Florida Senate - 2025 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 7012
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LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: 1/AD/RM . Floor: C
05/01/2025 03:05 PM . 05/02/2025 07:48 PM
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Senator Grall moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment to House Amendment (646549) (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete lines 5 - 351
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 39.524, Florida
7 Statutes, is amended to read:
8 39.524 Safe-harbor placement.—
9 (3)(a) By October 1 of each year, the department, with
10 information from community-based care agencies, shall report to
11 the Legislature on the prevalence of child commercial sexual
12 exploitation of children; the specialized services provided and
13 placement of such children; the local service capacity assessed
14 pursuant to s. 409.1754; the placement of children in safe
15 houses and safe foster homes during the year, including the
16 criteria used to determine the placement of children; the number
17 of children who were evaluated for placement; the number of
18 children who were placed based upon the evaluation; the number
19 of children who were not placed; and the department’s response
20 to the findings and recommendations made by the Office of
21 Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability in its
22 annual study on commercial sexual exploitation of children, as
23 required by s. 409.16791; and must also maintain a copy of any
24 paper-based assessments or tools used to assess a child for such
25 placement, to be provided upon request of the Legislature.
26 (b) The department shall maintain individual-level data of
27 all children assessed for placement in a safe house or safe
28 foster home and use this data to produce information that
29 specifies specifying the number of children who were verified as
30 victims of commercial sexual exploitation, who were referred to
31 nonresidential services in the community, who were placed in a
32 safe house or safe foster home, and who were referred to a safe
33 house or safe foster home for whom placement was unavailable,
34 and shall identify the counties in which such placement was
35 unavailable. The department shall include this data in its
36 report under this subsection so that the Legislature may
37 consider this information in developing the General
38 Appropriations Act. The department shall maintain collected
39 individual-level data in a format that allows for extraction and
40 analysis of anonymized individual-level and aggregate data upon
41 request by the Legislature.
42 Section 2. Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
43 39.905, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
44 39.905 Domestic violence centers.—
45 (1) Domestic violence centers certified under this part
46 must:
47 (h) Demonstrate local need and ability to sustain
48 operations through a history of 18 consecutive months’ operation
49 as a domestic violence center, including 12 months’ operation of
50 an emergency shelter as provided in paragraph (c), and a
51 business plan which addresses future operations and funding of
52 future operations. The department may waive this requirement if
53 there is an emergency need for a new domestic violence center to
54 provide services in an area and no other viable options exist to
55 ensure continuity of services. If there is an emergency need,
56 the department may issue a provisional certificate to the
57 domestic violence center as long as the center meets all other
58 criteria in this subsection. The department may adopt rules to
59 provide minimum standards for a provisional certificate,
60 including increased monitoring and site visits and the time
61 period such certificate is valid.
62 Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 402.305, Florida
63 Statutes, is amended to read:
64 402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities.—
65 (2) PERSONNEL.—Minimum standards for child care personnel
66 shall include minimum requirements as to:
67 (a) Good moral character based upon screening as defined in
68 s. 402.302(15). This screening shall be conducted as provided in
69 chapter 435, using the level 2 standards for screening set forth
70 in that chapter, and include employment history checks, a search
71 of criminal history records, sexual predator and sexual offender
72 registries, and child abuse and neglect registry of any state in
73 which the current or prospective child care personnel resided
74 during the preceding 5 years.
75 (b) Fingerprint submission for child care personnel, which
76 shall comply with s. 435.12.
77 (c) The department may grant exemptions from
78 disqualification from working with children or the
79 developmentally disabled as provided in s. 435.07.
80 (c)(d) Minimum age requirements. Such minimum standards
81 shall prohibit a person under the age of 21 from being the
82 operator of a child care facility and a person under the age of
83 16 from being employed at such facility unless such person is
84 under direct supervision and is not counted for the purposes of
85 computing the personnel-to-child ratio.
86 (d)(e) Minimum training requirements for child care
87 personnel.
88 1. Such minimum standards for training shall ensure that
89 all child care personnel take an approved 40-clock-hour
90 introductory course in child care, which course covers at least
91 the following topic areas:
92 a. State and local rules and regulations which govern child
93 care.
94 b. Health, safety, and nutrition.
