Florida Senate - 2025 CS for SB 886
By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and
Senator Leek
586-03171-25 2025886c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to crisis care coordination; creating
3 s. 394.6581, F.S.; requiring the Department of
4 Children and Families to implement, subject to
5 appropriation, Crisis Care Coordination Pilot Programs
6 in specified counties for certain purposes; providing
7 requirements for the pilot programs; requiring the
8 department to contract for an independent evaluation
9 of the pilot programs and submit a report to the
10 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
11 providing rulemaking authority; providing for
12 expiration of the pilot programs; providing an
13 effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Section 394.6581, Florida Statutes, is created
18 to read:
19 394.6581 Crisis Care Coordination Pilot Programs.—
20 (1) Subject to a specific appropriation, the department
21 shall establish and implement Crisis Care Coordination Pilot
22 Programs in Polk and Volusia Counties. The purpose of the pilot
23 programs is to reduce repeat involuntary examinations initiated
24 by law enforcement, provide persons who are experiencing an
25 acute mental health crisis an option for crisis intervention
26 other than the use of law enforcement, reduce their level of
27 follow-up interaction with law enforcement officers post crisis,
28 and assist them with engagement in behavioral health care.
29 (a) The pilot programs shall facilitate partnerships
30 between law enforcement agencies in Polk and Volusia Counties
31 and organizations in the coordinated system of care under s.
32 394.4573 that are operating in those counties by placing crisis
33 counselors within law enforcement agencies to intervene with and
34 provide follow-up care for persons who are experiencing or have
35 experienced an acute mental health crisis and their families and
36 support networks.
37 (b) The pilot programs shall be implemented by nationally
38 accredited community mental health centers in partnership with
39 local law enforcement.
40 (2) Crisis counselors placed in law enforcement agencies
41 shall provide support and assistance to persons who are
42 experiencing or have experienced an acute mental health crisis,
43 connecting them to the coordinated system of care. Duties of
44 crisis counselors shall include:
45 (a) Intervening when law enforcement is contacted relating
46 to a person experiencing an acute mental health crisis to make
47 observations and provide information to responding officers,
48 conduct assessments, de-escalate the crisis situation, or
49 provide referrals, as appropriate.
50 (b) Follow-up with such persons following an acute mental
51 health crisis involving law enforcement, such as an involuntary
52 examination as defined in s. 394.455 initiated by law
53 enforcement. A person’s involvement with follow-up care is
54 voluntary. Such follow-up care by crisis counselors may include,
55 but is not limited to:
56 1. Conducting assessments.
57 2. Providing individualized safety planning tailored to the
58 person’s needs and risks.
59 3. Providing supportive counseling.
60 4. Assisting persons in accessing recommended mental health
61 services and substance abuse services.
62 5. Assisting persons in adhering to discharge plans.
63 6. Providing care coordination as defined in s. 394.4573,
64 unless a person is already receiving that service from another
65 organization.
66 (3) The pilot programs shall establish formal partnerships
67 through written referral agreements and information exchange
68 procedures with, at a minimum, providers of mental health
69 services and substance abuse services, local hospitals licensed
70 under chapter 395, and not-for-profit agencies and other
71 organizations which can be of assistance to persons who are
72 experiencing or have experienced an acute mental health crisis
73 and their families and support networks. Such agreements must,
74 at a minimum, facilitate timely access to community-based
75 behavioral health services and other local systems and entities
76 as provided in the person’s discharge plan.
77 (4) The department shall contract for an independent
78 evaluation of the pilot programs regarding, at a minimum, their
79 effectiveness and return on investment. By January 15, 2029, the
80 department shall submit a report of the findings of the
81 evaluation of the pilot programs to the Governor, the President
82 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
83 which must include, at a minimum:
84 (a) The amount of time that law enforcement officers were
85 engaged in responses to persons who were experiencing or had
86 experienced an acute mental health crisis.
87 (b) Repeat involuntary examinations initiated by law
88 enforcement.
89 (c) Engagement in post-crisis mental health and substance
90 abuse services among persons served by the programs.
91 (d) The effectiveness of the pilot program services.
92 (e) Recommendations regarding enhancements to, and
93 continuation and expansion of, the pilot programs.
94 (5) The department may adopt rules to implement this
95 section.
96 (6) This section expires June 30, 2029.
97 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.