The Florida Senate

985.229  Predisposition report; other evaluations.--

(1)  At the disposition hearing, the court shall order a predisposition report regarding the eligibility of the child for disposition other than by adjudication and commitment to the department. The predisposition report shall be the result of the multidisciplinary assessment when such assessment is needed, and of the classification and placement process, and it shall indicate and report the child's priority needs, recommendations as to a classification of risk for the child in the context of his or her program and supervision needs, and a plan for treatment that recommends the most appropriate placement setting to meet the child's needs with the minimum program security that reasonably ensures public safety. The report shall be submitted to the court prior to the disposition hearing, but shall not be reviewed by the court without the consent of the child and his or her legal counsel until the child has been found to have committed a delinquent act.

(2)  The court shall consider the child's entire assessment and predisposition report and shall review the records of earlier judicial proceedings prior to making a final disposition of the case. The court may, by order, require additional evaluations and studies to be performed by the department, by the county school system, or by any social, psychological, or psychiatric agencies of the state. The court shall order the educational needs assessment completed pursuant to s. 985.224(2) to be included in the assessment and predisposition report.

(3)  The predisposition report shall be made available to the child's legal counsel and the state attorney upon completion of the report and at a reasonable time prior to the disposition hearing.

History.--s. 37, ch. 97-238.