95 c. Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.
96 d. Child development, including typical and atypical
97 language, cognitive, motor, social, and self-help skills
98 development.
99 e. Observation of developmental behaviors, including using
100 a checklist or other similar observation tools and techniques to
101 determine the child’s developmental age level.
102 f. Specialized areas, including computer technology for
103 professional and classroom use and early literacy and language
104 development of children from birth to 5 years of age, as
105 determined by the department, for owner-operators and child care
106 personnel of a child care facility.
107 g. Developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum
108 disorder and Down syndrome, and early identification, use of
109 available state and local resources, classroom integration, and
110 positive behavioral supports for children with developmental
111 disabilities.
112
113 Within 90 days after employment, child care personnel shall
114 begin training to meet the training requirements. Child care
115 personnel shall successfully complete such training within 1
116 year after the date on which the training began, as evidenced by
117 passage of a competency examination. Successful completion of
118 the 40-clock-hour introductory course shall articulate into
119 community college credit in early childhood education, pursuant
120 to ss. 1007.24 and 1007.25. Exemption from all or a portion of
121 the required training shall be granted to child care personnel
122 based upon educational credentials or passage of competency
123 examinations. Child care personnel possessing a 2-year degree or
124 higher that includes 6 college credit hours in early childhood
125 development or child growth and development, or a child
126 development associate credential or an equivalent state-approved
127 child development associate credential, or a child development
128 associate waiver certificate shall be automatically exempted
129 from the training requirements in sub-subparagraphs b., d., and
130 e.
131 2. The introductory course in child care shall stress, to
132 the extent possible, an interdisciplinary approach to the study
133 of children.
134 3. The introductory course shall cover recognition and
135 prevention of shaken baby syndrome; prevention of sudden infant
136 death syndrome; recognition and care of infants and toddlers
137 with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum
138 disorder and Down syndrome; and early childhood brain
139 development within the topic areas identified in this paragraph.
140 4. On an annual basis in order to further their child care
141 skills and, if appropriate, administrative skills, child care
142 personnel who have fulfilled the requirements for the child care
143 training shall be required to take an additional 1 continuing
144 education unit of approved inservice training, or 10 clock hours
145 of equivalent training, as determined by the department.
146 5. Child care personnel shall be required to complete 0.5
147 continuing education unit of approved training or 5 clock hours
148 of equivalent training, as determined by the department, in
149 early literacy and language development of children from birth
150 to 5 years of age one time. The year that this training is
151 completed, it shall fulfill the 0.5 continuing education unit or
152 5 clock hours of the annual training required in subparagraph 4.
153 6. Procedures for ensuring the training of qualified child
154 care professionals to provide training of child care personnel,
155 including onsite training, shall be included in the minimum
156 standards. It is recommended that the state community child care
157 coordination agencies (central agencies) be contracted by the
158 department to coordinate such training when possible. Other
159 district educational resources, such as community colleges and
160 career programs, can be designated in such areas where central
161 agencies may not exist or are determined not to have the
162 capability to meet the coordination requirements set forth by
163 the department.
164 7. Training requirements shall not apply to certain
165 occasional or part-time support staff, including, but not
166 limited to, swimming instructors, piano teachers, dance
167 instructors, and gymnastics instructors.
168 8. The child care operator shall be required to take basic
169 training in serving children with disabilities within 5 years
170 after employment, either as a part of the introductory training
171 or the annual 8 hours of inservice training.
172 (e)(f) Periodic health examinations.
173 (f)(g) A credential for child care facility directors. The
174 credential shall be a required minimum standard for licensing.
175
176 The department may grant limited exemptions to the minimum
177 standards provided in this subsection which authorize a person
178 to work in a specified role or with a specified population.
179 Section 4. Subsections (4) and (5) of section 402.402,
180 Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) and (6),
181 respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to that section,
182 to read:
183 402.402 Child protection and child welfare personnel;
184 attorneys employed by the department.—
185 (4) RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.—Subject to appropriation, the
186 department shall develop and implement a child protective
187 investigator and case manager recruitment program for the
188 purpose of recruiting individuals who have previously held
189 public safety and service positions, such as former law
190 enforcement officers, first responders, military servicemembers,
191 teachers, health care practitioners, and emergency management
192 professionals. This recruitment program must focus on the
193 education and recruitment of individuals who have held positions
194 of public trust and who wish to further serve their communities
195 as child welfare personnel.
