The Florida Senate

394.66  Legislative intent with respect to alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services.--It is the intent of the Legislature to:

(1)  Promote and improve the mental health of the citizens of the state through a system of comprehensive, coordinated alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services.

(2)  Involve local citizens in the planning of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services in their communities.

(3)  Ensure that all activities of the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and its contractors are directed toward the coordination of planning efforts in alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health treatment services.

(4)  Provide access to services to all residents of the state with priority of attention being given to individuals exhibiting symptoms of acute or chronic mental illness, alcohol abuse, or drug abuse.

(5)  Ensure continuity of care, consistent with minimum standards, for persons who are released from a state treatment facility into the community.

(6)  Provide accountability for service provision through statewide standards for management, monitoring, and reporting of information.

(7)  Include alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services as a component of the integrated service delivery system of the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

(8)  Ensure that the districts of the department are the focal point of all alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health planning activities, including budget submissions, grant applications, contracts, and other arrangements that can be effected at the district level.

(9)  Organize and finance community alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services in local communities throughout the state through locally administered service delivery programs that maximize the involvement of local citizens.

History.--s. 2, ch. 70-109; s. 30, ch. 75-48; s. 1, ch. 76-221; s. 11, ch. 84-285.

¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.