The Florida Senate

The first phase of implementation shall be a pilot project in one or more counties to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating eligibility determination for health care services with information and referral services. The department shall, when selecting an area to be designated as a model area, give consideration to an entity that is a community care for the elderly lead agency and has developed, through a joint effort, an integrated service delivery information network.

Upon demonstration of the feasibility of the first phase of implementation, and subject to appropriation of any necessary resources, the steering committee shall develop a detailed implementation plan for the care management component of the system. The implementation plan must include the steering committee’s recommendation of one or more state agencies that should be designated to implement the care management component of the system.

Options for further implementation of the system may include a phased implementation of the eligibility component in additional sites before implementing the remaining components of the system or may include implementation of the care management and service system components along with the eligibility components.