196 (a) The department, in collaboration with community-based
197 care lead agencies, shall:
198 1. Develop information pertaining to employment
199 opportunities, application procedures, and training requirements
200 for employment within the child welfare system and distribute
201 such information to individuals who have previously held public
202 safety and service positions.
203 2. Develop and implement an employment referral system with
204 lead agencies for the case management population.
205 3. Collect the following information quarterly:
206 a. The total number of individuals who sought information
207 from the program; were hired by the department as child
208 protective investigators; were referred by the program to a lead
209 agency for case management positions; and, based upon a referral
210 by the program, were hired by the lead agency or contractor as a
211 case manager.
212 b. The overall turnover rate for child protective
213 investigators and case managers compared to the turnover rate
214 for child protective investigators and case managers hired based
215 upon this program.
216 (b) The department may adopt rules to implement this
217 subsection.
218 Section 5. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) and paragraph
219 (e) of subsection (14) of section 409.175, Florida Statutes, are
220 amended to read:
221 409.175 Licensure of family foster homes, residential
222 child-caring agencies, and child-placing agencies; public
223 records exemption.—
224 (5) The department shall adopt and amend rules for the
225 levels of licensed care associated with the licensure of family
226 foster homes, residential child-caring agencies, and child
227 placing agencies. The rules may include criteria to approve
228 waivers to licensing requirements when applying for a child
229 specific license.
230 (b) The requirements for licensure and operation of family
231 foster homes, residential child-caring agencies, and child
232 placing agencies shall include:
233 1. The operation, conduct, and maintenance of these homes
234 and agencies and the responsibility which they assume for
235 children served and the evidence of need for that service.
236 2. The provision of food, clothing, educational
237 opportunities, services, equipment, and individual supplies to
238 assure the healthy physical, emotional, and mental development
239 of the children served.
240 3. The appropriateness, safety, cleanliness, and general
241 adequacy of the premises, including fire prevention and health
242 standards, to provide for the physical comfort, care, and well
243 being of the children served.
244 4. The ratio of staff to children required to provide
245 adequate care and supervision of the children served and, in the
246 case of family foster homes, the maximum number of children in
247 the home.
248 5. The good moral character based upon screening,
249 education, training, and experience requirements for personnel
250 and family foster homes.
251 6. The department may grant exemptions from
252 disqualification from working with children or the
253 developmentally disabled as provided in s. 435.07.
254 6.7. The provision of preservice and inservice training for
255 all foster parents and agency staff.
256 7.8. Satisfactory evidence of financial ability to provide
257 care for the children in compliance with licensing requirements.
258 8.9. The maintenance by the agency of records pertaining to
259 admission, progress, health, and discharge of children served,
260 including written case plans and reports to the department.
261 9.10. The provision for parental involvement to encourage
262 preservation and strengthening of a child’s relationship with
263 the family.
264 10.11. The transportation safety of children served.
265 11.12. The provisions for safeguarding the cultural,
266 religious, and ethnic values of a child.
267 12.13. Provisions to safeguard the legal rights of children
268 served.
269 13.14. Requiring signs to be conspicuously placed on the
270 premises of facilities maintained by child-caring agencies to
271 warn children of the dangers of human trafficking and to
272 encourage the reporting of individuals observed attempting to
273 engage in human trafficking activity. The signs must advise
274 children to report concerns to the local law enforcement agency
275 or the Department of Law Enforcement, specifying the appropriate
276 telephone numbers used for such reports. The department shall
277 specify, at a minimum, the content of the signs by rule.
278
279 The department may grant limited exemptions to the requirements
280 provided in this paragraph which authorize a person to work in a
281 specified role or with a specified population.
282 (14)
283 (e)1. In addition to any other preservice training required
284 by law, foster parents, as a condition of licensure, and agency
285 staff must successfully complete preservice training related to
286 human trafficking which must be uniform statewide and must
287 include, but need not be limited to:
288 a. Basic information on human trafficking, such as an
289 understanding of relevant terminology, and the differences
290 between sex trafficking and labor trafficking;
291 b. Factors and knowledge on identifying children at risk of
292 human trafficking; and
293 c. Steps that should be taken to prevent at-risk youths
294 from becoming victims of human trafficking.
