CS for CS for SB 1650 - Child Welfare Summary

• Establishes a direct-support organization under the Department of Children and Families to assist the Children and Youth Cabinet with public awareness, fundraising, and grant management, with a 7-member board appointed by the Governor and automatic repeal on October 1, 2024.

• Expands the central abuse hotline to accept reports of child abuse occurring out-of-state if the child is currently being evaluated in a Florida medical facility and requires investigation initiation upon reports from emergency room physicians.

• Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses with psychiatric nursing specialty to prescribe psychotropic medications to children in department custody and shortens residential treatment plan review periods from 3 months to 60 days.

• Revises guardianship assistance and relative caregiver programs by replacing "fictive kin" terminology with "relative" definition, modifying eligibility requirements and benefit termination conditions, and expanding information provision to caregivers about program options.

• Allows young adults in extended foster care to execute voluntary placement agreements to re-enroll without requiring reinstatement petitions and makes financial awards to young adults disregardable when determining eligibility for other federal assistance programs.