The Florida Senate

411.222  Intraagency and interagency coordination; creation of offices; responsibilities; memorandum of agreement; creation of coordinating council; responsibilities.--

(1)  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.--There is created within the Department of Education an Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development for the purpose of intraagency and interagency planning, policy, and program development and coordination to enhance existing programs and services and to develop new programs and services for high-risk children and their families. The Department of Education, as the designated lead agency for administration of part H of Pub. L. No. 99-457, shall assign primary responsibility for implementation of part H to the Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development.

(a)  Intraagency responsibilities.--

1.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination in programs serving high-risk children and their families, including, but not limited to:

a.  Preschool programs for children of migrant farm workers.

b.  Preschool programs for handicapped children.

c.  Prekindergarten Early Intervention Program.

d.  Florida First Start Program.

e.  Preschool programs for educationally disadvantaged children funded through federal funds, such as Head Start and chapter I of Pub. L. No. 97-35, when applicable.

f.  Programs for teen parents and their children.

g.  Programs for preventing sexual activity and teenage pregnancy.

h.  Food services for preschool and child care programs.

i.  Transportation for programs serving preschool children.

j.  Facilities for programs serving preschool children.

k.  School volunteer programs serving preschool children.

l.  Support services, including social work and school health services for preschool children.

m.  Parent education, child care courses, and child care laboratories in high schools and vocational-technical centers.

2.  Serve as clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information relating to programs and services for high-risk children and their families, including model and exemplary programs that have demonstrated effectiveness and beneficial outcomes.

3.  Develop publications, including, but not limited to, directories, newsletters, public awareness documents, and other resource materials which assist agencies, programs, and families in meeting the needs of the high-risk population.

4.  Provide technical assistance at the request of agencies, programs, and services.

5.  Disseminate information regarding the availability of federal, state, and private grants which target high-risk children and their families.

6.  Perform duties relating to the joint strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

(b)  Interagency responsibilities.--

1.  Perform the joint functions related to the joint strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

2.  Prepare jointly with the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services a memorandum of agreement pursuant to this section, or other cooperative agreements necessary to implement the requirements of this chapter.

3.  Develop, in collaboration with the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, and recommend to the State Board of Education, rules necessary to implement this chapter.

4.  Perform the responsibilities enumerated in subparagraphs (a)2.-5. on a statewide basis in conjunction with the Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development within the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

(2)  ¹DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES.--There is created within the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services an Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development for the purpose of intraagency and interagency planning, policy, and program development and coordination to enhance existing programs and services and to develop new programs and services for high-risk pregnant women and for high-risk preschool children and their families.

(a)  Intraagency responsibilities.--

1.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination in programs serving high-risk pregnant women and high-risk preschool children and their families, within the following offices of the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services:

a.  Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health.

b.  Children's Medical Services.

c.  Children, Youth, and Families.

d.  Developmental Services.

e.  Economic Services.

f.  Health.

g.  Medicaid.

2.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination in the following interprogram areas:

a.  Transportation.

b.  Migrant and refugee services.

c.  Volunteer services.

d.  Child abuse and neglect prevention, early intervention, and treatment.

e.  Chapter I of Pub. L. No. 97-35.

3.  Ensure, within available resources, the implementation of the continuum of comprehensive services in the service districts.

4.  Serve as clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information relating to programs and services for high-risk pregnant women and for high-risk preschool children and their families, and programs aimed at preventing sexual activity and teenage pregnancy, including model and exemplary programs that have demonstrated effectiveness and beneficial outcomes.

5.  Develop publications, including, but not limited to, directories, newsletters, public awareness documents, and other resource materials which assist agencies, programs, and families in meeting the needs of the high-risk population.

6.  Provide technical assistance at the request of program offices, service districts, providers, advisory councils, and advocacy groups, and other agencies or entities with which the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services has contracts or cooperative agreements.

7.  Disseminate information regarding the availability of federal, state, and private grants which target teenagers at risk of pregnancy, high-risk pregnant women, and high-risk preschool children and their families.

