| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to transitional services for adolescents |
| 3 | and young adults with disabilities; creating the Health |
| 4 | and Transition Services Program; assigning the program for |
| 5 | administrative purposes to Children's Medical Services in |
| 6 | the Department of Health; providing purposes of the |
| 7 | program; delineating the target population; describing |
| 8 | participating service providers and the services that they |
| 9 | are to provide; providing for an evaluation of the |
| 10 | program; providing an effective date. |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Section 1. Health and Transition Services Program; |
| 15 | creation; purposes; participating agencies and services |
| 16 | provided; evaluation.-- |
| 17 | (1) The Health and Transition Services Program is created |
| 18 | for the purpose of assisting adolescents and young adults who |
| 19 | have special needs relating to health care and educational and |
| 20 | vocational services in making a smooth transition from the child |
| 21 | health care and educational system to the adult health care |
| 22 | system and employment. For administrative purposes, the program |
| 23 | is located in Children's Medical Services in the Department of |
| 24 | Health. |
| 25 | (2) The target population for the program comprises |
| 26 | persons who are at least 14 but not more than 26 years of age |
| 27 | and have chronic health-related or developmental conditions. |
| 28 | (3) The following elements must be in place in order to |
| 29 | ensure the success of the Health and Transition Services |
| 30 | Program: |
| 31 | (a) A consultative partnership between adult and pediatric |
| 32 | health care providers in a major medical health care |
| 33 | organization or academic medical setting for the purpose of |
| 34 | training and transferring adolescents and young adults to adult |
| 35 | health care services. |
| 36 | (b) A primary care clinic established in a major medical |
| 37 | health care organization for the purpose of fostering the |
| 38 | partnership between adult and pediatric health care providers. |
| 39 | (c) Community-based health care services that are provided |
| 40 | pursuant to agreements with major health care organizations or |
| 41 | academic medical centers for purposes of providing consultation |
| 42 | concerning the management of special health care needs. |
| 43 | (d) Community-based support organizations that can provide |
| 44 | assistance with services such as supported living and |
| 45 | employment, health insurance, and support services to maintain |
| 46 | the young adults in the community. |
| 47 | (4) The following services shall be offered to individuals |
| 48 | who are enrolled in the Health and Transition Services Program: |
| 49 | (a) An assessment of health needs, educational and |
| 50 | vocational status and needs, and health insurance status. |
| 51 | (b) In coordination with the educational system, |
| 52 | community-based organizations, and the vocational system, a plan |
| 53 | for transition which includes adult health services, education, |
| 54 | habilitative services, independent living, adult employment, and |
| 55 | health insurance. |
| 56 | (c) A medical home that provides for coordinated and |
| 57 | multidisciplinary care and focuses on engaging adult health care |
| 58 | providers in the care and treatment of the adolescents or young |
| 59 | adults. |
| 60 | (d) Disease self-management programs. |
| 61 | (5) The Health and Transition Services Program shall be |
| 62 | directed by a medical director having experience in adolescent |
| 63 | health. A project coordinator shall assist the medical director |
| 64 | in developing and implementing the program. Other staff may be |
| 65 | included in order to provide a full range of health and |
| 66 | transition services. |
| 67 | (6) The Health and Transition Services Program shall be |
| 68 | evaluated by an organization or university that has expertise |
| 69 | and experience in evaluating health care programs. The |
| 70 | evaluation must be formative and cumulative and must include |
| 71 | program process and outcome measures as well as client outcomes. |
| 72 | The results of the evaluation may be used to improve and |
| 73 | replicate the Health and Transition Services Program statewide. |
| 74 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |