ENROLLED
       2021 Legislature                            CS for CS for SB 714
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2021714er
    1  
    2         An act relating to resource information for
    3         individuals with disabilities; amending s. 393.065,
    4         F.S.; requiring the Agency for Persons with
    5         Disabilities to provide specified information to
    6         persons applying for certain waiver services;
    7         requiring the agency to provide a certain disclosure
    8         statement along with such information; requiring the
    9         agency to publish such information and statement on
   10         its website and provide such information and statement
   11         to certain persons annually; providing an effective
   12         date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Present subsection (10) of section 393.065,
   17  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (11), and a new
   18  subsection (10) is added to that section, to read:
   19         393.065 Application and eligibility determination.—
   20         (10)(a) The agency shall provide the following information
   21  to all applicants or their parents, legal guardians, or family
   22  members:
   23         1. A brief overview of the vocational rehabilitation
   24  services offered through the Division of Vocational
   25  Rehabilitation of the Department of Education, including a
   26  hyperlink or website address that provides access to the
   27  application for such services;
   28         2. A brief overview of the Florida ABLE program as
   29  established under s. 1009.986, including a hyperlink or website
   30  address that provides access to the application for establishing
   31  an ABLE account as defined in s. 1009.986(2);
   32         3. A brief overview of the supplemental security income
   33  benefits and social security disability income benefits
   34  available under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, as
   35  amended, including a hyperlink or website address that provides
   36  access to the application for such benefits;
   37         4. A statement indicating that the applicant’s local public
   38  school district may provide specialized instructional services,
   39  including transition programs, for students with special
   40  education needs;
   41         5. A brief overview of programs and services funded through
   42  the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities, including
   43  contact information for each state-approved Florida
   44  Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program;
   45         6. A brief overview of decisionmaking options for
   46  individuals with disabilities, guardianship under chapter 744,
   47  and alternatives to guardianship as defined in s. 744.334(1),
   48  which may include contact information for organizations that the
   49  agency believes would be helpful in assisting with such
   50  decisions;
   51         7. A brief overview of the referral tools made available
   52  through the agency, including a hyperlink or website address
   53  that provides access to such tools; and
   54         8. A statement indicating that some waiver providers may
   55  serve private-pay individuals.
   56         (b) The agency must provide the information required in
   57  paragraph (a) in writing to an applicant or his or her parent,
   58  legal guardian, or family member along with a written disclosure
   59  statement in substantially the following form:
   60  
   61                        DISCLOSURE STATEMENT                       
   62  
   63  Each program and service has its own eligibility requirements.
   64  By providing the information specified in section
   65  393.065(10)(a), Florida Statutes, the agency does not guarantee
   66  an applicant’s eligibility for or enrollment in any program or
   67  service.
   68         (c) The agency shall also publish the information required
   69  in paragraph (a) and the disclosure statement in paragraph (b)
   70  on its website, and shall provide that information and statement
   71  annually to each applicant placed on the waiting list or to the
   72  parent, legal guardian, or family member of such applicant.
   73         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.