Senate Bill 1760er

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  1

  2         An act relating to obsolete, expired, or

  3         repealed provisions of law; repealing various

  4         provisions of law that have become obsolete,

  5         have had their effect, have served their

  6         purpose, or have been impliedly repealed or

  7         superseded; repealing s. 63.301, F.S., relating

  8         to the Advisory Council on Adoption; repealing

  9         s. 397.94(2) and (3)(a), F.S., relating to

10         plans for implementation of the children's

11         substance abuse information and referral

12         network and integration thereof with the child

13         and adolescent mental health information and

14         referral network; repealing s. 402.175, F.S.,

15         relating to the umbrella trust fund for

16         developmentally disabled and mentally ill

17         persons; repealing s. 402.3058, F.S., relating

18         to exemption from fingerprinting requirements

19         for summer camp personnel, the provisions of

20         which are published elsewhere in statutes;

21         repealing s. 402.33(10)(a), F.S., relating to

22         review by the Department of Children and Family

23         Services and the Department of Health of

24         services provided to clients to ensure that

25         fees assessed therefor conform to law;

26         repealing s. 402.72(3), F.S., relating to

27         evaluation of and a report to the Legislature

28         on the effectiveness and efficiency of

29         contracting functions in each service district

30         of the Department of Children and Family

31         Services; repealing ss. 409.501-409.506, F.S.,


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  1         relating to the Florida Financial Assistance

  2         for Community Services Act of 1974; amending s.

  3         430.204, F.S.; deleting a reference, to

  4         conform; amending s. 409.942, F.S.; deleting

  5         provisions relating to the pilot portion of the

  6         electronic benefit transfer program of the

  7         Department of Children and Family Services;

  8         repealing s. 411.204, F.S., relating to

  9         handicap prevention and early childhood

10         assistance program evaluation design and

11         conduct and independent third-party evaluation;

12         amending ss. 397.901 and 411.01, F.S.;

13         conforming cross-references; amending s.

14         411.222, F.S.; deleting provisions relating to

15         intraagency and interagency coordination

16         through the Office of Prevention, Early

17         Assistance, and Child Development of the

18         Department of Education and of the former

19         Department of Health and Rehabilitative

20         Services; amending ss. 230.2303, 383.14,

21         391.304, 402.281, 402.305, 402.3052, 402.45,

22         402.47, and 411.221, F.S.; revising references,

23         to conform; repealing s. 411.232(4) and (5),

24         F.S., relating to implementation and evaluation

25         of the Children's Early Investment Program;

26         repealing s. 414.38(10), F.S., relating to an

27         evaluation of the local work experience and job

28         training pilot program for noncustodial

29         parents; amending s. 414.70, F.S.; deleting

30         obsolete provisions relating to an evaluation

31         of certain drug-testing and drug-screening


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  1         demonstration projects; repealing s. 28, ch.

  2         96-403, Laws of Florida; terminating the Board

  3         of Regents task force that examined and

  4         reported on the optimal organizational

  5         structure for the delivery of social services;

  6         providing an effective date.

  7

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9

10         Section 1.  Section 63.301, Florida Statutes, is

11  repealed.

12         Section 2.  Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of

13  subsection (3) of section 397.94, Florida Statutes, are

14  repealed.

15         Section 3.  Section 402.175, Florida Statutes, is

16  repealed.

17         Section 4.  Section 402.3058, Florida Statutes, is

18  repealed.

19         Section 5.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (10) of section

20  402.33, Florida Statutes, is repealed.

21         Section 6.  Subsection (3) of section 402.72, Florida

22  Statutes, is repealed.

23         Section 7.  Sections 409.501, 409.502, 409.503,

24  409.504, 409.505, and 409.506, Florida Statutes, are repealed.

25         Section 8.  Subsection (6) of section 430.204, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         430.204  Community-care-for-the-elderly core services;

28  departmental powers and duties.--

29         (6)  When possible, services shall be obtained under:

30         (a)  The Florida Plan for Medical Assistance under

31  Title XIX of the Social Security Act;


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  1         (b)  The State Plan on Aging under the Older Americans

  2  Act; or

  3         (c)  The Florida Financial Assistance for Community

  4  Services Act of 1974.

  5         Section 9.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 409.942,

  6  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  7         409.942  Electronic benefit transfer program.--

  8         (2)  The department shall, in accordance with

  9  applicable federal laws and regulations, develop minimum

10  program requirements and other policy initiatives for the

11  electronic benefit transfer program and shall have at least

12  one operational pilot program in place by July 1, 1996.

13         (3)  The department shall enter into public-private

14  contracts for all provisions of electronic transfer of public

15  assistance benefits, including, but not limited to, the

16  necessary electronic equipment and technical support for the

17  electronic benefit transfer pilot program.

18         Section 10.  Section 411.204, Florida Statutes, is

19  repealed.