295 2. Foster parents, before licensure renewal, and agency
296 staff, during each full year of employment, must complete
297 inservice training related to human trafficking to satisfy the
298 training requirement under subparagraph (5)(b)6. (5)(b)7.
299 Section 6. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section
300 409.987, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
301 409.987 Lead agency procurement; boards; conflicts of
302 interest.—
303 (4) In order to serve as a lead agency, an entity must:
304 (c) Demonstrate financial responsibility through an
305 organized plan for regular fiscal audits and; the posting of a
306 performance bond; and the posting of a fidelity bond to cover
307 any costs associated with reprocurement and the assessed
308 penalties related to a failure to disclose a conflict of
309 interest under subsection (7).
310 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
311 409.993, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph (c),
312 paragraph (a) is amended, and a new paragraph (b) is added to
313 that subsection, to read:
314 409.993 Lead agencies and subcontractor liability.—
315 (3) SUBCONTRACTOR LIABILITY.—
316 (a) A subcontractor of an eligible community-based care
317 lead agency that is a direct provider of foster care and related
318 services to children and families, and its employees or
319 officers, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) (b),
320 must, as a part of its contract, obtain a minimum of $1 million
321 per occurrence with a policy period aggregate limit of $3
322 million in general liability insurance coverage. The
323 subcontractor of a lead agency must also require that staff who
324 transport client children and families in their personal
325 automobiles in order to carry out their job responsibilities
326 obtain minimum bodily injury liability insurance in the amount
327 of $100,000 per person in any one automobile accident, and
328 subject to such limits for each person, $300,000 for all damages
329 resulting from any one automobile accident, on their personal
330 automobiles. In lieu of personal motor vehicle insurance, the
331 subcontractor’s casualty, liability, or motor vehicle insurance
332 carrier may provide nonowned automobile liability coverage. This
333 insurance provides liability insurance for automobiles that the
334 subcontractor uses in connection with the subcontractor’s
335 business but does not own, lease, rent, or borrow. This coverage
336 includes automobiles owned by the employees of the subcontractor
337 or a member of the employee’s household but only while the
338 automobiles are used in connection with the subcontractor’s
339 business. The nonowned automobile coverage for the subcontractor
340 applies as excess coverage over any other collectible insurance.
341 The personal automobile policy for the employee of the
342 subcontractor shall be primary insurance, and the nonowned
343 automobile coverage of the subcontractor acts as excess
344 insurance to the primary insurance. The subcontractor shall
345 provide a minimum limit of $1 million in nonowned automobile
346 coverage. In a tort action brought against such subcontractor or
347 employee, net economic damages shall be limited to $2 million
348 per liability claim and $200,000 per automobile claim,
349 including, but not limited to, past and future medical expenses,
350 wage loss, and loss of earning capacity, offset by any
351 collateral source payment paid or payable. In a tort action
352 brought against such subcontractor, noneconomic damages shall be
353 limited to $400,000 per claim. A claims bill may be brought on
354 behalf of a claimant pursuant to s. 768.28 for any amount
355 exceeding the limits specified in this paragraph. Any offset of
356 collateral source payments made as of the date of the settlement
357 or judgment shall be in accordance with s. 768.76.
358 (b) A subcontractor of a lead agency that is a direct
359 provider of foster care and related services is not liable for
360 the acts or omissions of the lead agency, the department, or the
361 officers, agents, or employees thereof. The limitation on
362 liability established in this paragraph applies to contracts
363 entered into or renewed after July 1, 2025.
364 Section 8. Subsection (27) is added to section 409.996,
365 Florida Statutes, to read:
366 409.996 Duties of the Department of Children and Families.
367 The department shall contract for the delivery, administration,
368 or management of care for children in the child protection and
369 child welfare system. In doing so, the department retains
370 responsibility for the quality of contracted services and
371 programs and shall ensure that, at a minimum, services are
372 delivered in accordance with applicable federal and state
373 statutes and regulations and the performance standards and
374 metrics specified in the strategic plan created under s.
