Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 714
       
       
        
       By Senator Taddeo
       
       
       
       
       
       40-01002-21                                            2021714__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to resource information for
    3         individuals with disabilities; amending s. 393.065,
    4         F.S.; requiring the Agency for Persons with
    5         Disabilities to provide specified written information
    6         to persons applying for certain waiver services;
    7         requiring the agency to provide a certain disclosure
    8         statement along with such information; providing an
    9         effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Present subsection (10) of section 393.065,
   14  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (11), and a new
   15  subsection (10) is added to that section, to read:
   16         393.065 Application and eligibility determination.—
   17         (10)(a) Regardless of whether an applicant is eligible to
   18  receive waiver services, the agency shall provide all of the
   19  following information to the applicant or his or her parent,
   20  legal guardian, or family member:
   21         1. Eligibility criteria and application procedures for
   22  receiving vocational rehabilitation services, including a
   23  hyperlink or website address that provides direct access to the
   24  applicable application for such services.
   25         2. Eligibility criteria and application procedures for
   26  participation in the Florida ABLE program under s. 1009.986,
   27  including a hyperlink or website address that provides direct
   28  access to the application for establishing an ABLE account as
   29  defined in s. 1009.986(2).
   30         3. Eligibility criteria and application procedures for
   31  receiving supplemental security income benefits and social
   32  security disability income benefits under Title XVI of the
   33  Social Security Act, as amended, including a hyperlink or
   34  website address that provides direct access to the applicable
   35  application for such benefits.
   36         4. For an applicant who is 22 years of age or younger,
   37  contact information for the local school district for enrollment
   38  in school.
   39         5. For an applicant who is between 16 and 22 years of age,
   40  eligibility criteria and application procedures for transition
   41  programs and services available in local schools, including
   42  access to job coaches providing transition services to students
   43  with disabilities who are enrolled in such programs.
   44         6. For an applicant who is 22 years of age or older,
   45  eligibility criteria and application procedures for all of the
   46  following:
   47         a. Private-pay adult day training programs located in the
   48  applicable service area.
   49         b. Postsecondary and vocational training programs funded
   50  through the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities
   51  established under s. 1004.6495(5).
   52         c. Any other programs that may be funded through the
   53  Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or the Division of Blind
   54  Services of the Department of Education which may be of
   55  assistance to the applicant.
   56         7. Eligibility criteria and application procedures for
   57  guardianship programs for individuals with disabilities.
   58         8. A list of available independent living skills coaches,
   59  job coaches, and personal supports located in the applicable
   60  service area which may be obtained through private pay.
   61         (b) The agency must provide the information required in
   62  paragraph (a) in writing to an applicant or his or her parent,
   63  legal guardian, or family member along with a written disclosure
   64  statement in substantially the following form:
   65  
   66                        DISCLOSURE STATEMENT                       
   67  
   68  Each program and service has its own eligibility requirements.
   69  By providing the information specified in Section
   70  393.065(10)(a), Florida Statutes, the agency does not guarantee
   71  an applicant’s eligibility for or enrollment in any program or
   72  service.
   73         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.