20         Section 11.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section

21  397.901, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

22         397.901  Prototype juvenile addictions receiving

23  facilities.--

24         (2)

25         (c)  The department may implement the prototype

26  juvenile addictions receiving facilities component of the

27  emergency assessment and specialized treatment services within

28  resources appropriated for this purpose.

29         1.  Using the criteria provided in this section, the

30  department shall evaluate and select the service providers and

31  sites to be funded initially.


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  1         2.  An independent third-party evaluation of the

  2  prototypes must be conducted in accordance with the principles

  3  and procedures specified in s. 411.204, pursuant to a contract

  4  entered into prior to the prototype selection to ensure

  5  integrity of the evaluation design, ongoing monitoring and

  6  periodic review of progress, and a timely, comprehensive

  7  evaluation report.  The evaluation report must include process

  8  and outcome data, and must be submitted to the Governor, the

  9  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

10  Representatives, the department, and appropriate substantive

11  committees and subcommittees of the Legislature within 1 year

12  after startup and annually thereafter for 5 years.  Five years

13  after the prototype juvenile addictions receiving facilities

14  and the independent evaluation are funded and operational, a

15  5-year retrospective report must be submitted on the impact of

16  the addictions receiving facility modality upon treatment

17  outcomes and sustained recovery of the participants.

18         Section 12.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (5) of section

19  411.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

20         411.01  Florida Partnership for School Readiness;

21  school readiness coalitions.--

22         (5)  CREATION OF SCHOOL READINESS COALITIONS.--

23         (d)  Implementation.--

24         1.  The school readiness program is to be phased in.

25  Until the coalition implements its plan, the county shall

26  continue to receive the services identified in subsection (3)

27  through the various agencies that would be responsible for

28  delivering those services under current law.  Plan

29  implementation is subject to approval of the coalition and the

30  plan by the Florida Partnership for School Readiness.

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  1         2.  Each school readiness coalition shall develop a

  2  plan for implementing the school readiness program to meet the

  3  requirements of this section and the performance standards and

  4  outcome measures established by the partnership. The plan must

  5  include a written description of the role of the program in

  6  the coalition's effort to meet the first state education goal,

  7  readiness to start school, including a description of the plan

  8  to involve the prekindergarten early intervention programs,

  9  Head Start Programs, programs offered by public or private

10  providers of child care, preschool programs for children with

11  disabilities, programs for migrant children, Title I programs,

12  subsidized child care programs, and teen parent programs. The

13  plan must also demonstrate how the program will ensure that

14  each 3-year-old and 4-year-old child in a publicly funded

15  school readiness program receives scheduled activities and

16  instruction designed to prepare children to enter kindergarten

17  ready to learn. Prior to implementation of the program, the

18  school readiness coalition must submit the plan to the

19  partnership for approval.  The partnership may approve the

20  plan, reject the plan, or approve the plan with conditions.

21  The plan shall be reviewed, revised, and approved biennially.

22         3.  The plan for the school readiness program must

23  include the following minimum standards and provisions:

24         a.  A sliding fee scale establishing a copayment for

25  parents based upon their ability to pay, which is the same for

26  all program providers, to be implemented and reflected in each

27  program's budget.

28         b.  A choice of settings and locations in licensed,

29  registered, religious-exempt, or school-based programs to be

30  provided to parents.

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  1         c.  Instructional staff who have completed the training

  2  course as required in s. 402.305(2)(d)1., as well as staff who

  3  have additional training or credentials as required by the

  4  respective program provider. The plan must provide a method

  5  for assuring the qualifications of all personnel in all

  6  program settings.

  7         d.  Specific eligibility priorities for children within

  8  the coalition's county pursuant to subsection (6).

  9         e.  Performance standards and outcome measures

10  established by the partnership or alternatively, standards and

11  outcome measures to be used until such time as the partnership

12  adopts such standards and outcome measures.

13         f.  Reimbursement rates that have been developed by the

14  coalition.

15         g.  Systems support services, including a central

16  agency, child care resource and referral, eligibility

17  determinations, training of providers, and parent support and

18  involvement.

19         h.  Direct enhancement services to families and

20  children. System support and direct enhancement services shall

21  be in addition to payments for the placement of children in

22  school readiness programs.

23         i.  A business plan, which must include the contract

24  with a school readiness agent if the coalition is not a

25  legally established corporate entity. Coalitions may contract

26  with other coalitions to achieve efficiency in multiple-county

27  services, and such contracts may be part of the coalition's

28  business plan.

29         j.  Strategies to meet the needs of unique populations,

30  such as migrant workers.

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  1  As part of the plan, the coalition may request the Governor to

  2  apply for a waiver to allow the coalition to administer the

  3  Head Start Program to accomplish the purposes of the school

  4  readiness program.  If any school readiness plan can

  5  demonstrate that specific statutory goals can be achieved more

  6  effectively by using procedures that require modification of

  7  existing rules, policies, or procedures, a request for a

  8  waiver to the partnership may be made as part of the plan.

