The Florida Senate

430.041  Office of Long-Term-Care Policy.--

(1)  There is established in the Department of Elderly Affairs the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy to evaluate the state's long-term-care service delivery system and make recommendations to increase the availability and the use of noninstitutional settings to provide care to the elderly and ensure coordination among the agencies responsible for the long-term-care continuum.

(2)  The purpose of the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy is to:

(a)  Ensure close communication and coordination among state agencies involved in developing and administering a more efficient and coordinated long-term-care service delivery system in this state;

(b)  Identify duplication and unnecessary service provision in the long-term-care system and make recommendations to decrease inappropriate service provision;

(c)  Review current programs providing long-term-care services to determine whether the programs are cost effective, of high quality, and operating efficiently and make recommendations to increase consistency and effectiveness in the state's long-term-care programs;

(d)  Develop strategies for promoting and implementing cost-effective home and community-based services as an alternative to institutional care which coordinate and integrate the continuum of care needs of the elderly; and

(e)  Assist the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy Advisory Council as necessary to help implement this section.

(3)  The Director of the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. The director shall report to, and be under the general supervision of, the Secretary of Elderly Affairs and shall not be subject to supervision by any other employee of the department.

(4)  The Office of Long-Term-Care Policy shall have an advisory council. The purposes of the advisory council are to provide assistance and direction to the office and to ensure that the appropriate state agencies are properly implementing recommendations from the office.

(a)  The advisory council shall consist of:

1.  A member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

2.  A member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

3.  The Secretary of Health Care Administration;

4.  The Secretary of Elderly Affairs;

5.  The Secretary of Children and Family Services;

6.  The Secretary of Health;

7.  The Executive Director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs;

8.  Three people with broad knowledge and experience in the delivery of long-term-care services, appointed by the Governor from groups representing elderly persons; and

9.  Two representatives of people using long-term-care services, appointed by the Governor from groups representing elderly persons.

(b)  The council shall elect a chair from among its membership to serve for a 1-year term. A chair may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

(c)  Members shall serve without compensation, but are entitled to receive reimbursement for travel and per diem as provided in s. 112.061

(d)  The advisory council shall meet at the call of its chair or at the request of a majority of its members. During its first year of existence, the advisory council shall meet at least monthly.

(e)  Members of the advisory council appointed by the Governor shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and shall be appointed to 4-year staggered terms in accordance with s. 20.052

(5)(a)  The Department of Elderly Affairs shall provide administrative support and services to the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy.

(b)  The office shall call upon appropriate agencies of state government, including the centers on aging in the State University System, for assistance needed in discharging its duties.

(c)  Each state agency represented on the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy Advisory Council shall make at least one employee available to work with the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy. All state agencies and universities shall assist the office in carrying out its responsibilities prescribed by this section.

(d)  Each state agency shall pay from its own funds any expenses related to its support of the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy and its participation on the advisory council. The Department of Elderly Affairs shall be responsible for expenses related to participation on the advisory council by members appointed by the Governor.

(6)(a)  By December 1, 2002, the office shall submit to the advisory council a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations on improving the long-term-care continuum in this state. The report shall contain recommendations and implementation proposals for policy changes, as well as legislative and funding recommendations that will make the system more effective and efficient. The report shall contain a specific plan for accomplishing the recommendations and proposals. Thereafter, the office shall revise and update the report annually and resubmit it to the advisory council for review and comments by November 1 of each year.

(b)  The advisory council shall review and recommend any suggested changes to the preliminary report, and each subsequent annual update of the report, within 30 days after the receipt of the preliminary report. Suggested revisions, additions, or deletions shall be made to the Director of the Office of Long-Term-Care Policy.

(c)  The office shall submit its final report, and each subsequent annual update of the report, to the Governor and the Legislature within 30 days after the receipt of any revisions, additions, or deletions suggested by the advisory council, or after the time such comments are due to the office.

History.--s. 10, ch. 2002-223; s. 1, ch. 2003-67.