Bill Text: FL S1064 | 2023 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Trauma Screening for Children Removed from Caregivers

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 3-1)

Status: (Passed) 2023-06-16 - Chapter No. 2023-254 [S1064 Detail]

Download: Florida-2023-S1064-Comm_Sub.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2023                             CS for SB 1064
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and
       Senator Yarborough
       
       
       
       
       586-02540-23                                          20231064c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to children removed from caregivers;
    3         amending s. 409.988, F.S.; requiring community-based
    4         care lead agencies, in coordination with the local
    5         managing entity, to administer a trauma-focused
    6         screening within a specified timeframe to children
    7         removed from certain caregivers; specifying
    8         requirements of the screening and therapy, if
    9         recommended; requiring community-based care lead
   10         agencies to offer voluntary trauma-focused screening
   11         and services under certain circumstances; amending s.
   12         409.996, F.S.; requiring the Department of Children
   13         and Families to require in its contracts with the
   14         community-based care lead agencies that such agencies
   15         and managing entities administer a trauma-focused
   16         screening within a specified timeframe to children
   17         removed from certain caregivers; conforming a cross
   18         reference; providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Present paragraphs (b) through (n) of subsection
   23  (1) of section 409.988, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
   24  paragraphs (c) through (o), respectively, and a new paragraph
   25  (b) is added to that subsection, to read:
   26         409.988 Community-based care lead agency duties; general
   27  provisions.—
   28         (1) DUTIES.—A lead agency:
   29         (b)1. Shall, in coordination with the local managing
   30  entity, administer a validated trauma-focused screening to a
   31  child removed from his or her parent, legal custodian, or
   32  caregiver to ensure any trauma related to the child’s removal is
   33  timely identified, if present, and that the child is referred
   34  promptly to appropriate trauma services, including clinical
   35  evaluation and intervention if needed. The trauma-focused
   36  screening must occur as soon as practicable after the child’s
   37  removal but no later than 14 days after the shelter hearing. The
   38  screening and therapy, if recommended, must evaluate and address
   39  the impact of the removal to the child.
   40         2. Shall offer voluntary trauma-focused screening and
   41  appropriate trauma services to a child and his or her family in
   42  the event that a shelter petition is denied and the child is
   43  returned to his or her parent, legal custodian, or caregiver.
   44         Section 2. Present paragraphs (b) through (f) of subsection
   45  (1) of section 409.996, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
   46  paragraphs (c) through (g), respectively, a new paragraph (b) is
   47  added to that subsection, and paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of
   48  that section is amended, to read:
   49         409.996 Duties of the Department of Children and Families.
   50  The department shall contract for the delivery, administration,
   51  or management of care for children in the child protection and
   52  child welfare system. In doing so, the department retains
   53  responsibility for the quality of contracted services and
   54  programs and shall ensure that, at a minimum, services are
   55  delivered in accordance with applicable federal and state
   56  statutes and regulations and the performance standards and
   57  metrics specified in the strategic plan created under s.
   58  20.19(1).
   59         (1) The department shall enter into contracts with lead
   60  agencies for the performance of the duties by the lead agencies
   61  established in s. 409.988. At a minimum, the contracts must do
   62  all of the following:
   63         (b) Require lead agencies and managing entities to
   64  coordinate to administer a validated trauma-focused screening to
   65  a child removed from his or her parent, legal custodian, or
   66  caregiver to ensure that any trauma related to the child’s
   67  removal is timely identified, if present, and that the child is
   68  referred promptly to appropriate trauma services, including
   69  clinical evaluation and intervention if needed, as required by
   70  s. 409.988(1)(b).
   71         (4)
   72         (b) The department shall collect and publish on its
   73  website, and update monthly, the information required under s.
   74  409.988(1)(l) s. 409.988(1)(k).
   75         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.