  9  Upon review, the partnership may grant the proposed

10  modification.

11         4.  Persons with an early childhood teaching

12  certificate may provide support and supervision to other staff

13  in the school readiness program.

14         5.  The coalition may not implement its plan until it

15  submits the plan to and receives approval from the

16  partnership. Once the plan has been approved, the plan and the

17  services provided under the plan shall be controlled by the

18  coalition rather than by the state agencies or departments.

19  The plan shall be reviewed and revised as necessary, but at

20  least biennially.

21         6.  The following statutes will not apply to local

22  coalitions with approved plans: ss. 125.901(2)(a)3.,

23  228.061(1) and (2), 230.2306, 411.204, 411.221, 411.222, and

24  411.232. To facilitate innovative practices and to allow local

25  establishment of school readiness programs, a school readiness

26  coalition may apply to the Governor and Cabinet for a waiver

27  of, and the Governor and Cabinet may waive, any of the

28  provisions of ss. 230.2303, 230.2305, 230.23166, 402.3015,

29  411.223, and 411.232, if the waiver is necessary for

30  implementation of the coalition's school readiness plan.

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  1         7.  Two or more counties may join for the purpose of

  2  planning and implementing a school readiness program.

  3         8.  A coalition may, subject to approval of the

  4  partnership as part of the coalition's plan, receive

  5  subsidized child care funds for all children eligible for any

  6  federal subsidized child care program and be the provider of

  7  the program services.

  8         9.  Coalitions are authorized to enter into multiparty

  9  contracts with multicounty service providers in order to meet

10  the needs of unique populations such as migrant workers.

11         Section 13.  Section 411.222, Florida Statutes, is

12  amended to read:

13         411.222  State Intraagency and interagency

14  coordination; creation of offices; responsibilities;

15  memorandum of agreement; creation of Coordinating Council for

16  School Readiness Programs; responsibilities.--

17         (1)  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.--There is created within

18  the Department of Education an Office of Prevention, Early

19  Assistance, and Child Development for the purpose of

20  intraagency and interagency planning, policy, and program

21  development and coordination to enhance existing programs and

22  services and to develop new programs and services for

23  high-risk children and their families. The Department of

24  Education, as the designated lead agency for administration of

25  part H of Pub. L. No. 99-457, shall assign primary

26  responsibility for implementation of part H to the Office of

27  Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development.

28         (a)  Intraagency responsibilities.--

29         1.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination

30  in programs serving high-risk children and their families,

31  including, but not limited to:


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  1         a.  Preschool programs for children of migrant farm

  2  workers.

  3         b.  Preschool programs for handicapped children.

  4         c.  Prekindergarten Early Intervention Program.

  5         d.  Florida First Start Program.

  6         e.  Preschool programs for educationally disadvantaged

  7  children funded through federal funds, such as Head Start and

  8  chapter I of Pub. L. No. 97-35, when applicable.

  9         f.  Programs for teen parents and their children.

10         g.  Programs for preventing sexual activity and teenage

11  pregnancy.

12         h.  Food services for preschool and child care

13  programs.

14         i.  Transportation for programs serving preschool

15  children.

16         j.  Facilities for programs serving preschool children.

17         k.  School volunteer programs serving preschool

18  children.

19         l.  Support services, including social work and school

20  health services for preschool children.

21         m.  Parent education, child care courses, and child

22  care laboratories in high schools and vocational-technical

23  centers.

24         2.  Serve as clearinghouse for the collection and

25  dissemination of information relating to programs and services

26  for high-risk children and their families, including model and

27  exemplary programs that have demonstrated effectiveness and

28  beneficial outcomes.

29         3.  Develop publications, including, but not limited

30  to, directories, newsletters, public awareness documents, and

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  1  other resource materials which assist agencies, programs, and

  2  families in meeting the needs of the high-risk population.

  3         4.  Provide technical assistance at the request of

  4  agencies, programs, and services.

  5         5.  Disseminate information regarding the availability

  6  of federal, state, and private grants which target high-risk

  7  children and their families.

  8         6.  Perform duties relating to the joint strategic plan

  9  as specified in s. 411.221.

10         (b)  Interagency responsibilities.--

11         1.  Perform the joint functions related to the joint

12  strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

13         2.  Prepare jointly with the Department of Health and

14  Rehabilitative Services a memorandum of agreement pursuant to

15  this section, or other cooperative agreements necessary to

16  implement the requirements of this chapter.

17         3.  Develop, in collaboration with the Department of

18  Health and Rehabilitative Services, and recommend to the State

19  Board of Education, rules necessary to implement this chapter.

20         4.  Perform the responsibilities enumerated in

21  subparagraphs (a)2.-5. on a statewide basis in conjunction

22  with the Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child

23  Development within the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

24  Services.

25         (2)  DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE

26  SERVICES.--There is created within the Department of Health

27  and Rehabilitative Services an Office of Prevention, Early

28  Assistance, and Child Development for the purpose of

29  intraagency and interagency planning, policy, and program

30  development and coordination to enhance existing programs and

31  services and to develop new programs and services for


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  1  high-risk pregnant women and for high-risk preschool children

  2  and their families.

