Bill Text: FL S0330 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Behavioral Health Teaching Hospitals

Spectrum:

Status: (Passed) 2024-03-22 - Chapter No. 2024-12 [S0330 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S0330-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 330
       
       
        
       By Senator Boyd
       
       
       
       
       
       20-01289B-24                                           2024330__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to behavioral health teaching
    3         hospitals; creating part VI of ch. 395, F.S., entitled
    4         “Behavioral Health Teaching Hospitals”; creating s.
    5         395.901, F.S.; defining the terms “agency” and
    6         “behavioral health teaching hospital”; providing
    7         legislative findings and intent; creating s. 395.902,
    8         F.S.; specifying the manner in which hospitals may
    9         seek designation as a behavioral health teaching
   10         hospital; specifying criteria that a hospital must
   11         meet to receive such designation; amending s. 1004.44,
   12         F.S.; establishing the Florida Center for Behavioral
   13         Health Workforce within the Louis de la Parte Florida
   14         Mental Health Institute for a specified purpose;
   15         specifying the primary goals of the center; requiring
   16         the center to establish and maintain a database on the
   17         supply and demand of behavioral health professionals
   18         in this state for a specified purpose; authorizing the
   19         center to request, and requiring certain boards to
   20         provide, certain information regarding behavioral
   21         health professionals licensed or practicing in this
   22         state; requiring the center to submit an annual report
   23         of certain information to the Governor and the
   24         Legislature; establishing the Florida Behavioral
   25         Health Professions Scholarship and Grants Program,
   26         subject to an appropriation, to be administered by the
   27         center; providing purposes of the program; specifying
   28         the center’s duties in administering the program;
   29         requiring the center, in collaboration with the Board
   30         of Governors and the State Board of Education, to
   31         identify certain indicators for measuring progress and
   32         performance of the educational programs at designated
   33         behavioral health teaching hospitals in this state;
   34         requiring the center to provide an annual report to
   35         the Governor, the Legislature, the Chancellor of the
   36         State University System, and the Commissioner of
   37         Education; providing requirements for the report;
   38         requiring the center, in collaboration with the Board
   39         of Governors, the State Board of Education, and other
   40         stakeholders, to submit statutory and budget
   41         recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by
   42         a specified date each year; requiring the Board of
   43         Governors and the State Board of Education, in
   44         consultation with the center, to adopt any necessary
   45         regulations and rules in an expeditious manner;
   46         requiring the Department of Children and Families, in
   47         coordination with the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental
   48         Health Institute, to contract for a two-part study of
   49         the state’s behavioral health system; specifying
   50         requirements for the study; providing effective dates.
   51          
   52  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   53  
   54         Section 1. Part VI of chapter 395, Florida Statutes,
   55  consisting of ss. 395.901 and 395.902, Florida Statutes, is
   56  created and entitled “Behavioral Health Teaching Hospitals.”
   57         Section 2. Section 395.901, Florida Statutes, is created to
   58  read:
   59         395.901 Behavioral health teaching hospitals.—
   60         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this part, the term:
   61         (a) “Agency” means the Agency for Health Care
   62  Administration.
   63         (b) “Behavioral health teaching hospital” means a
   64  community-based hospital licensed under this chapter which has
   65  partnered with a university school of medicine and offers
   66  integrated behavioral health education as specified in s.
   67  395.902.
   68         (2) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
   69         (a) The Legislature finds that there is a critical shortage
   70  of behavioral health professionals and recognizes the urgent
   71  need to expand the existing behavioral health workforce, prepare
   72  for an aging workforce, incentivize entry into behavioral health
   73  professions, and train a modernized workforce in innovative
   74  integrated care.
   75         (b) The Legislature finds there is a specific need to
   76  support a behavioral health education system that not only
   77  trains the next generation of professionals in innovative and
   78  integrated care for those with behavioral health needs, but also
   79  works to modernize the state’s overall behavioral health system
   80  of care.
   81         (c) Therefore, the Legislature intends to identify and
   82  designate multiple behavioral health teaching hospitals that
   83  work to provide the necessary research, education, and services
   84  to not only enhance this state’s behavioral health workforce,
   85  but to make that workforce and system of care the national
   86  standard. The Legislature intends to partner with the University
   87  of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital to establish a pilot
   88  designated behavioral health teaching hospital to develop and
   89  implement a statewide model, and further intends to create the
   90  Behavioral Health Workforce Center within the university’s Louis
   91  de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute to address issues of
   92  workforce supply and demand in behavioral health professions,
   93  including issues of recruitment, retention, and workforce
   94  resources.
   95         (d) The Legislature intends for designated behavioral
   96  health teaching hospitals to:
   97         1. Focus on state-of-the-art behavioral health research.
   98         2. Provide leading-edge education and training for this
   99  state’s behavioral health workforce in innovative and integrated
  100  care.