8.  Perform duties relating to the joint strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

(b)  Interagency responsibilities.--

1.  Perform the joint functions related to the joint strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

2.  Prepare jointly with the Department of Education a memorandum of agreement pursuant to this section, or other cooperative agreements necessary to implement the requirements of this chapter.

3.  Develop, in collaboration with the Department of Education, rules necessary to implement this chapter.

4.  Perform the responsibilities enumerated in subparagraphs (a)4.-7. on a statewide basis in conjunction with the Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development within the Department of Education.

5.  Subject to appropriation, develop and implement a program of parenting workshops to assist and counsel the parents or guardians of students having disciplinary problems. These workshops should be made available to all families of students who have disciplinary problems. The department may provide these services directly or may enter into contracts with school districts for the provision of these services.

(3)  MEMORANDUM OF INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.--The Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of ¹Health and Rehabilitative Services shall prepare a joint memorandum of interagency agreement to implement the provisions of this chapter, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a)  Designation of staff responsible for interagency and intraagency planning and coordination.

(b)  Description of staff roles and responsibilities regarding interagency coordination.

(c)  Delineation of the relationships between the departments' respective advisory councils, commissions, committees, and task forces addressing the needs of high-risk children and their families.

(d)  Procedures for conflict resolution.

(e)  Procedures for reviewing, amending, and renewing the memorandum of interagency agreement.

(f)  Procedures for interagency evaluation coordination.

²(4)  STATE COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS.--

(a)  Creation; intent.--The State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs is established to ensure coordination among the programs that serve preschool children in order to support the first state education goal, readiness to start school; to facilitate communication, cooperation, and the maximum use of resources; and to promote high standards for all programs that serve preschool children in this state. It is the intent of the Legislature that the coordinating council be an independent nonpartisan body and not be identified or affiliated with any one agency, program, or group.

(b)  Membership.--The council shall be composed of the following 15 members:

1.  The seven current members of the 1998-1999 State Coordinating Council Executive Committee.

2.  Eight additional members, appointed by the executive committee, including a representative of each of the following: subsidized child care programs; prekindergarten early intervention programs; Head Start programs; health care programs; private providers; faith-based providers; programs for children with disabilities; and parents of preschool children.

(c)  Term.--The State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs shall terminate on July 1, 2002.

(d)  Organization.--

1.  The council shall adopt internal organizational procedures or bylaws necessary for the efficient operation of the council. The council may establish committees that are responsible for conducting specific council programs and activities.

2.  The council shall have a budget and be financed through an annual appropriation made for this purpose in the General Appropriations Act. Council members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061 while carrying out official business of the council. When appropriate, parent representatives shall receive a stipend for child care costs incurred while attending council meetings. For administrative purposes only, the council is assigned to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness.

3.  The coordinating council shall hold quarterly meetings that are open to the public, and the public shall be given the opportunity to comment at each such meeting. The coordinating council shall notify persons of the date, time, and place of each quarterly meeting upon request.

(e)  Duties.--The coordinating council shall recommend to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness methods for coordinating public and private school readiness programs and procedures to facilitate communication, cooperation, and the maximum use of resources to achieve the first state education goal, readiness to start school. In addition, the council shall:

1.  Advise the Florida Partnership for School Readiness concerning criteria for grant proposal guidelines, the review of plans and proposals, and eligibility for services of school readiness programs.

2.  Recommend to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness methods to increase the involvement of public and private partnerships in school readiness programs in order to maximize the availability of federal funds and to effectively use available resources through cooperative funding and coordinated services.

(f)  Reporting requirements.--The coordinating council shall submit its final report to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness by July 1, 2002.

History.--ss. 2, 14, ch. 89-379; s. 9, ch. 90-358; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 14, ch. 94-124; s. 121, ch. 94-209; s. 7, ch. 97-98; s. 49, ch. 99-5; ss. 6, 7, ch. 99-357.

¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.

²Note.--Repealed effective July 1, 2002, by s. 7, ch. 99-357.