  3         (a)  Intraagency responsibilities.--

  4         1.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination

  5  in programs serving high-risk pregnant women and high-risk

  6  preschool children and their families, within the following

  7  offices of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

  8  Services:

  9         a.  Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health.

10         b.  Children's Medical Services.

11         c.  Children, Youth, and Families.

12         d.  Developmental Services.

13         e.  Economic Services.

14         f.  Health.

15         g.  Medicaid.

16         2.  Assure planning, policy, and program coordination

17  in the following interprogram areas:

18         a.  Transportation.

19         b.  Migrant and refugee services.

20         c.  Volunteer services.

21         d.  Child abuse and neglect prevention, early

22  intervention, and treatment.

23         e.  Chapter I of Pub. L. No. 97-35.

24         3.  Ensure, within available resources, the

25  implementation of the continuum of comprehensive services in

26  the service districts.

27         4.  Serve as clearinghouse for the collection and

28  dissemination of information relating to programs and services

29  for high-risk pregnant women and for high-risk preschool

30  children and their families, and programs aimed at preventing

31  sexual activity and teenage pregnancy, including model and


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  1  exemplary programs that have demonstrated effectiveness and

  2  beneficial outcomes.

  3         5.  Develop publications, including, but not limited

  4  to, directories, newsletters, public awareness documents, and

  5  other resource materials which assist agencies, programs, and

  6  families in meeting the needs of the high-risk population.

  7         6.  Provide technical assistance at the request of

  8  program offices, service districts, providers, advisory

  9  councils, and advocacy groups, and other agencies or entities

10  with which the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

11  Services has contracts or cooperative agreements.

12         7.  Disseminate information regarding the availability

13  of federal, state, and private grants which target teenagers

14  at risk of pregnancy, high-risk pregnant women, and high-risk

15  preschool children and their families.

16         8.  Perform duties relating to the joint strategic plan

17  as specified in s. 411.221.

18         (b)  Interagency responsibilities.--

19         1.  Perform the joint functions related to the joint

20  strategic plan as specified in s. 411.221.

21         2.  Prepare jointly with the Department of Education a

22  memorandum of agreement pursuant to this section, or other

23  cooperative agreements necessary to implement the requirements

24  of this chapter.

25         3.  Develop, in collaboration with the Department of

26  Education, rules necessary to implement this chapter.

27         4.  Perform the responsibilities enumerated in

28  subparagraphs (a)4.-7. on a statewide basis in conjunction

29  with the Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child

30  Development within the Department of Education.

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  1         5.  Subject to appropriation, develop and implement a

  2  program of parenting workshops to assist and counsel the

  3  parents or guardians of students having disciplinary problems.

  4  These workshops should be made available to all families of

  5  students who have disciplinary problems. The department may

  6  provide these services directly or may enter into contracts

  7  with school districts for the provision of these services.

  8         (3)  MEMORANDUM OF INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.--The

  9  Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Health and

10  Rehabilitative Services shall prepare a joint memorandum of

11  interagency agreement to implement the provisions of this

12  chapter, which shall include, but not be limited to, the

13  following:

14         (a)  Designation of staff responsible for interagency

15  and intraagency planning and coordination.

16         (b)  Description of staff roles and responsibilities

17  regarding interagency coordination.

18         (c)  Delineation of the relationships between the

19  departments' respective advisory councils, commissions,

20  committees, and task forces addressing the needs of high-risk

21  children and their families.

22         (d)  Procedures for conflict resolution.

23         (e)  Procedures for reviewing, amending, and renewing

24  the memorandum of interagency agreement.

25         (f)  Procedures for interagency evaluation

26  coordination.

27         (4)  STATE COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR SCHOOL READINESS

28  PROGRAMS.--

29         (1)(a)  CREATION; INTENT Creation; intent.--The State

30  Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs is

31  established to ensure coordination among the programs that


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  1  serve preschool children in order to support the first state

  2  education goal, readiness to start school; to facilitate

  3  communication, cooperation, and the maximum use of resources;

  4  and to promote high standards for all programs that serve

  5  preschool children in this state. It is the intent of the

  6  Legislature that the coordinating council be an independent

  7  nonpartisan body and not be identified or affiliated with any

  8  one agency, program, or group.

  9         (2)(b)  MEMBERSHIP Membership.--The council shall be

10  composed of the following 15 members:

11         (a)1.  The seven current members of the 1998-1999 State

12  Coordinating Council Executive Committee.

13         (b)2.  Eight additional members, appointed by the

14  executive committee, including a representative of each of the

15  following:  subsidized child care programs; prekindergarten

16  early intervention programs; Head Start programs; health care

17  programs; private providers; faith-based providers; programs

18  for children with disabilities; and parents of preschool

19  children.

