FL S1462

Expands eligibility for military veterans and servicemembers court programs to include those with general discharges, and creates new treatment-based mental health court programs funded by counties for persons with mental illness in the justice system.

Requires treatment-based mental health court program participation to be voluntary at pretrial stage, with postadjudicatory participation contingent on court assessment of criminal history, mental health screening, amenability to treatment, and defendant agreement.

Establishes mandatory coordinator positions in judicial circuits with mental health court programs (subject to annual legislative appropriation) and authorizes chief judges to appoint advisory committees for program oversight.

Expands the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Grant Review Committee to include representatives from veterans affairs, sheriffs, police chiefs, county government, alcohol and drug abuse associations, and community mental health councils.

Requires behavioral health managing entities to collect and submit crisis stabilization services utilization data from public receiving facilities on daily, monthly, and annual bases, with the department creating a statewide database and submitting annual reports to the Governor and Legislature beginning January 31, 2016.