375 20.19(1).
376 (27)(a) Subject to appropriation, beginning July 1, 2025,
377 the department shall develop a 4-year pilot program of treatment
378 foster care or a substantially similar evidence-based program of
379 professional foster care. The department shall implement the
380 pilot program by January 1, 2026.
381 (b) The department shall implement and operate the pilot
382 program and coordinate with community-based care lead agencies
383 to develop a process for the placement of children in treatment
384 foster care homes and deliver payment to the licensed providers
385 operating the pilot treatment foster care homes.
386 (c) Community-based care lead agencies shall work with the
387 department to recruit individuals and families as licensed
388 providers and identify potential eligible children for placement
389 in the pilot treatment foster care homes.
390 (d) Participation in the pilot program is limited to
391 children who:
392 1. Are entering or continuing in foster care with high
393 resource indicators, as determined by the department. These high
394 resource indicators may include, but are not limited to, the
395 potential for frequent placement change due to current or past
396 behavior or Department of Juvenile Justice involvement; or
397 2. Are dependent and will require continued placement in
398 foster care when the children are discharged from inpatient
399 residential treatment.
400 (e) The department shall identify two judicial circuits
401 within which the pilot program will be implemented. The
402 department shall use relevant removal and placement data to
403 identify areas with the greatest need for such a program.
404 (f) The department shall arrange for an independent
405 evaluation of the pilot program to determine whether:
406 1. The pilot program is maintaining children in the least
407 restrictive and most appropriate family-like setting near the
408 child’s home while he or she is in department care.
409 2. There is a long-term cost benefit associated with
410 continuation and expansion of a treatment or professional foster
411 care program.
412 (g) The department shall establish standards for the pilot
413 program. Those standards must, at a minimum, ensure:
414 1. That placement of a child in a treatment foster care
415 home is a temporary holistic treatment option and may not exceed
416 9 months. A one-time 3-month extension may be granted if the
417 department determines that the child is not ready for discharge
418 from a treatment foster care home at 9 months.
419 2. Development and implementation of specialized training
420 for treatment foster parents in care coordination, de
421 escalation, crisis management, and other identified relevant
422 skills needed to care for children with high behavioral health
423 needs that cannot be or have not been met in traditional foster
424 care placements.
425 3. No more than two eligible children are placed at any
426 time in a treatment foster care home.
427 4. At least one foster parent with specialized training is
428 available and dedicated to the care and treatment of placed
429 children.
430 5. A 24 hour on-call crisis person is available to provide
431 in-home crisis intervention and placement stabilization
432 services.
433 (h) By January 1, 2030, the department shall submit to the
434 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
435 House of Representatives a final report that includes the
436 independent evaluation, the department’s findings and
437 evaluation, recommendations as to whether the pilot program
438 should be continued and expanded statewide and, if so, fiscal
439 and policy recommendations to ensure effective expansion and
440 continued operation of the program.
441 Section 9. Subsection (11) is added to section 1004.615,
442 Florida Statutes, to read:
443 1004.615 Florida Institute for Child Welfare.—
444 (11) An incentive provided to state employees for
445 participating in the institute’s research or evaluation as
446 required by the institute’s statutory mission under this section
447 may not be considered a violation of s. 112.313 or require
448 reporting under s. 112.3148.
449 Section 10. Section 402.30501, Florida Statutes, is amended
450 to read:
451 402.30501 Modification of introductory child care course
452 for community college credit authorized.—The Department of
453 Children and Families may modify the 40-clock-hour introductory
454 course in child care under s. 402.305 or s. 402.3131 to meet the
455 requirements of articulating the course to community college
456 credit. Any modification must continue to provide that the
457 course satisfies the requirements of s. 402.305(2)(d) s.
458 402.305(2)(e).
459 Section 11. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 1002.57,
460 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
461 1002.57 Prekindergarten director credential.—
462 (3) The prekindergarten director credential must meet or
463 exceed the requirements of the Department of Children and
464 Families for the child care facility director credential under
465 s. 402.305(2)(f) s. 402.305(2)(g), and successful completion of
466 the prekindergarten director credential satisfies these
467 requirements for the child care facility director credential.
468 (4) The department shall, to the maximum extent
469 practicable, award credit to a person who successfully completes
470 the child care facility director credential under s.
471 402.305(2)(f) s. 402.305(2)(g) for those requirements of the
472 prekindergarten director credential which are duplicative of
473 requirements for the child care facility director credential.
474 Section 12. Subsection (1) of section 1002.59, Florida
475 Statutes, is amended to read:
476 1002.59 Emergent literacy and performance standards
477 training courses.—
478 (1) The department, in collaboration with the Just Read,
479 Florida! Office, shall adopt minimum standards for courses in
480 emergent literacy for prekindergarten instructors. Each course
481 must consist of 5 clock hours and provide instruction in
482 strategies and techniques to address the age-appropriate
483 progress of prekindergarten students in developing emergent
484 literacy skills, including oral communication, knowledge of
485 print and letters, phonological and phonemic awareness,
486 vocabulary and comprehension development, and foundational
487 background knowledge designed to correlate with the content that
488 students will encounter in grades K-12, consistent with the
489 evidence-based content and strategies grounded in the science of
490 reading identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(7). The course
491 standards must be reviewed as part of any review of subject
492 coverage or endorsement requirements in the elementary, reading,
493 and exceptional student educational areas conducted pursuant to
494 s. 1012.586. Each course must also provide resources containing
495 strategies that allow students with disabilities and other
496 special needs to derive maximum benefit from the Voluntary
497 Prekindergarten Education Program. Successful completion of an
498 emergent literacy training course approved under this section
499 satisfies requirements for approved training in early literacy
500 and language development under ss. 402.305(2)(d)5. ss.
501 402.305(2)(e)5., 402.313(6), and 402.3131(5).
502 Section 13. (1) Effective upon this act becoming a law,
503 the Department of Children and Families shall convene a case
504 management workforce workgroup by July 1, 2025. The workgroup
505 shall be composed of persons with subject matter expertise in
506 case management and child welfare policy.
507 (2) The department shall ensure the workgroup has at least
508 two representatives with subject matter expertise in case
509 management from each of the following:
510 (a) The Department of Children and Families.
511 (b) Community-based care lead agencies.
512 (c) Contracted case management organizations.
513 (3) In collaboration with the Florida Institute for Child
514 Welfare, the workgroup shall do all of the following:
515 (a) Review and analyze existing statutes, rules, operating
516 procedures, and federal requirements relating to the provision
517 of case management.
518 (b) Review and analyze legislative changes relating to case
519 management processes during the preceding 10 years and the
520 impact that those changes have had on workload and workforce.
521 (c) Gather statewide data to assess all of the following:
522 1. Compliance with statutory requirements.
523 2. Variations in case management practices.
524 3. Current workforce capacity.
525 4. Barriers to successful implementation of any statutes,
526 rules, and operating procedures.
527 (d) Solicit insight from stakeholders, including frontline
528 workers, supervisors, and administrators, regarding challenges
529 and potential solutions.
530 (e) Analyze findings of the work conducted under paragraphs
531 (a)-(d) to do all of the following:
532 1. Identify any needed statutory changes.
533 2. Evaluate whether the current structure, processes, and
534 requirements of the statutes, rules, and operating procedures
535 are duplicative or unworkable.
536 3. Evaluate how well case managers are implementing policy.
537 (f) Develop clear and actionable recommendations to
538 streamline, clarify, standardize, and implement case management
539 processes and practices that address workforce retention and
540 allow for local community innovation.
541 (4) The workgroup shall meet as often as necessary to carry
542 out these duties and responsibilities and shall operate until
543 December 1, 2025, at which time it shall submit to the Governor,
544 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
545 Representatives a report that summarizes its work, describes and
546 details its analysis of data, and recommends clear actionable
547 policy.
548 Section 14. Effective upon this act becoming law, the
549 Department of Children and Families shall contract for a
550 detailed study of bed capacity for residential treatment
551 services and a gap analysis of nonresidential treatment services
552 for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation identified
553 by the child welfare systems of care and those not involved in
554 the child welfare systems of care. The study must include
555 analyses of current capacity, current and projected future
556 demand, and the state’s current and projected future ability to
557 meet that demand. The study must be completed by December 31,
558 2025, and must, at a minimum, include all of the following:
559 (1) By department region, the current number of residential
560 treatment beds in safe homes for treatment of child victims of
561 commercial sexual exploitation, the number of individuals
562 admitted and discharged annually, the types and frequency of
563 diagnoses, and the lengths of stays.