20         (3)(c)  TERM Term.--The State Coordinating Council for

21  School Readiness Programs shall terminate on July 1, 2002.

22         (4)(d)  ORGANIZATION Organization.--

23         (a)1.  The council shall adopt internal organizational

24  procedures or bylaws necessary for the efficient operation of

25  the council. The council may establish committees that are

26  responsible for conducting specific council programs and

27  activities.

28         (b)2.  The council shall have a budget and be financed

29  through an annual appropriation made for this purpose in the

30  General Appropriations Act. Council members are entitled to

31  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in


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  1  s. 112.061 while carrying out official business of the

  2  council. When appropriate, parent representatives shall

  3  receive a stipend for child care costs incurred while

  4  attending council meetings. For administrative purposes only,

  5  the council is assigned to the Florida Partnership for School

  6  Readiness.

  7         (c)3.  The coordinating council shall hold quarterly

  8  meetings that are open to the public, and the public shall be

  9  given the opportunity to comment at each such meeting. The

10  coordinating council shall notify persons of the date, time,

11  and place of each quarterly meeting upon request.

12         (5)(e)  DUTIES Duties.--The coordinating council shall

13  recommend to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness

14  methods for coordinating public and private school readiness

15  programs and procedures to facilitate communication,

16  cooperation, and the maximum use of resources to achieve the

17  first state education goal, readiness to start school. In

18  addition, the council shall:

19         (a)1.  Advise the Florida Partnership for School

20  Readiness concerning criteria for grant proposal guidelines,

21  the review of plans and proposals, and eligibility for

22  services of school readiness programs.

23         (b)2.  Recommend to the Florida Partnership for School

24  Readiness methods to increase the involvement of public and

25  private partnerships in school readiness programs in order to

26  maximize the availability of federal funds and to effectively

27  use available resources through cooperative funding and

28  coordinated services.

29         (6)(f)  REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Reporting

30  requirements.--The coordinating council shall submit its final

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  1  report to the Florida Partnership for School Readiness by July

  2  1, 2002.

  3         Section 14.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section

  4  230.2303, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         230.2303  Florida First Start Program.--

  6         (8)  COORDINATION.--

  7         (a)  The Florida First Start Program shall be included

  8  under the jurisdiction of the State Coordinating Council for

  9  School Readiness Programs Early Childhood Services established

10  pursuant to s. 411.222.  The council shall make

11  recommendations for effective implementation of the program

12  and shall advise the Department of Education on needed

13  legislation, rules, and technical assistance to ensure the

14  continued implementation of an effective program.

15         Section 15.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and

16  subsection (2) of section 383.14, Florida Statutes, are

17  amended to read:

18         383.14  Screening for metabolic disorders, other

19  hereditary and congenital disorders, and environmental risk

20  factors.--

21         (1)  SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.--To help ensure access to

22  the maternal and child health care system, the Department of

23  Health shall promote the screening of all infants born in

24  Florida for phenylketonuria and other metabolic, hereditary,

25  and congenital disorders known to result in significant

26  impairment of health or intellect, as screening programs

27  accepted by current medical practice become available and

28  practical in the judgment of the department.  The department

29  shall also promote the identification and screening of all

30  infants born in this state and their families for

31  environmental risk factors such as low income, poor education,


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  1  maternal and family stress, emotional instability, substance

  2  abuse, and other high-risk conditions associated with

  3  increased risk of infant mortality and morbidity to provide

  4  early intervention, remediation, and prevention services,

  5  including, but not limited to, parent support and training

  6  programs, home visitation, and case management.

  7  Identification, perinatal screening, and intervention efforts

  8  shall begin prior to and immediately following the birth of

  9  the child by the attending health care provider.  Such efforts

10  shall be conducted in hospitals, perinatal centers, county

11  health departments, school health programs that provide

12  prenatal care, and birthing centers, and reported to the

13  Office of Vital Statistics.

14         (b)  Postnatal screening.--A risk factor analysis using

15  the department's designated risk assessment instrument shall

16  also be conducted as part of the medical screening process

17  upon the birth of a child and submitted to the department's

18  Office of Vital Statistics for recording and other purposes

19  provided for in this chapter.  The department's screening

20  process for risk assessment shall include a scoring mechanism

21  and procedures that establish thresholds for notification,

22  further assessment, referral, and eligibility for services by

23  professionals or paraprofessionals consistent with the level

24  of risk. Procedures for developing and using the screening

25  instrument, notification, referral, and care coordination

26  services, reporting requirements, management information, and

27  maintenance of a computer-driven registry in the Office of

28  Vital Statistics which ensures privacy safeguards must be

29  consistent with the provisions and plans established under

30  chapter 411, Pub. L. No. 99-457, and this chapter.  Procedures

31  established for reporting information and maintaining a


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  1  confidential registry must include a mechanism for a

  2  centralized information depository at the state and county

  3  levels.  The department shall coordinate with existing risk

  4  assessment systems and information registries.  The department

  5  must ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the

  6  screening information registry is integrated with the

  7  department's automated data systems, including the Florida

  8  On-line Recipient Integrated Data Access (FLORIDA) system.

  9  Tests and screenings must be performed at such times and in

10  such manner as is prescribed by the department after

11  consultation with the Genetics and Infant Screening Advisory

12  Council and the State Coordinating Council for School

13  Readiness Programs Early Childhood Services.

14         (2)  RULES.--After consultation with the Genetics and

15  Infant Screening Advisory Council, the department shall adopt

16  and enforce rules requiring that every infant born in this

17  state shall, prior to becoming 2 weeks of age, be subjected to

18  a test for phenylketonuria and, at the appropriate age, be

19  tested for such other metabolic diseases and hereditary or

20  congenital disorders as the department may deem necessary from

21  time to time. After consultation with the State Coordinating

22  Council for School Readiness Programs Early Childhood

23  Services, the department shall also adopt and enforce rules

24  requiring every infant born in this state to be screened for

25  environmental risk factors that place children and their

26  families at risk for increased morbidity, mortality, and other

27  negative outcomes.  The department shall adopt such additional

28  rules as are found necessary for the administration of this

29  section, including rules relating to the methods used and time

30  or times for testing as accepted medical practice indicates,

31  rules relating to charging and collecting fees for screenings


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  1  authorized by this section, and rules requiring mandatory

  2  reporting of the results of tests and screenings for these

  3  conditions to the department.

  4         Section 16.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section

  5  391.304, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  6         391.304  Program coordination.--

  7         (1)  The Department of Health shall:

  8         (a)  Coordinate with the Department of Education, the

  9  Florida Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and

10  Toddlers, and the State Coordinating Council for School

11  Readiness Programs Early Childhood Services in planning and

12  administering ss. 391.301-391.307. This coordination shall be

13  in accordance with s. 411.222.

14         Section 17.  Subsection (3) of section 402.281, Florida

15  Statutes, is amended to read:

16         402.281  Gold Seal Quality Care program.--

17         (3)  In developing the Gold Seal Quality Care program

18  standards, the department shall consult with the Department of

19  Education, the Florida Head Start Directors Association, the

20  Florida Association of Child Care Management, the Florida

21  Family Day Care Association, the Florida Children's Forum, the

22  State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs Early

23  Childhood Services, the Early Childhood Association of

24  Florida, the National Association for Child Development

25  Education, providers receiving exemptions under s. 402.316,

26  and parents, for the purpose of approving the accrediting

27  associations.

28         Section 18.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) and

29  subsection (18) of section 402.305, Florida Statutes, are

30  amended to read:

31         402.305  Licensing standards; child care facilities.--


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  1         (2)  PERSONNEL.--Minimum standards for child care

  2  personnel shall include minimum requirements as to:

  3         (d)  Minimum training requirements for child care

  4  personnel.

  5         1.  Such minimum standards for training shall ensure

  6  that all child care personnel and operators of family day care

  7  homes serving at-risk children in a subsidized child care

  8  program pursuant to s. 402.3015 take an approved 40-clock-hour

  9  introductory course in child care, which course covers at

10  least the following topic areas:

11         a.  State and local rules and regulations which govern

12  child care.

13         b.  Health, safety, and nutrition.

14         c.  Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.

15         d.  Child development, including typical and atypical

16  language, cognitive, motor, social, and self-help skills

17  development.

18         e.  Observation of developmental behaviors, including

19  using a checklist or other similar observation tools and

20  techniques to determine the child's developmental age level.

21         f.  Specialized areas, as determined by the department,

22  for owner-operators and child care personnel of a child care

23  facility.

24

25  Within 90 days of employment, child care personnel shall begin

26  training to meet the training requirements and shall complete

27  such training within 1 year of the date on which the training

28  began.  Exemption from all or a portion of the required

29  training shall be granted to child care personnel based upon

30  educational credentials or passage of competency examinations.

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  1         2.  The introductory course in child care shall stress,

  2  to the extent possible, an interdisciplinary approach to the

  3  study of children.

  4         3.  On an annual basis in order to further their child

  5  care skills and, if appropriate, administrative skills, child

  6  care personnel who have fulfilled the requirements for the

  7  child care training shall be required to take an additional

  8  approved 8 clock hours of inservice training or an equivalent

  9  as determined by the department.

10         4.  Procedures for ensuring the training of qualified

11  child care professionals to provide training of child care

12  personnel, including onsite training, shall be included in the

13  minimum standards.  It is recommended that the state community

14  child care coordination agencies (central agencies) be

15  contracted by the department to coordinate such training when

16  possible. Other district educational resources, such as

17  community colleges and vocational-technical programs, can be

18  designated in such areas where central agencies may not exist

19  or are determined not to have the capability to meet the

20  coordination requirements set forth by the department.

