d) The department may adopt rules to implement this
889 subsection.
890 (25) Subject to an appropriation, for the 2020-2021 and
891 2021-2022 fiscal years, the department shall implement a pilot
892 project in the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits,
893 respectively, aimed at improving child welfare outcomes.
894 (a) In implementing the pilot projects, the department
895 shall establish performance metrics and performance standards to
896 assess improvements in safety, permanency, and the well-being of
897 children in the local system of care for the lead agencies in
898 those judicial circuits. Such metrics and standards must be
899 aligned with indicators used in the most recent federal Child
900 and Family Services Reviews.
901 (b) The lead agencies in the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial
902 Circuits shall provide performance data to the department each
903 quarter. The department shall review the data for accuracy and
904 completeness and then shall compare the actual performance of
905 the lead agencies to the established performance metrics and
906 standards. Each lead agency that exceeds performance metrics and
907 standards is eligible for incentive funding.
908 (c) For the first quarter of each fiscal year, the
909 department may advance incentive funding to the lead agencies in
910 an amount equal to one quarter of the total allocated to the
911 pilot project. After each quarter, the department shall assess
912 the performance of the lead agencies for that quarter and adjust
913 the subsequent quarter’s incentive funding based on its actual
914 prior quarter performance.
915 (d) The department shall include the results of the pilot
916 projects in the report required in subsection (24) of this
917 section. The report must include the department’s findings and
918 recommendations relating to the pilot projects.
919 (e) This subsection expires July 1, 2022
920 (23)(a) The department, in collaboration with the Florida
921 Institute for Child Welfare, shall convene a workgroup on foster
922 home quality. The workgroup, at a minimum, shall identify
923 measures of foster home quality, review current efforts by lead
924 agencies and subcontractors to enhance foster home quality,
925 identify barriers to the greater availability of high-quality
926 foster homes, and recommend additional strategies for assessing
927 the quality of foster homes and increasing the availability of
928 high-quality foster homes.
929 (b) The workgroup shall include representatives from the
930 department, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, foster
931 parents, current and former foster children, foster parent
932 organizations, lead agencies, child-placing agencies, other
933 service providers, and others as determined by the department.
934 (c) The Florida Institute for Child Welfare shall provide
935 the workgroup with relevant research on, at a minimum, measures
936 of quality of foster homes; evidence-supported strategies to
937 increase the availability of high-quality foster homes, such as
938 those regarding recruitment, screening, training, retention, and
939 child placement; descriptions and results of quality improvement
940 efforts in other jurisdictions; and the root causes of placement
941 disruption.
942 (d) The department shall submit a report to the Governor,
943 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
944 Representatives by November 15, 2017. The report shall, at a
945 minimum:
946 1. Describe the important dimensions of quality for foster
947 homes;
948 2. Describe the foster home quality enhancement efforts in
949 the state, including, but not limited to, recruitment,
950 retention, placement procedures, systems change, and quality
951 measurement programs, and any positive or negative results;
952 3. Identify barriers to the greater availability of high
953 quality foster homes;
954 4. Discuss available research regarding high-quality foster
955 homes; and
956 5. Present a plan for developing and implementing
957 strategies to increase the availability of high-quality foster
958 homes. The strategies shall address important elements of
959 quality, be based on available research, include both
960 qualitative and quantitative measures of quality, integrate with
961 the community-based care model, and be respectful of the privacy
962 and needs of foster parents. The plan shall recommend possible
963 instruments and measures and identify any changes to general law
964 or rule necessary for implementation.
965 Section 8. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 409.997,
966 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
967 409.997 Child welfare results-oriented accountability
968 program.—
969 (2) The purpose of the results-oriented accountability
970 program is to monitor and measure the use of resources, the
971 quality and amount of services provided, and child and family
972 outcomes. The program includes data analysis, research review,
973 and evaluation. The program shall produce an assessment of
974 individual entities’ performance, as well as the performance of
975 groups of entities working together on a local, judicial
976 circuit, regional, and statewide basis to provide an integrated
977 system of care. Data analyzed and communicated through the
978 accountability program shall inform the department’s development
979 and maintenance of an inclusive, interactive, and evidence
980 supported program of quality improvement which promotes
981 individual skill building as well as organizational learning.
982 The department may use Additionally, outcome data generated by
983 the program regarding performance drivers, process improvements,
984 short-term and long-term outcomes, and quality improvement
985 efforts to determine contract compliance and may be used as the
986 basis for payment of performance incentives if funds for such
987 payments are made available through the General Appropriations
988 Act. The information compiled and utilized in the accountability
989 program must incorporate, at a minimum:
990 (a) Valid and reliable outcome measures for each of the
991 goals specified in this subsection. The outcome data set must
992 consist of a limited number of understandable measures using
993 available data to quantify outcomes as children move through the
994 system of care. Such measures may aggregate multiple variables
995 that affect the overall achievement of the outcome goals. Valid
996 and reliable measures must be based on adequate sample sizes, be
997 gathered over suitable time periods, and reflect authentic
998 rather than spurious results, and may not be susceptible to
999 manipulation.
