Florida Senate - 2023                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1064
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì386154/Î386154                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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       The Committee on Fiscal Policy (Yarborough) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 39.523,
    6  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
    7         39.523 Placement in out-of-home care.—
    8         (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
    9         (a) The Legislature finds that it is a basic tenet of child
   10  welfare practice and the law that a child be placed in the least
   11  restrictive, most family-like setting available in close
   12  proximity to the home of his or her parents which meets the
   13  needs of the child, and that a child be placed in a permanent
   14  home in a timely manner.
   15         (b) The Legislature also finds that there is an association
   16  between placements that do not meet the needs of the child and
   17  adverse outcomes for the child, that mismatching placements to
   18  children’s needs has been identified as a factor that negatively
   19  impacts placement stability, and that identifying the right
   20  placement for each child requires effective assessment.
   21         (c) The Legislature also finds that the timely
   22  identification of and therapeutic response to acute presentation
   23  of symptoms indicative of trauma can reduce adverse outcomes for
   24  a child, aid in the identification of services to enhance
   25  initial placement stability and of supports to caregivers, and
   26  reduce placement disruption.
   27         (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that whenever a
   28  child is unable to safely remain at home with a parent, the most
   29  appropriate available out-of-home placement shall be chosen
   30  after an assessment of the child’s needs and the availability of
   31  caregivers qualified to meet the child’s needs.
   32         (2) ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT.—When any child is removed
   33  from a home and placed in out-of-home care, a comprehensive
   34  placement assessment process shall be completed in accordance
   35  with s. 39.4022 to determine the level of care needed by the
   36  child and match the child with the most appropriate placement.
   37         (a) In accordance with rules adopted by the department, the
   38  department or community-based care lead agency or subcontracted
   39  agency with the responsibility for assessment and placement
   40  must:
   41         1. Coordinate a multidisciplinary team staffing as
   42  established in s. 39.4022 with the necessary participants for
   43  the stated purpose of the staffing.
   44         2.Conduct a trauma screening as soon as practicable after
   45  the child’s removal but no later than 21 days after the shelter
   46  hearing. If indicated as appropriate or necessary by the
   47  screening, the department or community-based care lead agency
   48  must, at a minimum:
   49         a.Promptly refer the child to appropriate trauma
   50  assessment, which must be completed within 30 days, and if
   51  appropriate, services and intervention as needed. To the extent
   52  possible, the trauma screening, assessment, and services and
   53  intervention shall be integrated into the child's overall
   54  behavioral health treatment planning and services.
   55         b.In accordance with s. 409.1415(2)(b)3.f., provide
   56  information and support, which may include but need not be
   57  limited to, consultation, coaching, training, and referrals to
   58  services, to the caregiver of the child to help the caregiver
   59  respond to and care for the child in a trauma-informed and
   60  therapeutic manner.
   61         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
   62  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   63  And the title is amended as follows:
   64         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   65  and insert:
   66                        A bill to be entitled                      
   67         An act relating to trauma screening for children
   68         removed from caregivers; amending s. 39.523, F.S.;
   69         providing legislative findings and intent related to
   70         trauma identification; requiring a trauma screening
   71         within a certain time period; requiring a full trauma
   72         assessment if indicated within a certain time period;
   73         requiring services and intervention, as needed;
   74         requiring any evaluation or intervention be integrated
   75         into the child's overall treatment planning; requiring
   76         certain information and support to help the caregiver
   77         care for the child in a trauma-informed manner;
   78         providing an effective date.