21         5.  Training requirements shall not apply to certain

22  occasional or part-time support staff, including, but not

23  limited to, swimming instructors, piano teachers, dance

24  instructors, and gymnastics instructors.

25         6.  The State Coordinating Council for School Readiness

26  Programs Early Childhood Services, in coordination with the

27  department, shall evaluate or contract for an evaluation for

28  the general purpose of determining the status of and means to

29  improve staff training requirements and testing procedures.

30  The evaluation shall be completed by October 1, 1992, and

31  conducted every 2 years thereafter.  The evaluation shall


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  1  include, but not be limited to, determining the availability,

  2  quality, scope, and sources of current staff training;

  3  determining the need for specialty training; and determining

  4  ways to increase inservice training and ways to increase the

  5  accessibility, quality, and cost-effectiveness of current and

  6  proposed staff training. The evaluation methodology shall

  7  include a reliable and valid survey of child care personnel.

  8         7.  The child care operator shall be required to take

  9  basic training in serving children with disabilities within 5

10  years after employment, either as a part of the introductory

11  training or the annual 8 hours of inservice training.

12         (18)  CHILD CARE TECHNICAL REVIEW PANEL.--There is

13  hereby created a child care technical review panel, appointed

14  by the Chair of the State Coordinating Council for School

15  Readiness Programs Early Childhood Services, established by s.

16  411.222, to develop recommendations for inclusion, unedited,

17  in the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness

18  Programs Early Childhood Services annual report as required by

19  s. 411.222(6)(4)(f), and provide technical assistance to the

20  department for the adoption of rules for licensing child care

21  facilities in accordance with the minimum standards

22  established in this section. The review panel must consist of

23  seven members, five of whom must be:

24         (a)  An owner or operator of a subsidized child care

25  facility;

26         (b)  An owner or operator of a proprietary child care

27  facility;

28         (c)  An owner or operator of a licensed church child

29  care facility;

30         (d)  A child care provider that has attained a child

31  development associate credential; and


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  1         (e)  A child care provider that has attained a child

  2  care professional credential.

  3

  4  The initial technical review panel members shall must be

  5  appointed by October 1, 1992, for a term of 3 years each.  No

  6  member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

  7         Section 19.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section

  8  402.3052, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  9         402.3052  Child development associate training grants

10  program.--

11         (1)  There is hereby created the child development

12  associate training grants program within the department.

13         (b)  The State Coordinating Council for School

14  Readiness Programs Early Childhood Services shall serve in an

15  advisory capacity to the department in the implementation of

16  the training program.

17         Section 20.  Subsections (6) and (8) of section 402.45,

18  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

19         402.45  Community resource mother or father program.--

20         (6)  The community resource mother or father program

21  shall be included under the jurisdiction of the State

22  Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs Early

23  Childhood Services established pursuant to s. 411.222.  The

24  council shall make recommendations for effective

25  implementation of the program and shall advise the Department

26  of Health in the development of program guidelines, the

27  schedule for implementation, the establishment of evaluation

28  procedures, the provision of technical assistance to

29  individual programs, and the development of the program

30  evaluation report.

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  1         (8)  Individuals under contract to provide community

  2  resource mother or father services shall participate in

  3  preservice and ongoing training as determined by the

  4  Department of Health in consultation with the State

  5  Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs Early

  6  Childhood Services. A community resource mother or father

  7  shall not be assigned a client caseload until all preservice

  8  training requirements are completed.

  9         Section 21.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section

10  402.47, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

11         402.47  Foster grandparent and retired senior volunteer

12  services to high-risk and handicapped children.--

13         (2)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

14  Services shall:

15         (d)  Coordinate with the Federal Action State Office

16  and the department's Office of Prevention, Early Assistance,

17  and Child Development regarding the development of criteria

18  for program elements and funding.

19         Section 22.  Section 411.221, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         411.221  Prevention and early assistance strategic

22  plan; agency responsibilities.--

23         (1)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

24  Services and the Department of Education shall prepare a joint

25  strategic plan relating to prevention and early assistance,

26  which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

27         (a)  Identification of the department which has the

28  responsibility for each program area described in the

29  continuum.

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  1         (b)  Identification of the unit within each department

  2  which has responsibility for each program area described in

  3  the continuum.

  4         (c)  Identification of the unit which has

  5  responsibility for coordination, monitoring, and

  6  implementation, as described in subsection (4).

  7         (c)(d)  Identification of existing continuum programs

  8  on an intraagency and interagency basis.

  9         (d)(e)  Identification of strategies for coordination

10  of services on both an intraagency and interagency basis and a

11  description of the progress of implementation of strategies.

