FL H0893

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) may place children in its custody in therapeutic group homes for residential mental health treatment without prior court approval; "therapeutic group home" is defined as a 24-hour residential treatment center providing community-based mental health treatment in a nonsecure, homelike setting.

Suitability assessment authority is transferred from the Agency for Health Care Administration to DCF, which now appoints qualified evaluators; evaluators for therapeutic group homes may include licensed mental health counselors with 2 years of experience, while evaluators for other residential treatment centers or hospitals must be psychiatrists or psychologists with at least 3 years of experience.

Within 5 days of receiving a suitability assessment, DCF must provide a copy to the guardian ad litem and the court; DCF must also immediately notify both the guardian ad litem and the court upon placing a child in a residential treatment program.

The term "special needs child" is replaced throughout Florida statutes with "difficult to place child," and the racial criterion is broadened from "of black or racially mixed parentage" to "a member of a racial group that is disproportionately represented" among children in state custody.

Rulemaking authority previously held by both DCF and the Agency for Health Care Administration regarding suitability assessment timeframes, evaluator registration, and fee schedules is removed.