FL H0449

Creates section 39.01304, Florida Statutes, to authorize circuit courts to establish early childhood court programs serving infants and toddlers in dependency court proceedings.

Requires early childhood court programs to include therapeutic jurisprudence, service coordination procedures, multidisciplinary teams of community stakeholders, and continuum of mental health services focused on parent-child relationships.

Directs the Office of the State Courts Administrator to coordinate with participating circuit courts to create community coordinator positions (or allow courts to establish alternative coordination systems) and may hire a statewide training specialist, subject to annual legislative appropriation.

Requires the Department of Children and Families to contract with university-based centers with infant mental health expertise, which must hire clinical directors to ensure quality and fidelity of evidence-based treatment and provide training and technical assistance to court teams.

Takes effect January 1, 2020.