  101         3. Collaborate with other college and university schools of
  102  nursing, psychology, social work, pharmacy, public health, and
  103  other relevant disciplines to promote and enhance a modernized
  104  behavioral health system of care.
  105         4. Develop, implement, and promote public-private
  106  partnerships throughout this state to support and enhance the
  107  intent of this part.
  108         5. Provide inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care
  109  and support the state in providing treatment and care for those
  110  whose need and acuity has resulted in the need for long-term
  111  voluntary or involuntary civil commitment.
  112         Section 3. Section 395.902, Florida Statutes, is created to
  113  read:
  114         395.902 Designated behavioral health teaching hospitals.—
  115         (1) A hospital that partners with a university school of
  116  medicine may seek designation as a behavioral health teaching
  117  hospital by submitting an application and required documentation
  118  to the agency in a manner determined by the agency.
  119         (2) To be designated as a behavioral health teaching
  120  hospital, a hospital must meet all of the following criteria:
  121         (a) Offer a psychiatric residency program accredited
  122  through the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation
  123  Council of Graduate Medical Education.
  124         (b) Offer a postdoctoral clinical psychology fellowship
  125  program accredited by the American Psychological Association.
  126         (c) Develop and maintain a consultation agreement with the
  127  Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute as established
  128  in s. 1004.44, including with the Florida Center for Behavioral
  129  Health Workforce.
  130         (d) As part of its partnership with a university school of
  131  medicine, develop a plan that meets all of the following
  132  criteria:
  133         1. Promotes a coordinated system of care which offers
  134  inpatient and outpatient treatment and services for individuals
  135  with behavioral health needs, including, but not limited to,
  136  prevention, community inpatient care, crisis stabilization,
  137  short-term residential treatment, screening, therapeutic and
  138  supportive services, and long-term care.
  139         2. Develops and offers integrated workforce development
  140  programs, including, but not limited to, practicums and
  141  internships for clinical and nonclinical behavioral and physical
  142  health professions.
  143         3. Coordinates and promotes innovative partnerships that
  144  integrate colleges and schools of nursing, psychology, social
  145  work, pharmacy, public health, and other relevant disciplines
  146  with existing local and regional programs, clinics, and
  147  resources.
  148         Section 4. Subsections (6), (7), and (8) are added to
  149  section 1004.44, Florida Statutes, to read:
  150         1004.44 Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.
  151  There is established the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health
  152  Institute within the University of South Florida.
  153         (6)(a) There is established, within the institute, the
  154  Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce to address issues
  155  of workforce supply and demand in behavioral health professions,
  156  including issues of recruitment, retention, and workforce
  157  resources.
  158         (b) The primary goals for the center are to:
  159         1. Develop a strategic statewide plan for the behavioral
  160  health workforce in this state by:
  161         a. Conducting a statistically valid biennial data-driven
  162  analysis of the supply and demand of the behavioral health
  163  workforce. To achieve such goal, the center must:
  164         (I) Establish and maintain a database on the supply and
  165  demand of behavioral health professionals in this state, to
  166  include current supply and demand; and
  167         (II) Analyze the current and future supply and demand in
  168  the state.
  169         b. Developing recommendations and strategies to increase
  170  behavioral health faculty and educational supervision, support
  171  behavioral health faculty development, and promote advanced
  172  behavioral health education.
  173         c. Developing best practices in the academic preparation
  174  and continuing education needs of qualified behavioral health
  175  educators.
  176         d. Collecting data on behavioral health faculty,
  177  employment, distribution, and retention.
  178         e. Piloting innovative projects to support the recruitment,
  179  development, and retention of qualified behavioral health
  180  faculty and clinical preceptors.
  181         f. Encouraging and coordinating the development of
  182  academic-practice partnerships, to support behavioral health
  183  faculty employment and advancement.
  184         g. Developing distance learning infrastructure for
  185  behavioral health education and advancing faculty competencies
  186  in the pedagogy of teaching and the evidence-based use of
  187  technology, simulation, and distance learning techniques.
  188         2. Enhance and promote behavioral health professionals in
  189  this state by developing and promoting:
  190         a. Behavioral health excellence programs;
  191         b. Reward, recognition, and renewal activities; and
  192         c. Media and image-building efforts.
  193         3. Convene various groups representative of behavioral
  194  health professions, other health care providers, business and
  195  industry, consumers, lawmakers, and educators to:
  196         a. Review and comment on data analysis prepared for the
  197  center;
  198         b. Recommend systemic changes, including strategies for
  199  implementation of recommended changes; and
  200         c. Evaluate and report the results of these efforts to the
  201  Legislature and other entities.
  202         (c) The center may request from any board as defined in s.
  203  456.001, and the board must provide to the center upon its
  204  request, any information held by the board regarding a
  205  behavioral health professional licensed in this state or holding
  206  a multistate license pursuant to a professional multistate
  207  licensure compact or information reported to the board by
  208  employers of such behavioral health professionals, other than
  209  personal identifying information.
  210         (d) By January 10 of each year, the center shall submit a
  211  report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
