HB 333

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to developmental disabilities
3institutions; creating s. 393.35, F.S.; providing
4legislative intent; requiring the Agency for Persons
5with Disabilities to submit a plan to the Governor and
6the Legislature if the agency or the Legislature
7proposes to close or reduce by a certain percentage the
8resident population of a developmental disabilities
9institution; providing for content of the plan;
10requiring the Governor to approve or disapprove the plan
11to close or reduce the population of an institution;
12providing that the Governor's decision is not binding on
13the Legislature; requiring the agency to provide
14quarterly reports; providing for content of the reports;
15providing an effective date.
16
17Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19     Section 1.  Section 393.35, Florida Statutes, is created
20to read:
21     393.35  Developmental disabilities institutions.--
22     (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is the intent of the
23Legislature that:
24     (a)  The agency timely notify residents and guardians of
25residents of the Marianna Sunland developmental disabilities
26institution or the Tacachale developmental disabilities
27institution when the agency or the Legislature announces its
28intent to close or reduce the census by 20 percent or more at
29either the Marianna Sunland institution or the Tacachale
30institution. For purposes of this section, "census reduction"
31or "reduce the census" means to reduce the current resident
32population of an institution over a 1-year period that begins
33on July 1 and ends on June 30 annually. Residents placed in
34the institution under court order and residents or their
35guardians who have requested in writing to leave the
36institution shall not be included in the census reduction
37calculation.
38     (b)  The agency provide assurance to residents and their
39guardians that planning for transition to another residential
40setting shall be conducted with the involvement of the
41residents and their guardians, designated family members, or
42designees and shall address the needs of the resident in the
43most appropriate setting.
44     (c)  The agency ensure the health and safety of the
45residents of a developmental disabilities institution during a
46transition to closure of or a census reduction of 20 percent
47or more at the institution.
48     (d)  The agency conduct a thorough planning process for
49activities associated with closure of or a census reduction of
5020 percent or more at a developmental disabilities institution
51and comply with the provisions of this section.
52     (2)  INTENT TO CLOSE OR REDUCE CENSUS OF MARIANNA SUNLAND
53OR TACACHALE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES INSTITUTIONS.--
54     (a)  If the agency or the Legislature announces its
55intent to close or reduce the census by 20 percent or more at
56either the Marianna Sunland developmental disabilities
57institution or the Tacachale developmental disabilities
58institution after July 1, 2008, the agency must first provide
59a report regarding plans related to closure of or census
60reduction at the developmental disabilities institution to the
61Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
62House of Representatives. The President of the Senate and the
63Speaker of the House of Representatives shall have 90 days to
64provide comments to the Governor after receipt of notification
65of intent to close or reduce the census by 20 percent or more
66at the institution. The report shall include, but not be
67limited to, the following activities:
68     1.  A plan for providing notification of closure or
69census reduction. The agency shall notify each affected
70resident of the institution, the resident's guardian,
71designated members of the resident's family, or a designee of
72the intent to close or reduce the census at the institution.
73The notice must be delivered by registered mail and include
74the reasons for closure or census reduction, the timeline for
75closure or census reduction activities, and contact
76information for the recipient of the notice to obtain
77additional information.
78     2.  A plan for providing education to staff and to
79residents and their guardians, family members, or designees
80about residential placement opportunities available to
81residents after leaving the institution.
82     3.  A plan for providing services and other residential
83placements for residents after they leave the institution.
84     4.  An assessment of the capacity of service providers
85and their ability to meet the needs of the residents in the
86communities where residents will likely reside after they
87leave the institution.
88     5.  A plan for service provider recruitment, development,
89and training, as needed, to ensure that adequate services are
90available to residents as they make the transition into the
91community.
92     6.  A plan for monitoring and ensuring safety and service
93quality for residents after they have left the institution.
94     7.  A process for developing a support plan that includes
95consultation with the residents and their guardians and
96provides a community living plan for delivering services to
97those residents.
98     8.  A process for residents and their guardians to appeal
99the services planned through the support planning process.
100     9.  A plan for adjusting employee staffing levels during
101the census reduction or transition to closure to ensure the
102safety of and quality of care for residents and assistance for
103employees seeking new employment.
104     10.  A complete timeline for closure of or census
105reduction at the institution that includes a financial plan
106for the closure or census reduction and the projected savings
107associated with the closure or census reduction.
108     11.  A communications plan to keep residents, guardians
109of residents, designated family members, employees, and
110designees informed of the progress of the closure or census
111reduction.
112     12.  The responsibility of each state agency involved in
113the closure of or census reduction at the institution.
114     13.  A plan for closure activities and the disposition of
115property of the physical plant of the institution.
116     (b)  After consideration of comments from the President
117of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
118and other evidence, the Governor shall approve or disapprove
119the plan of the agency to close or reduce the census by 20
120percent or more at the developmental disabilities institution.
121The Governor's approval or disapproval of the closure of or
122census reduction at an institution is not binding on the
123Legislature.
124     (3)  REPORTS ON CLOSURE ACTIVITIES OR CENSUS REDUCTION.--
125     (a)  The agency shall provide a quarterly report to the
126Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
127House of Representatives on the progress of the closure of or
128census reduction at an institution and shall post the report
129on the agency's Internet website. This report requirement
130shall apply to the closure of the Gulf Coast Center and any
131other developmental disabilities institution closure or census
132reduction activities approved after July 1, 2008.
133     (b)  The report shall document the progress of the plan,
134including, but not limited to, the requirements in subsection
135(2), and shall also include the following:
136     1.  The number of residents, guardians, designated family
137members, and designees that have been notified and have yet to
138be notified of the planned closure or census reduction
139activities.
140     2.  Current resident population compared to targeted
141census reduction.
142     3.  The locations of residential placements by number and
143type of facilities.
144     4.  The number of significant reportable events for
145residents in the institution.
146     5.  Statistics that indicate the successful placement of
147residents in locations in the community or in other
148institutions chosen by those residents or their guardians and
149an assessment of the efforts made by the agency in assisting
150residents and their guardians in making those choices.
151     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.