Florida Senate - 2015                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for CS for SB 7070
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì9306925Î930692                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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       Senator Abruzzo moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 4334 and 4335
    4  insert:
    5         Section 43. Workgroup to improve operational effectiveness
    6  of the Baker Act.—The Department of Children and Families shall
    7  create a workgroup to evaluate methods to improve the
    8  operational effectiveness of the Baker Act and recommend changes
    9  to existing laws, rules, and agency policies needed to implement
   10  the workgroup’s recommendations.
   11         (1) At a minimum, the workgroup shall evaluate and make
   12  recommendations on the following:
   13         (a) The timeframe for initial assessment, including whether
   14  the timeframe should be lengthened.
   15         (b) The use of advanced registered nurse practitioners to
   16  rescind Baker Act commitments.
   17         (c) The use of telemedicine for patient evaluation, case
   18  management, and ongoing care and the recommendation by the
   19  courts on the use of telemedicine to improve management of
   20  patient care and to reduce costs of transportation and public
   21  safety.
   22         (d) The 7-day requirement for followup care and its
   23  applicability to outpatient providers.
   24         (e) Other areas deemed by the workgroup to improve the
   25  operational effectiveness of the Baker Act.
   26         (2) The workgroup shall consist of the following
   27  stakeholders:
   28         (a) A representative of the Department of Children and
   29  Families, who shall serve as chair, appointed by the Secretary
   30  of Children and Families.
   31         (b) Two representatives of public receiving facilities and
   32  two representatives of specialty hospitals, appointed by the
   33  Florida Hospital Association.
   34         (c) Two representatives of crisis stabilization units,
   35  appointed by the Department of Children and Families.
   36         (d) A representative of law enforcement agencies, appointed
   37  by the Florida Sheriffs Association.
   38         (e) A member of the judiciary who regularly evaluates Baker
   39  Act cases, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
   40         (f) A public defender, appointed by the Florida Public
   41  Defender Association.
   42         (g) A state attorney, appointed by the Florida Prosecuting
   43  Attorneys Association.
   44         (h) A physician who provides care within a Baker Act
   45  receiving facility, appointed by the Florida Medical
   46  Association.
   47         (i) A physician who regularly screens patients who meet
   48  Baker Act criteria, appointed by the Florida College of
   49  Emergency Physicians.
   50         (j) A representative from a managing entity, appointed by
   51  the Secretary of Children and Families.
   52         (k) A representative of the Agency for Health Care
   53  Administration, appointed by the Secretary of Health Care
   54  Administration.
   55         (l) Two representatives of the Florida Council for
   56  Community Mental Health, appointed by the council.
   57         (m) An advanced registered nurse practitioner who works in
   58  a Baker Act receiving facility and who treats patients who meet
   59  Baker Act criteria, appointed by the Florida Nurses Association.
   60         (n) Two advanced registered nurse practitioners who are
   61  nationally certified in mental health, one appointed by the
   62  Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, and one appointed by
   63  the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network.
   64         (o) A psychologist licensed under chapter 490, Florida
   65  Statutes, appointed by the Florida Psychological Association.
   66         (p) A psychiatrist with experience in the Baker Act,
   67  appointed by the Florida Psychiatric Society.
   68         (3) The workgroup shall meet in Tallahassee and shall
   69  determine the frequency of its meetings. Individual workgroup
   70  members are responsible for their travel expenses.
   71         (4) Members of the workgroup shall be appointed by August
   72  1, 2015, and the first meeting of the workgroup must take place
   73  before September 1, 2015. The workgroup shall review a draft of
   74  its recommendations before November 1, 2015. By January 1, 2016,
   75  the workgroup shall provide a final report to the Secretary of
   76  Children and Families, the Secretary of Health Care
   77  Administration, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
   78  the House of Representatives. The report must include the
   79  workgroup’s findings and recommended statutory and
   80  administrative rule changes.
   81         (5) At the discretion of the chair of the workgroup, the
   82  workgroup is authorized to request other stakeholders and
   83  organizations involved in mental health issues and the Baker Act
   84  to participate in meetings of the workgroup in order to offer
   85  subject matter expertise to assist the workgroup in its review
   86  of the Baker Act.
   87  
   88  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   89  And the title is amended as follows:
   90         Delete line 328
   91  and insert:
   92         procedures; requiring the Department of Children and
   93         Families to create a workgroup to provide
   94         recommendations relating to revision of the Baker Act;
   95         requiring the workgroup to make recommendations on
   96         specified topics; providing for membership of the
   97         workgroup; providing for meetings; requiring the
   98         workgroup to meet by a specified date; requiring a
   99         review of draft recommendations by a specified date;
  100         requiring the workgroup to submit a report to
  101         specified entities and the Legislature by a specified
  102         date; authorizing the workgroup to request specified
  103         stakeholders and organizations to participate in
  104         workgroup meetings; amending ss. 39.407, 394.4612,
  105         394.495,