The Florida Senate

“Agency” means the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The agency is responsible for training forensic clients who are developmentally disabled due to mental retardation or autism and have been determined incompetent to proceed.

“Autism” has the same meaning as in s. 393.063.

“Chemical weapon” means any shell, cartridge, bomb, gun, or other device capable of emitting chloroacetophenone (CN), chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) or any derivatives thereof in any form, or any other agent with lacrimatory properties, and shall include products such as that commonly known as “mace.”

“Civil facility” means:

“Court” means the circuit court.

“Defendant” means an adult, or a juvenile who is prosecuted as an adult, who has been arraigned and charged with a felony offense under the laws of this state.

“Department” means the Department of Children and Family Services. The department is responsible for the treatment of forensic clients who have been determined incompetent to proceed due to mental illness or who have been acquitted of a felony by reason of insanity.

“Express and informed consent” or “consent” means consent given voluntarily in writing after a conscientious and sufficient explanation and disclosure of the purpose of the proposed treatment, the common side effects of the treatment, if any, the expected duration of the treatment, and any alternative treatment available.

“Forensic client” or “client” means any defendant who has been committed to the department or agency pursuant to s. 916.13, s. 916.15, or s. 916.302.

“Forensic facility” means a separate and secure facility established within the department or agency to serve forensic clients. A separate and secure facility means a security-grade building for the purpose of separately housing persons who have mental illness from persons with retardation or autism and separately housing persons who have been involuntarily committed pursuant to this chapter from nonforensic residents.

“Incompetent to proceed” means unable to proceed at any material stage of a criminal proceeding, which shall include trial of the case, pretrial hearings involving questions of fact on which the defendant might be expected to testify, entry of a plea, proceedings for violation of probation or violation of community control, sentencing, and hearings on issues regarding a defendant’s failure to comply with court orders or conditions or other matters in which the mental competence of the defendant is necessary for a just resolution of the issues being considered.

“Institutional security personnel” means the staff of forensic facilities who meet or exceed the requirements of s. 943.13 and who are responsible for providing security, protecting clients and personnel, enforcing rules, preventing and investigating unauthorized activities, and safeguarding the interests of citizens in the surrounding communities.

“Mental illness” means an impairment of the emotional processes that exercise conscious control of one’s actions, or of the ability to perceive or understand reality, which impairment substantially interferes with a defendant’s ability to meet the ordinary demands of living. For the purposes of this chapter, the term does not apply to defendants with only mental retardation or autism and does not include intoxication or conditions manifested only by antisocial behavior or substance abuse impairment.

“Restraint” means a physical device, method, or drug used to control dangerous behavior.

“Retardation” has the same meaning as in s. 393.063.

“Seclusion” means the physical segregation of a person in any fashion or the involuntary isolation of a person in a room or area from which the person is prevented from leaving. The prevention may be by physical barrier or by a staff member who is acting in a manner, or who is physically situated, so as to prevent the person from leaving the room or area. For purposes of this chapter, the term does not mean isolation due to a person’s medical condition or symptoms, the confinement in a forensic facility to a bedroom or area during normal hours of sleep when there is not an active order for seclusion, or during an emergency such as a riot or hostage situation when clients may be temporarily placed in their rooms for their own safety.

“Social service professional” means a person whose minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of social work, clinical practice, special education, habilitation, or equivalent experience working directly with persons with retardation, autism, or other developmental disabilities.