12         (e)(f)  Identification of strategies for reducing

13  duplication of services on both an intraagency and interagency

14  basis and a description of progress of those strategies in

15  reduction of duplication.

16         (f)(g)  Identification of activities for coordination

17  and integration of prevention and early assistance services

18  with state agencies other than the Department of Education or

19  the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

20         (g)(h)  Identification of activities for coordination

21  and integration of prevention and early assistance services at

22  the district and local levels and strategies for public and

23  private partnerships in the provision of the continuum of

24  services.

25         (h)(i)  Recommendations for implementation of the

26  continuum of comprehensive services, including, but not

27  limited to, the schedule for implementation of components.

28         (i)(j)  Identification of barriers impacting

29  implementation of components of the continuum of services.

30         (j)(k)  Proposed changes to the continuum of services.

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  1         (k)(l)  Identification of methods of comparing program

  2  and child and family outcomes and identification of

  3  standardized reporting procedures to enhance data collection

  4  and analysis on an intraagency and interagency basis.

  5         (l)(m)  Recommendations, if any, for legislative,

  6  administrative, or budgetary changes. Budgetary changes shall

  7  include recommendations regarding the development by the

  8  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and the

  9  Department of Education of a unified program budget for all

10  prevention and early assistance services to high-risk pregnant

11  women and to high-risk preschool children and their families.

12  Such budget recommendations shall be consistent with the goals

13  of the joint strategic plan and with the continuum of

14  comprehensive services.

15         (2)  The strategic plan and subsequent plan revisions

16  shall incorporate and otherwise utilize, to the fullest extent

17  possible, the evaluation findings and recommendations from

18  intraagency, independent third-party, field projects, and

19  auditor general evaluations, as well as the recommendations of

20  the State Coordinating Council for School Readiness Programs

21  Early Childhood Services.

22         (3)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

23  Services and the Department of Education shall present the

24  joint strategic plan as described in this section to the

25  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

26  Representatives, and the Governor by January 1, 1991.  At

27  least biennially, the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

28  Services and the Department of Education shall readdress the

29  joint strategic plan submitted pursuant to this section and

30  make necessary revisions.  The revised plan shall be submitted

31  to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,


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  1  and the President of the Senate no later than January 1, 1993,

  2  and by January 1 of each odd-numbered year alternate years

  3  thereafter.

  4         (4)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

  5  Services and the Department of Education shall establish an

  6  Office of Prevention, Early Assistance, and Child Development,

  7  pursuant to s. 411.222, within each respective department.

  8  Each office shall have intraagency responsibilities for

  9  developing the strategic plan and for coordinating and ongoing

10  monitoring of the implementation of the continuum.

11  Interagency responsibilities shall include coordination in the

12  analysis and implementation of the continuum.

13         (4)(5)  There is established an interagency

14  coordinating council to advise the Department of Health and

15  Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Education, and

16  other state agencies in the development of the joint strategic

17  plan and to monitor the development of the plan. For the

18  purpose of carrying out its responsibilities, the interagency

19  coordinating council shall have access to statistical

20  information, budget documents, and workpapers developed by the

21  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and the

22  Department of Education in preparing the joint strategic plan.

23  The interagency coordinating council shall advise the

24  appropriate substantive committees of the Senate and House of

25  Representatives, and the Office of the Governor, on the

26  progress of activities required in this chapter.

27         Section 23.  Subsections (4) and (5) of section

28  411.232, Florida Statutes, are repealed.

29         Section 24.  Subsection (10) of section 414.38, Florida

30  Statutes, is repealed.

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  1         Section 25.  Subsection (5) of section 414.70, Florida

  2  Statutes, is amended to read:

  3         414.70  Drug-testing and drug-screening program;

  4  procedures.--

  5         (5)  EVALUATION EVALUATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.--

  6         (a)  The Department of Children and Family Services, in

  7  conjunction with the local WAGES coalitions in service areas 3

  8  and 8, shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the

  9  demonstration projects operated under this act. By January 1,

10  2000, the department, in conjunction with the local WAGES

11  coalitions involved, shall report to the WAGES Program State

12  Board of Directors and to the Legislature on the status of the

13  initial implementation of the demonstration projects and shall

14  specifically describe the problems encountered and the funds

15  expended during the first year of operation.

16         (b)  By January 1, 2001, the department, in conjunction

17  with the local WAGES coalitions in service areas 3 and 8

18  involved, shall provide a comprehensive evaluation to the

19  WAGES Program State Board of Directors and to the Legislature,

20  which must include:

21         (a)1.  The impact of the drug-screening and

22  drug-testing program on employability, job placement, job

23  retention, and salary levels of program participants.

24         (b)2.  Recommendations, based in part on a cost and

25  benefit analysis, as to the feasibility of expanding the

26  program to other local WAGES service areas, including specific

27  recommendations for implementing such expansion of the

28  program.

29         Section 26.  Section 28 of chapter 96-403, Laws of

30  Florida, is repealed.

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