564 (2) By department region, the current number of specialized
565 safe therapeutic foster home placements for child victims of
566 commercial sexual exploitation, the number of placements
567 annually, and the lengths of stays.
568 (3) By department region, an analysis of nonresidential
569 treatment services for child victims of commercial sexual
570 exploitation and the utilization of such services.
571 (4) Policy recommendations for ensuring sufficient bed
572 capacity for residential treatment beds, ensuring specialized
573 safe therapeutic foster home placements, and enhancing services
574 for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation which could
575 prevent the need for residential treatment beds.
576 Section 15. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
577 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
578 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
579 2025.
580
581 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
582 And the title is amended as follows:
583 Delete lines 357 - 380
584 and insert:
585 An act relating to child welfare; amending s. 39.524,
586 F.S.; requiring the Department of Children and
587 Families to maintain copies of certain assessments and
588 tools used to assess children for certain placement;
589 requiring the department to maintain certain data in a
590 specified format; amending s. 39.905, F.S.;
591 authorizing the department to waive a specified
592 requirement if there is an emergency need for a new
593 domestic violence center; authorizing the department
594 to issue a provisional certificate under certain
595 circumstances; authorizing the department to adopt
596 rules; amending ss. 402.305 and 409.175, F.S.;
597 removing authority for the department to grant
598 exemptions from working with children or the
599 developmentally disabled; authorizing the department
600 to grant limited exemptions to certain minimum
601 standards and requirements, respectively; amending s.
602 402.402, F.S.; subject to an appropriation, requiring
603 the department to develop a child protective
604 investigator and case manager recruitment program for
605 a specified purpose; specifying requirements for the
606 program; specifying duties of the department under the
607 program, to be completed in collaboration with
608 community-based care lead agencies; authorizing the
609 department to adopt rules to implement the program;
610 amending s. 409.987, F.S.; removing the requirement
611 that an entity post a specified fidelity bond in order
612 to serve as a lead agency; amending s. 409.993, F.S.;
613 providing immunity from liability for subcontractors
614 of lead agencies for certain acts or omissions;
615 providing applicability; amending s. 409.996, F.S.;
616 subject to an appropriation and beginning on a
617 specified date, requiring the department to develop a
618 4-year pilot program for treatment foster care;
619 requiring the department to implement the pilot
620 program by a specified date; requiring the department
621 to coordinate with community-based care lead agencies
622 to develop a specified process; requiring community
623 based care lead agencies to recruit individuals and
624 families for a certain purpose; limiting participation
625 in the pilot program to children meeting specified
626 criteria; requiring the department to identify two
627 judicial circuits determined to have the greatest need
628 for implementation of such pilot program; requiring
629 the department to arrange for an independent
630 evaluation of the pilot program to make specified
631 determinations; requiring the department to establish
632 certain minimum standards for the pilot program;
633 requiring the department, by a specified date, to
634 submit to the Governor and the Legislature a final
635 report which includes specified evaluations, findings,
636 and recommendations; amending s. 1004.615, F.S.;
637 specifying that incentives provided to state employees
638 for participating in research or evaluation with the
639 Florida Institute for Child Welfare do not violate
640 certain laws or require certain reporting; amending
641 ss. 402.30501, 1002.57, and 1002.59, F.S.; conforming
642 cross-references; requiring the department to convene
643 a case management workforce workgroup by a specified
644 date; providing for membership of the workgroup;
645 specifying duties of the workgroup, to be completed in
646 collaboration with the Florida Institute for Child
647 Welfare; providing for meetings of the workgroup;
648 providing for the operation of the workgroup until a
649 specified date; requiring the workgroup to submit a
650 report to the Governor and the Legislature by a
651 specified date; providing requirements for the report;
652 requiring the department to contract for a detailed
653 study of certain services for child victims of
654 commercial sexual exploitation; requiring that the
655 study be completed by a specified date; providing
656 requirements for the study; providing effective dates.