1000 (b) Regular and periodic monitoring activities that track
1001 the identified outcome measures on a statewide, regional, and
1002 provider-specific basis. Monitoring reports must identify trends
1003 and chart progress toward achievement of the goals specified in
1004 this subsection. The accountability program may not rank or
1005 compare performance among community-based care regions unless
1006 adequate and specific adjustments are adopted which account for
1007 the diversity in regions’ demographics, resources, and other
1008 relevant characteristics. The requirements of the monitoring
1009 program may be incorporated into the department’s quality
1010 assurance and contract management programs program.
1011 (c) An analytical framework that builds on the results of
1012 the outcomes monitoring procedures and assesses the statistical
1013 validity of observed associations between child welfare
1014 interventions and the measured outcomes. The analysis must use
1015 quantitative methods to adjust for variations in demographic or
1016 other conditions. The analysis must include longitudinal studies
1017 to evaluate longer term outcomes, such as continued safety,
1018 family permanence, and transition to self-sufficiency. The
1019 analysis may also include qualitative research methods to
1020 provide insight into statistical patterns.
1021 (d) A program of research review to identify interventions
1022 that are supported by evidence as causally linked to improved
1023 outcomes.
1024 (e) An ongoing process of evaluation to determine the
1025 efficacy and effectiveness of various interventions. Efficacy
1026 evaluation is intended to determine the validity of a causal
1027 relationship between an intervention and an outcome.
1028 Effectiveness evaluation is intended to determine the extent to
1029 which the results can be generalized.
1030 (f) Procedures for making the results of the accountability
1031 program transparent for all parties involved in the child
1032 welfare system as well as policymakers and the public, which
1033 shall be updated at least quarterly and published on the
1034 department’s website in a manner that allows custom searches of
1035 the performance data. The presentation of the data shall provide
1036 a comprehensible, visual report card for the state and each
1037 community-based care region, indicating the current status of
1038 the outcomes relative to each goal and trends in that status
1039 over time. The presentation shall identify and report outcome
1040 measures that assess the performance of the department, the
1041 community-based care lead agencies, and their subcontractors
1042 working together to provide an integrated system of care.
1043 (g) An annual performance report that is provided to
1044 interested parties including the dependency judge or judges in
1045 the community-based care service area. The report shall be
1046 submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
1047 Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 1 of each
1048 year.
1049 (3) The department shall establish a technical advisory
1050 panel consisting of representatives from the Florida Institute
1051 for Child Welfare established pursuant to s. 1004.615, lead
1052 agencies, community-based care providers, other contract
1053 providers, community alliances, and family representatives. The
1054 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
1055 Representatives shall each appoint a member to serve as a
1056 legislative liaison to the panel. The technical advisory panel
1057 shall advise the department on the implementation of the
1058 results-oriented accountability program.
1059 Section 9. Present subsections (6) and (7) of section
1060 1004.615, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (9)
1061 and (10), respectively, and new subsections (6) and (7) and
1062 subsection (8) are added to that section, to read:
1063 1004.615 Florida Institute for Child Welfare.—
1064 (6) The institute and the Florida State University College
1065 of Social Work shall design and implement a curriculum that
1066 enhances knowledge and skills for the child welfare practice.
1067 The institute and the college shall create the curriculum using
1068 interactive and interdisciplinary approaches and include
1069 opportunities for students to gain an understanding of real
1070 world child welfare cases. The institute shall disseminate the
1071 curriculum to other interested state universities and colleges
1072 and provide implementation support. The institute shall contract
1073 with a person or entity of its choosing, by November 1, 2020, to
1074 evaluate the curriculum and make recommendations for
1075 improvement. The college shall implement the curriculum during
1076 the 2021-2022 school year. This subsection is subject to an
1077 appropriation.
1078 (7) The institute, in collaboration with the department,
1079 community-based care lead agencies, providers of case management
1080 services, and other child welfare stakeholders, shall design and
1081 implement a career-long professional development curriculum for
1082 child welfare professionals at all levels and from all
1083 disciplines. The professional development curriculum must
1084 enhance the performance of the current child welfare workforce,
1085 address issues related to retention, complement the social work
1086 curriculum, and be developed using social work principles. The
1087 professional development curriculum shall provide career-long
1088 coaching, training, certification, and mentorship. The institute
1089 must provide the professional support on a continuous basis
1090 through online and in-person services. The professional
1091 development curriculum must be available by July 1, 2021. This
1092 subsection is subject to an appropriation.
1093 (8) The institute shall establish a consulting program for
1094 child welfare organizations to enhance workforce culture,
1095 supervision, and related management processes to improve
1096 retention, effectiveness, and overall well-being of staff to
1097 support improved child welfare outcomes. The institute shall
1098 select child welfare organizations through a competitive
1099 application process and provide ongoing analysis,
1100 recommendations, and support from a team of experts on a long
1101 term basis to address systemic and operational workforce
1102 challenges. This subsection is subject to an appropriation.
