The Florida Senate

394.76  Financing of district programs and services.--If the local match funding level is not provided in the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill implementing the General Appropriations Act, such funding level shall be provided as follows:

(1)  The district administrator shall ensure that, to the extent possible within available resources, a continuum of integrated and comprehensive services will be available within the district.

(2)  If in any fiscal year the approved state appropriation is insufficient to finance the programs and services specified by this part, the department shall have the authority to determine the amount of state funds available to each service district for such purposes in accordance with the priorities in both the state and district plans. The district administrator shall consult with the planning council to ensure that the summary operating budget conforms to the approved plan.

(3)  The state share of financial participation shall be determined by the following formula:

(a)  The state share of approved program costs shall be a percentage of the net balance determined by deducting from the total operating cost of services and programs, as specified in s. 394.675(1), those expenditures which are ineligible for state participation as provided in subsection (7) and those ineligible expenditures established by rule of the department pursuant to s. 394.78.

(b)  Residential and case management services which are funded as part of a deinstitutionalization project shall not require local matching funds and shall not be used as local matching funds. The state and federal financial participation portions of Medicaid earnings pursuant to Title XIX of the Social Security Act, except for the amount of general revenue equal to the amount appropriated in 1985-1986 plus all other general revenue that is shifted from any other alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health appropriation category after fiscal year 1986-1987, shall not require local matching funds and shall not be used as local matching funds. Local matching funds are not required for general revenue transferred by the department into alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health appropriations categories during a fiscal year to match federal funds earned from Medicaid services provided for mental health clients in excess of the amounts initially appropriated. Funds for children's services which were provided through the Children, Youth, and Families Services budget which did not require local match prior to being transferred to the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Services budget shall be exempt from local matching requirements. All other contracted community alcohol and mental health services and programs, except as identified in s. 394.457(3), shall require local participation on a 75-to-25 state-to-local ratio.

(c)  The expenditure of 100 percent of all third-party payments and fees shall be considered as eligible for state financial participation if such expenditures are in accordance with subsection (7) and the approved district plan.

(d)  Fees generated by residential and case management services which are funded as part of a deinstitutionalization program and do not require local matching funds shall be used to support program costs approved in the district plan.

(e)  Any earnings pursuant to Title XIX of the Social Security Act in excess of the amount appropriated shall be used to support program costs approved in the district plan.

(4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (3), the department is authorized to develop and demonstrate alternative financing systems for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services. Proposals for demonstration projects conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be reviewed by the substantive and appropriations committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives prior to implementation of the projects.

(5)  The department is authorized to make investigations and to require audits of expenditures. The department may authorize the use of private certified public accountants for such audits. Audits shall follow department guidelines.

(6)  Claims for state payment shall be made in such form and in such manner as the department determines.

(7)  The expenditures which are subject to state payment include expenditures that are approved in the district plan for: salaries of personnel; approved facilities and services provided through contract; operation, maintenance, and service cost; depreciation of facilities; and such other expenditures as may be approved by the district administrator. Such expenditures do not include expenditures for compensation to members of a community agency board, except the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties, or expenditures for a purpose for which state payment is claimed under any other provision of law.

(8)  Expenditures for capital improvements relating to construction of, addition to, purchase of, or renovation of a community alcohol, drug abuse, or mental health facility may be made by the state, provided such expenditures or capital improvements are part and parcel of an approved district plan. Nothing shall prohibit the use of such expenditures for the construction of, addition to, renovation of, or purchase of facilities owned by a county, city, or other governmental agency of the state or a nonprofit entity. Such expenditures are subject to the provisions of subsection (6).

(9)(a)  State funds for community alcohol and mental health services shall be matched by local matching funds as provided in paragraph (3)(b). The governing bodies within a district or subdistrict shall be required to participate in the funding of alcohol and mental health services under the jurisdiction of such governing bodies. The amount of the participation shall be at least that amount which, when added to other available local matching funds, is necessary to match state funds.

(b)  The provisions of paragraph (a) to the contrary notwithstanding, no additional matching funds may be required solely due to the addition in the General Appropriations Act of Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Block Grant Funds for local community mental health centers and alcohol project grants.

(10)  A local governing body is authorized to appropriate moneys, in lump sum or otherwise, from its public funds for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this part. In addition to the payment of claims upon submission of proper vouchers, such moneys may also, at the option of the governing body, be disbursed in the form of a lump-sum or advance payment for services for expenditure, in turn, by the recipient of the disbursement without prior audit by the auditor of the governing body. Such funds shall be expended only for alcohol, drug abuse, or mental health purposes as provided in the approved district plan. Each governing body appropriating and disbursing moneys pursuant to this subsection shall require the expenditure of such moneys by the recipient of the disbursement to be audited annually either in conjunction with an audit of other expenditures or by a separate audit. Such annual audits shall be furnished to the governing bodies of each participating county and municipality for their examination.

(11)  No additional local matching funds shall be required solely due to the addition in the General Appropriations Act of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health block grant funds for local community mental health centers, drug abuse programs, and alcohol project grants.

History.--s. 12, ch. 70-109; s. 1, ch. 70-439; s. 111, ch. 71-355; ss. 1, 2, ch. 72-386; s. 1, ch. 74-291; s. 11, ch. 76-221; s. 33, ch. 77-312; ss. 3, 5, ch. 77-372; s. 5, ch. 82-223; s. 18, ch. 84-285; s. 1, ch, 87-244; s. 26, ch. 87-247; s. 19, ch. 88-398; s. 27, ch. 88-557.