  212  Speaker of the House of Representatives providing details of its
  213  activities during the preceding calendar year in pursuit of its
  214  goals and in the execution of its duties under paragraph (b).
  215         (7)(a) There is established a Florida Behavioral Health
  216  Professions Scholarship and Grants Program, subject to an
  217  appropriation by the Legislature, to be administered by the
  218  Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce. The purpose of
  219  the program is to provide scholarships to students enrolled in
  220  educational programs, including practicums, internships, and
  221  rotations, at designated behavioral health teaching hospitals in
  222  this state and provide grants to support establishment of such
  223  educational programs.
  224         (b) The center must, at a minimum, do all of the following
  225  to administer the Florida Behavioral Health Professions
  226  Scholarship and Grants Program:
  227         1. Coordinate, facilitate, and oversee statewide
  228  implementation of the Florida Behavioral Health Professions
  229  Scholarship and Grants Program.
  230         2. Consult and collaborate with designated behavioral
  231  health teaching hospitals and affiliated universities to
  232  identify eligible educational programs to offer the scholarship
  233  program.
  234         3. Establish requirements, timelines, and processes for
  235  eligibility and application for scholarships and grants.
  236         4. Administer scholarship funds. The annual amount of the
  237  scholarship to be provided to an eligible student must be the
  238  amount specified in the General Appropriations Act.
  239         5. Administer grant funds. The grants must be used for the
  240  implementation and operation of educational programs, including
  241  practicums, internships, and rotations, at designated behavioral
  242  health teaching hospitals in this state. Funds appropriated to
  243  the center may be used for such grants only as specifically
  244  authorized in the General Appropriations Act.
  245         6. Report on the implementation and administration of this
  246  subsection by planning, advising, and evaluating approved degree
  247  and certificate programs and the performance of students and
  248  programs pursuant to paragraph (c).
  249         (c)1. The center, in collaboration with the Board of
  250  Governors and the State Board of Education, shall identify
  251  indicators for the satisfactory progress of students enrolled in
  252  educational programs, including practicums, internships, and
  253  rotations, at designated behavioral health teaching hospitals in
  254  this state and for the performance of such programs.
  255         2. By October 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, the center
  256  shall provide to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
  257  Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chancellor of the
  258  State University System, and the Commissioner of Education a
  259  report summarizing, at a minimum, the status of the statewide
  260  coordination and implementation of educational programs,
  261  including practicums, internships, and rotations, at designated
  262  behavioral health teaching hospitals in this state and the
  263  Florida Behavioral Health Professions Scholarships and Grants
  264  Program, including, but not limited to, the:
  265         a. Number of applications approved and denied and the
  266  reasons for each denial.
  267         b. Number and value of all scholarships awarded to
  268  students.
  269         c. Projected number of students who may be eligible to
  270  enroll in educational programs, including practicums,
  271  internships, and rotations, at designated behavioral health
  272  teaching hospitals in this state within the next academic year.
  273         3. The center, in collaboration with the Board of
  274  Governors, the State Board of Education, and other stakeholders,
  275  by December 1 of each year, shall submit to the Governor, the
  276  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  277  Representatives statutory and budget recommendations for
  278  improving the implementation and delivery of scholarships and
  279  grants.
  280         (8) The Board of Governors and the State Board of
  281  Education, in consultation with the center, shall expeditiously
  282  adopt any necessary regulations and rules, as applicable, to
  283  allow the center to perform its responsibilities under
  284  subsections (6) and (7) beginning in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
  285         Section 5. Effective upon this act becoming a law, the
  286  Department of Children and Families, in coordination with the
  287  Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, must contract
  288  for a two-part study of Florida’s behavioral health system.
  289         (1) The first part of the study must be a study of
  290  Florida’s behavioral health system in general, including, but
  291  not limited to, all of the following:
  292         (a) An analysis of Florida’s behavioral health workforce
  293  and behavioral health education and training.
  294         (b) An evaluation of how to best promote, integrate, and
  295  incentivize the establishment of behavioral health teaching
  296  hospitals, as detailed in this act.
  297         (c) Policy recommendations for recruiting, training, and
  298  retaining an integrated behavioral health workforce.
  299         (2) The second part of the study must be a detailed
  300  analysis of Florida’s involuntary commitment system, including,
  301  but not limited to, all of the following:
  302         (a) Involuntary commitment bed capacity, in both forensic
  303  and civil involuntary commitment settings.
  304         (b) Involuntary commitment policies and processes.
  305         (c) Policy recommendations for ensuring sufficient
  306  involuntary commitment bed capacity.
  307         (d) An evaluation of maintaining civil commitment beds as a
  308  requirement for designation as a behavioral health teaching
  309  hospital, to include potential costs related to capital outlay,
  310  enhanced bed rate, and staffing requirements.
  311         (e) Recommendations for promoting coordination between
  312  Florida’s involuntary commitment system, behavioral health
  313  teaching hospitals, and other integrated health programs.
  314         Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
  315  act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
  316  this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
  317  2024.