1103 Section 10. The Department of Children and Families, in
1104 collaboration with the Florida Institute of Child Welfare, shall
1105 develop an expanded career ladder for child protective
1106 investigations staff. The career ladder shall include multiple
1107 levels of child protective investigator classifications,
1108 corresponding milestones and professional development
1109 opportunities necessary for advancement, and compensation
1110 ranges. The department must submit a proposal for the expanded
1111 career ladder to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
1112 the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
1113 November 1, 2020.
1114 Section 11. Sections 1, 3, and 6 this act may be cited as
1115 the “State of Hope Act.”
1116 Section 12. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.
1117
1118 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
1119 And the title is amended as follows:
1120 Delete everything before the enacting clause
1121 and insert:
1122 A bill to be entitled
1123 An act relative to child welfare; amending s. 20.19,
1124 F.S.; requiring the Department of Children and
1125 Families to establish performance metrics; specifying
1126 goals that must be established; revising and providing
1127 duties of community alliances; revising membership of
1128 community alliances; amending s. 39.3065, F.S.;
1129 requiring sheriffs providing certain services to adopt
1130 the child welfare practice model; requiring sheriffs
1131 providing certain services to monitor program
1132 performance and meet, at least quarterly, to
1133 collaborate on specified quality assurance and
1134 initiatives; requiring the department to conduct an
1135 annual evaluation of the sheriffs’ program performance
1136 based on certain criteria; requiring the department to
1137 submit an annual report on certain information by a
1138 specified date; providing report requirements;
1139 amending s. 402.402, F.S.; requiring the department to
1140 implement certain policies and programs; requiring the
1141 annual report to include information on professional
1142 advancement of child protective investigators and
1143 supervisors; requiring attorneys contracting with the
1144 department to receive certain training within a
1145 specified time; creating s. 402.715, F.S.; requiring
1146 the department to establish an Office of Quality;
1147 providing duties of the office; amending s. 402.7305,
1148 F.S.; removing limitations on monitoring of child
1149 caring or child-placing services providers; amending
1150 409.988, F.S.; revising the duties of a lead agency;
1151 amending s. 409.996, F.S.; adding responsibilities to
1152 the department of contracts regarding care for
1153 children in the child welfare system; specifying
1154 additional requirements for contracts; authorizing the
1155 department to provide technical assistance to lead
1156 agencies; authorizing the department to contract for
1157 the provision of children’s legal services; requiring
1158 the contracted attorneys to adopt the child welfare
1159 practice model and operating in the same manner as
1160 attorneys employed by the department; requiring the
1161 department and the contracted attorneys to monitor
1162 program performance; requiring the department to
1163 conduct an annual evaluation based on certain
1164 criteria; requiring the department to submit an annual
1165 report to the Governor and Legislature by a specified
1166 date; revising requirements regarding the quality
1167 assurance program for contracted services to dependent
1168 children; deleting obsolete language; requiring the
1169 department to develop a statewide accountability
1170 system requiring that such system be implemented by a
1171 specified date; providing requirements for such
1172 accountability system; requiring the department and
1173 lead agencies to promote enhanced quality service
1174 delivery; requiring the department to submit a report
1175 to the Governor and the Legislature annually by a
1176 specified date; authorizing the department to adopt
1177 rules; requiring the department to implement pilot
1178 projects to improve child welfare outcomes in
1179 specified judicial circuits; requiring the department
1180 to establish performance metrics and standards to
1181 implement the pilot projects; requiring lead agencies
1182 in specified judicial circuits to provide certain data
1183 to the department each quarter; requiring the
1184 department to review such data; authorizing the
1185 department to advance incentive funding to certain
1186 lead agencies that meet specified requirements;
1187 requiring the department to include certain results in
1188 a specified report; providing for future expiration;
1189 deleting a provision requiring the department to
1190 convene a certain workgroup; amending s. 409.997,
1191 F.S.; specifying types of data that may be used by the
1192 department in an accountability program; adding
1193 contract compliance as a use of the data; allowing the
1194 requirements of monitoring program to be incorporated
1195 into contract management program of the department;
1196 amending s. 1004.615, F.S.; requiring the Florida
1197 Institute for Child Welfare and the Florida State
1198 University College of Social Work to design and
1199 implement a specified curriculum; providing
1200 requirements of the institute regarding the
1201 curriculum; requiring the institute to contract for
1202 certain evaluations; requiring certain entities to
1203 design and implement a career-long professional
1204 development curriculum for child welfare
1205 professionals; requiring the institute to establish a
1206 consulting program for child welfare organizations;
1207 requiring the department to develop a career ladder
1208 for child protective investigations professionals and
1209 submit a proposal to the Legislature by a specified
1210 date; providing a short title; providing an effective
1211 date.